Page 2 of Ava
“Yes, but my commander said there was no position left for me on the teams. It took fourteen months to recover.”
“How are you now? Completely recovered, and Hanson, don’t bullshit me.”
“Physically I’m fine. Mentally I’m fine, or the shrink never would have cleared me.”
“But…?”
“But, I still have nightmares.”
“Scale it for me.”
“Which one? The actual nightmare, or how often they occur?”
“Both.”
“I always recall when the commander told me to abort the mission, then the torture at the hands of the men who kidnapped me. Then when the SEALs took out my captors, and what happened when they got me out of there. The nightmares have slowed down. I don’t have them every single time I sleep.”
“How often do you have them?”
“I had one this morning, woke in a cold sweat at three this morning, then went for a twenty-mile run.”
“Before this morning, when was your last one?”
“Three months ago.” Ava bit her bottom lip and waited for the other woman to process the information. She didn’t have long to wait.
“I don’t really want to talk about this over the phone, but could you get away?”
“Yes, there’s nothing keeping me here, and I don’t have a job. Why do you want me to get away?”
“Just a quick rundown on my life. I now live in Montana with my fiancé, and he works for the Brotherhood Protection Agency. It’s a bunch of former military men that do security for some very rich people.”
“And you want me to come work for them?”
“No, I want you to work for a friend of mine. Like I said, I don’t want to get into this over the phone. Can you come to Montana?”
“I can, I can leave today.”
“No need to rush, but I’d clean up your life there, then come on up. Trust me, you’re going to want to hear what my friend has to offer you.” Ava heard some noise in the background, and Angel came back on the line. “I have to go, but call this number when you get closer. I really hope everything works out for you.”
“Thanks Angel, I look forward to seeing you again.”
“You too, Ava, good luck and I hope to see you soon.”
They hung up and Ava sat there for several minutes thinking about the mysterious phone call from a former military friend. Though Ava herself had been on a team of elite women in the Marines, Angel had been a female Army Ranger. Ava looked around her dismal apartment, and made the decision to pack up and head to Montana. She had nothing holding her here in San Diego, so the phone call couldn’t have come at a better time. Finding the pad of paper she’d originally been looking for to make a grocery list, she began making a list of the things she needed to do to conclude her life here, and move.
CHAPTER2
“Come in!”Chip Boswell called when someone knocked on his door. Thinking it was the reports his secretary was bringing him to sign, he casually looked up as the door opened. When he saw who entered, he laughed as he threw his pen down on his desk, jumped to his feet, and rushed forward.
“Morgan!” He engulfed her in a hug, then set her down quickly. “What brings you here?”
“Thought I’d discuss opening the new branch with you. Hope you have a few minutes.”
“I do,” Chip sat back down, and grinned when Morgan immediately went to the coffee pot in the corner, grabbed the pot, dumped the sludge, then start a new pot. At one point she looked over her shoulder, and wrinkled her nose at her uncle. Chip laughed. “So I haven’t had a chance to make another pot.”
“Just funning with you.” Morgan laughed as she went forward and sat in the chair before his desk. She’d placed the briefcase on the floor by her chair.
“Tell me how the barracks is going?”
