Delta Recon (SEAL Team Phantom Series, Book 2) (8 page)

“Yo, earth to Tay.” Kai snapped his fingers across Jaqui’s bed.

“What did you say?” He looked around, clearing the images of blood and death from his mind.

“I said, we were gonna head out and get rooms for the night. You want us to bring you back something to eat?”

Tay looked down at the sleepy looking woman. “No, I’ll just see if I can’t get whatever she’s having.”

Jaqui snorted. “So far I’ve had broth, juice and water. I think you’ll starve, big guy.”

“Don’t worry about me. There’s a cafeteria I can get something from.”

Kai gave him an assessing glance, then pecked Jaqui on the cheek. “You stay out of trouble, and don’t let this one do anything stupid. We’ll be back in the morning.”

He had to stand by while the rest of the team said their goodbyes, even Dallas, who being the clown he was tried to kiss her on the lips, but failed as she turned her cheek with a laugh.

“You know I would rip your lips off, Dallas. Besides, who knows where those things have been.” She gave a mock shudder.

Dallas frowned. “Hey, I haven’t had them anywhere.” He paused. “Lately.” Winking, he sauntered out ahead of the others.

“That boy is gonna get in more trouble with some lady, or because of a lady,” Kai said, waving as he walked out the door.

“I didn’t think they’d ever leave. How are you feeling?” Tay sat back in the spot by her hip. He could see she was trying to hide the fact she was hurting from him.

“They took the pain pump out this morning when they moved me up here. I’m not sure when I’m due for meds.” Looking at the clock with a forlorn expression, she grimaced.

Tay knew what he’d gone through, and pushed the call button, explaining what they wanted to the voice over the speaker, he stayed next to Jaqui even when the nurse came in. He looked at the woman’s name, and watched as she gave the dose.

“Can I place an order for dinner along with Jaqui, or do I need to go down to the cafeteria myself, Heather?” He knew the answer, but wanted to see how the lady would answer.

“You can order a meal, and as luck would have it, Ms. Wallace is cleared for a regular diet as well. I’ll bring you both back a menu. Now, don’t get excited, it’s not the best selection, but better than broth,” she laughed then walked out.

Jaqui patted his hand. “You can stop planning all the ways she can be killed now.”

The slurred tone of her voice had him looking down. He loved that she understood just what he was thinking, and was fine with it. Many women would have been appalled at his thoughts, but his Jaqui made a joke, and accepted it and him. Loved. Yeah, he was pretty sure he loved her. Like head over ass loved. Watching her eyes drift shut, he promised to always keep her safe, even if it meant he had to kick his own ass.

He tensed as the door opened, holding his finger to his mouth, he eased up from the bed and met the nurse halfway across the room. Quickly he scanned the card and ordered for both he and Jaqui. She looked over to the bed and the sleeping Jaqui, then smiled and nodded.

“I’ll place the order now,” she said quietly.

“Thanks, I appreciate it.”

After checking that he didn’t need anything else, she left. Tay wanted to lay next to Jaqui and hold her, but worried he’d wake her up, and didn’t want to cause eyebrows to raise at Walter Reed. Instead, he pulled the reclining chair next to the bed and sat.

The cell in his pocket vibrated. Pulling it out, he read a text from Kai, letting him know where they were staying. He told him all was good, and that he had dinner handled. Before he replaced his phone, he opened his browser and checked to see if there was any news about the drug cartels. Although the government liked to keep missions hush hush, sometimes the media caught wind of things, which was not good for those in the military. His search came up with nothing, making him relax. Opening his email, he scrolled through, deleted several until he came to one from his mom. The woman was tenacious in her quest to get him married so she could have grandbabies. His head jerked up, automatically looking at Jaqui. His mother would love the petite blonde. Of course, she’d nag Jaqui about giving up her career, which would not be good. He shook his head as he thought of things that hadn’t even transpired. “Moving way ahead of yourself boyo.”

He let his mom know he was back on U.S. soil and would be heading home to Hawaii the next day, promising to call once he was settled. Since the woman didn’t check her email daily, he wasn’t sure when she’d actually see it, he figured he had a little reprieve.

Sitting back, he placed his folded hands over his stomach. With time to kill, he let his eyes close. Rest had been the last thing on his mind since finding out Jaqui had been taken. Now, he let his body relax, his mind following. The slow steady beeping lulled him into sleep.

