Morgan's Mercenaries: Heart of Stone (31 page)

“I’m thinking of one in particular,” Maya said. “Chief Warrant Officer Akiva Redtail. She’s trim—an Apache and Lakota woman warrior. She’s got that sixth sense you’re wanting. She’s been with us for three years and she knows the ropes.”

“Is she aggressive?”

Dane chuckled. “Tell me one Apache pilot who isn’t? It’s bred into them, Mike. I’ve flown with Akiva and she puts new meaning into the word ‘Apache.’ She can teach us a lot about aggressive interdiction.”

A grin softened the hard line of Mike’s mouth. His gaze remained on Maya. “Well?”

“You need three of my pilots,” Maya began, thinking out loud. “First of all, I know Rios. I’ve tangled with him before.” She frowned and tapped the wooden
table with her fingers. “Will Mexico give us permission to fly in their airspace?”

“Yes.”

“How far from the border?”

“They haven’t given us a distance yet. That’s still on the negotiating table right now.”

Leaning forward, Maya gave him a cutting look. “You know as well as I do that bribery of high Mexican government and police officials by drug lords is rampant. What you really need is permission to work without many people knowing what the plan will be, if you want success.”

“Okay,” Mike said, “tell me what you’re thinking.”

Giving Dane a knowing look, Maya said, “Interview my pilots—Akiva Redtail and Lieutenant Dallas Klein should be on the list. Dallas is my X.O.—executive officer—and you’re going to need someone of her capabilities, her familiarity with mission planning, to coordinate this whole thing tactically. Akiva will be good to go on Mexican airspace interior work, hunting down some of Rios’s aircraft on their home turf. Or maybe that undercover mission.”

Nodding, Houston murmured, “Okay, you got my attention. I’ll take this info back to Morgan and he can contact the responsible parties about it.”

“Sounds good to me,” Maya said.

“They won’t mind these TAD assignments?”

She grinned. “Not if I know my women. They like to be where the action is, and right now it’s pretty quiet, for once, down in our sector. Until those other two drug lords take over Valentino’s turf, it should be pretty peaceful—almost boring—at the base.”

Dane placed his arm around her shoulders and smiled over at her. “I like the peace and quiet.”

Mike eased off his chair. “I’ve got to get going. I’ll be in touch with you by satcom, Maya. Thanks for your help. Morgan will be sending down someone to interview your volunteer pilots very shortly. So, stand by.”

“I’ll look for info on these three up-and-coming missions, Mike. Thanks for thinking of us.” She watched as Mike moved back to the birthing hut to say goodbye to Inca. Sighing, she rested her cheek against Dane’s shoulder. “Just when I think it’s finally going to quiet down, something else pops up.”

Kissing her wrinkled brow, he whispered, “I know. The only thing we can count on is change.”

“Isn’t
that
the truth.” Maya slid her arm around his waist and kissed the hard line of his jaw.

“Your base is going to become a real international hub for Apache pilots,” Dane told her proudly. “We have two from the Netherlands scheduled to come in a month from now. And other countries that have bought Apaches from Boeing are standing in line fighting to get orders to Black Jaguar Base. Everyone wants real-time combat experience and this is the place to get it.”

“Once an outcast, now the darling of the military elite,” Maya chuckled. “Talk about the twists and turns of life.”

Dane squeezed her gently. “Well, life is really all about those little babies in Inca’s and Roan’s arms. We’re doing this for them, for their generation. If we can keep the heat on, if we can make these drug lords pay in their own backyard, maybe we’ll make enough of a difference. Maybe their children will see real peace in their lifetime.”

Maya saw the worry and the determination in Dane’s
eyes. She sat up and turned to him. Sliding her hands around his jaw, she whispered, “One heart, one mind. We’re a good team, darling.” The emerald ring glinted on her left hand. “Why don’t we sew up the loose ends on our relationship and make them permanent?” She saw his eyes flare with surprise. Maya had never talked of marriage since he’d given her the engagement ring.

Taken aback, Dane stared at her momentarily. Slipping his hand over one of hers, he brought it to his lips and kissed the back of it gently. “You’re serious?”

Her eyes filled with laughter. With tenderness. “Very. You ready to make the leap? To go from single to married, Major York?”

The corners of his mouth quirked. Drowning in the green depths of her sunlit eyes, Dane rasped, “Yeah, if you are, Major Stevenson.” And he grinned broadly at her.

Maya looked up toward the birthing hut. “I’d like Grandmother Alaria to marry us, Dane. I know our families would like a wedding, too. We can marry here, and then have a second ceremony at your father’s home in Texas, can’t we? And my mom and dad can join us there as well.” She searched his pensive features.

His blue eyes were warm with love—for her. “Why not? Will that make us twice as married?” he chuckled.

She joined his laughter. “Humor…no matter what the circumstance.”

“That’s one of the many things you love about me.”

Maya’s lips curved. “You’re so sure of yourself, Dane York.”

“Another reason you love me.”

“Yes.”

“And my unflagging confidence.”

“That, too.”

He preened a little and squared his shoulders a tad more as he held her warm emerald gaze.

“They broke the mold when they made you, York.”

Dane gave her a very proud look, one eyebrow moving upward. “Thank you.”

Maya broke into a grin. “You’re so full of yourself, York.”

“Yeah, I know it.” Laughter rumbled from his chest.

Sitting there in Dane’s arms, Maya surrendered to his strength and tenderness. Closing her eyes, she rested her brow against his jaw as he held and rocked her. Dane was one of a kind and so was she. Jaguars mated for life. And she wanted him as her mate. Forever.