Two things alerted him to the fact they were no longer alone. The first was when he heard the door open softly. The second was the sound of the soft soled shoes tiptoeing across the floor. Tay kept his breathing slow and easy, waiting to see what the intruder would do, and wondering where the guard on duty was. He hoped he didn’t have to kill anyone while in the military hospital, but he’d do what he had to. Mind made up, he opened his eyes to slits, watching as the nurse from earlier looked around Jaqui. He saw her lift something out of her pocket, then glance in his direction, a slight frown marring her forehead. Her right hand fisted, she lifted one of the IV’s attached to Jaqui.

“Whatcha got there, nurse?” Tay opened his eyes, keeping his voice even.

The woman sputtered, dropping what she had in her hand on the ground. Tay sprang into action as she tried to flee from the room. “Where you going? Shouldn’t you be picking up that there medicine, and doing what you came here for? Or were you thinking you could run fast enough? Let me save you some time and energy,” he growled, getting in her face. “There ain’t nowhere you can run or hide from me that would keep you safe. Had you succeeded in your mission, you’d be the one lying in a cold, hard grave.” With each word his voice raised until he was sure nobody on the floor could fail to hear him. The sound of pounding feet let him know others were coming in. Whether it was to save him and Jaqui or the nurse, was yet to be seen. He held onto the nurse with one arm, while he bent down and retrieved the injection with the other.

“I’m sorry. I had to do it. They told me if I didn’t they’d kill my baby. If I don’t report back with it being done, my son will be killed.” The woman sobbed.

He looked in her eyes, but didn’t see true tears. He’d thought something was off with the woman earlier.

Fishing into his pocket, he dialed Kai. Within one ring the other man answered. “Kai, I need you to find out if Heather Angelique is a nurse here at Walter Reed, and if so, if she has a son.” He listened to Kai, then continued. “Yeah, she just tried to kill Jaqui.”

The officer who was stationed outside the door walked in to hear the last part, his eyes flying open, gun coming out of its holster. A shiver wracked the woman’s frame, but she didn’t say another word. Either her cover was good, or she didn’t care what happened to herself.

“I’m sorry, sir. There was supposedly an incident at the elevators. She asked me to help a mother with an injured child, but when I got there,” he looked down at his toes, then up. “There was no one there. I foolishly thought the mother had found her child and had just started back when I heard your raised voice. I’ve alerted the hospital that we are on lockdown. Should I...” his voice trailed off.

Tay stared at the young soldier. “Yeah, lift it, and don’t ever leave your post again. If there is ever a situation, you call for backup. Period. You are on duty, soldier. You don’t abandon your post. Understand me?”

“What’s going on, Tay?” Jaqui questioned.

––––––––

J
aqui eyed the nurse from earlier, seeing her rigid posture as she was held by Tay’s grip on her upper bicep, and his uncompromising glare gave her pause. The woman turned to stare at her over her shoulder, the anger that burned in the blue eyes stunned Jaqui.

“Looks like I missed some action.” She gave the woman a glare of her own.

“This traitor tried to inject something into your IV while you and I were sleeping. Luckily, I’m a light sleeper.” Tay gave the woman a little shake.

The guard stood with a look of despair. “I apologize for leaving my post. What do you want me to do with her?” He nodded at the nurse named Heather.

Tay looked around the room, then his eyes landed on the soldier. “What do you have to hold a prisoner? Cuffs, zip ties, anything like that?”

The guard nodded his head, then fished in his pocket for the zip ties. Heather tried to jerk free. “If you’d like I can render you unconscious.” Tay said loud enough for them all to hear.

“Make sure you don’t do like last time, hun. We want her to be able to talk again, not be a slobbering fool for the rest of her natural life,” Jaqui said with false sweetness.

Heather’s posture changed, her head whipped toward Jaqui’s. “What? I thought you guys were the honorable ones?”

Jaqui stretched her hand toward the water cup, then pulled it back, a question in her eyes. “That’s only true in the case of the good and worthy. You, my dear, are none of the above.”

“I’ll get you a new glass. Don’t drink or touch anything she may have contaminated.” Tay finished tying the woman up.

Tay’s phone buzzed.

Jaqui sat, her body tense while she waited for Kai’s answers. “Thank you. Yeah, I’d say our location is compromised.” They spoke a few more minutes, while Heather sat in a chair with the guard behind her.

“Commander Lee is sending someone to take out the trash, and we are moving you to a secure location. You obviously know your story didn’t check out. Good try though, it would have passed most checks, but Kai has my computer with him.”

She’d wondered why he hadn’t brought it with him. The man, like herself was hardly ever without their links to the internet. Right now she was too tired to think clearly long enough. Give her another day, and she would need her connection.

“It does not matter. When I don’t check in, Jose will know you are not dead, and will move on to his next plan. You should have let me kill her. Now, you and your friends will all suffer,” Heather’s natural Spanish accent broke free.

Tay tsked, then looked at the guard. “I need you to go to the vending machine and get Jaqui a bottle of water. Don’t open it and make it fast.”

The guy stood straight, saluted and rushed from the room.

“You realize Medellin doesn’t allow those who fail him to live, don’t you?” Tay asked, his voice dropping low.

Heather turned her head toward the window, but Jaqui knew the other woman was aware Tay spoke the truth.

The door opened at the same time as Tay’s phone rang. “Watch her, and don’t let her up.” He pointed at Heather, and walked closer to the door.

“You should have died in Columbia. Now, I will pay for your stupidity,” Heather spat.

“What a dumb bitch you are. What do you get out of this?” Jaqui waved her hand around the room. “Other than killing me, do you know what Medellin does? He sells drugs and people. I’m not wasting another breath on the likes of you.” She sat back with a weary sigh.

Tay strolled back over. “Your escort is on their way up.”

“I’ll get a phone call, right?” Fear finally registered.

“This isn’t like the movies,” Tay drawled.

With the bottle of water in his hand, Tay came to stand next to her, opening it plopping a new straw inside. “Sorry, I got distracted.”

Instead of answering, she wrapped her lips around the end and drank. Lord, she was thirsty enough she felt like she could drink the entire bottle. Looking up, she met the amused stare of Tay’s, and let the straw go. “I was a little thirsty.”

He laughed. “I can see that.” He put his lips close to her ear. “Damn, but watching you, even with two people in the room, with your lips wrapped around that straw, has me half hard. Now, how’s that for crazy?”

She knew her face had to be bright red. “I’d say it’s normal for the situation,” she whispered back.

Tay ran a big hand over her head, careful of her injuries. “We’ll be out of here in no time.”

No time ended up being just before the shift changed the next morning. Jaqui wasn’t sure what she’d expected, but having her IV’s taken out by Coyle wasn’t one of them, although the big guy was truly gentle. Of course, with Tay standing over her like a mother hen, he had no choice. They wheeled her out through the staff exit, to a waiting Hummer. She assumed it was military grade on steroids as it didn’t look like one she’d ever seen before.

“This is on loan from a friend of mine. If something tries to blow this bad boy up, we will survive, trust and believe that,” Kai said with a wink.

The soft leather was much better than what the military provided as well, but still, the move wasn’t pleasant on her sore body. Tay squeezed in next to her on one side with Dallas on the other. Kai and Coyle sat up front.

“Here, take one of these now.” Tay handed her a pill.

She shook her head. “I don’t want to be a liability if something went wrong.”

Coyle turned in the seat. “Sweetheart, I hate to break it to you, but seeing you sit there in pain, hurts us. We would all relax just a bit, and you’d make it just that much easier on us if you took the drugs. Seriously, you are hurting the team by refusing Tay.”

Tay held the little pill and a can of ginger ale. She’d gotten very little sleep the night before, knowing there was a mark on her head. After eating a small breakfast, they’d immediately left. Now, she reached for the pill and the drink, swallowing it down with a grimace.

“Fine, but if I pass out, it’s up to you guys to carry my ass around.” She gave them a mock glare.

Coyle turned back around, but not before she saw him smile.

“I’ll gladly carry you around, sweets.” Tay lifted her hand into his.

Their linked hands didn’t raise any of the guys’ eyebrows, which made her wonder how much they knew about her and Tay’s past.

“They only know I fucked up. Nothing more. Nothing less,” Tay leaned close, his warm breath sent a shiver down her body.