Shattered (Broken Trilogy Book 2) (6 page)

“So what do you win by carrying my tray to the table?” I ask as I come up next to him. He attempts to hide his smile but it doesn’t work.

“To be team captain on whichever assignment I choose.” He blushes slightly. “When you show leadership, you stick out more. I need to gain as many points here as possible.”

I see Cole watching us out of the corner of my eye, and I see our table watching me too. “Tell me something, nine, what’s your name?”

He stands a little straighter. “Corporal Davie.”

“Do you know who I am?”

“No, miss, I don’t.”

“Pretty risky for you to take on that bet.”

“I like to take risks, but I figured being a gentleman wasn’t causing any harm,” he shrugs innocently.

“Are you being a gentleman?” I question his motives.

“Yes, miss, I was raised right. My mamma always says you respect a lady and they’ll respect you.”

I reach for the tray just as Cole does. “Cole,” I glance up at him, “Corporal Davie here was kind enough to carry my tray for me. Wasn’t that nice?”

Cole studies my face and nods. “Yes, it was. Come on, baby, let’s go eat.”

I see Davie’s eyes pop open when he realizes he just carried the Colonel's girlfriend’s tray.

“Thanks again, Davie,” I call over my shoulder as I follow Cole back to the seat.

I watch as Davie sits at his table and no one speaks a word. “Cole,” I begin, and he turns to look at me. “Has nine been doing well?”

Cole shrugs. “Not overly. He’s weak in the water.”

“Do you think he’ll make the cut?”

“No not unless he gets past his fear of drowning.”

I’m confused. “Isn’t that a normal fear?”

“Green Berets can’t be scared of anything.”

I scrunch my face up, trying to follow. “So you’re telling me you’re scared of nothing.”

He wipes his napkin over his mouth then stares down at me with a look that almost frightens me. “Just you.”

“Me?”

He leans in a little closer, resting his arm on the back of my chair. “I’m scared to death of losing you.” I want to make a comment, but I don’t. It wasn’t Cole’s fault he was taken from me before. Sometimes I have to remind myself of that; a part of me finds it easier to lash out than to accept what really happened.

“You won’t lose me, Cole. I love and trust you more than anyone.” I see a pained look run across his face. He picks up my left hand and rubs my wedding ring finger. I think he’s going to say something, but he doesn’t. I reach up and quickly run my hand over his five o’clock shadow. “I wish I knew what this face means.” He takes my hand and gives it a quick kiss, then turns his attention back to his dinner.

“Savi,” Daniel calls out, “how long you staying at camp?”

“Umm, just until tomorrow afternoon,” I answer. “I have a date in the evening.”

“Oh?” Cole raises an eyebrow.

“Yes, dinner and a hike.” I feel Cole stiffen at the word hike.

“Who’s the lucky fellow?” Mark asks through a mouthful of chicken.

“Make that plural. It’s with Abby, June, and Sue,” I laugh. “There’s a meteor shower.”

“And?” Cole asks, making me roll my eyes.

“Keith and Mike, possibly Derek, but he was muttering about it being cold when we were out last night. Such a baby,” I chuckle until I see Cole’s jaw flex. Oops. “We were just walking along the water’s edge. The house can be busy sometimes.”

“I see.” Cole leans back and pushes his plate away. “And where was Keith?”

“Umm…he was dealing with Frank.” I notice Cole glances at Mark and then his father. The tension starts to build the more we sit in silence. “So,” I look at everyone, “can I get a tour?”

After the grand tour of the grounds, I can feel Cole stewing about something. He has been off since dinner, and I would bet money on it being that I mentioned spending time alone with Derek. It’s quite cold out as we walk back to the main building. I see some of the men heading toward their bunks.

“Are they heated?” I ask.

“Yes, but just enough so they don’t get hypothermia.”

“Yikes,” I whisper.

“Don’t have heaters in the mountains, just what’s on your back.”

“That sucks.”

“It always sucks.”

“Then why do it?”

He stops at a whiteboard and starts scribbling something.

‘03:00 60km Barrel run’

Yikes.

“Personally, I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.” Cole tilts his head up toward the sky.

I tuck my freezing hands into my jacket. “Even after what…happened?”

His gaze drops to the ground. “I know it’s hard to understand, but yes.”

A few of the guys are hanging around a large fire pit. We make our way toward them. I wish so much I could hear what’s running through Cole’s head right now. Something is definitely off.

“Evening, Colonel.” One of the candidates nods politely at Cole. “Miss,” he says as he addresses me.

So this is fifty-nine, the one Cole has been watching.

“Roth,” Cole says. I notice he doesn’t address him as his number. Maybe it’s because they're not training at the moment. Another man comes up to join us. He is much shorter than Cole and Roth, almost eye level with me.

“Colonel Logan, it’s nice to meet you,” the man says. “I’m Captain James. I was happy to hear our half of the group got to train here at Camp Green.” He looks at me. “So this is the lady who’s got the camp buzzing.” He extends a hand. “Captain James.”

“Nice to meet you, Captain.” I shake his hand then quickly shove mine back in my jacket. Cole puts his hand on my waist, moving me in front of him so I am closer to the fire.

Cole and Roth start talking about Roth's time over in Afghanistan. I tune them out, leaning my weight into Cole. His hands are stroking methodically up and down my arms. It feels nice as I watch the fire crackle and pop.

“Lovely girl you got there,” I hear Roth say. “Well, I should hit the sack. I see we're going to be up shortly.”

“Good night, Roth.” Cole leans down, whispering in my ear, “You seem quiet.”

“I’m comfy,” I answer, still in my trance from the fire. He chuckles as he wraps his arms around me.

“I want to take you to bed.”

“And I want you to.” I sigh, loving the way I feel in his arms.

***

“MOVE, MOVE, MOVE!” Cole shouts at the men as each one carries his teammate across a field three feet deep in snow.

I see Roth carrying James like he was weightless, taking long strides well ahead of the rest of them.

“If they fall,” Daniel says, handing me a coffee, “they have to go back to the start and do it all over again.”

“Really?” I ask in disbelief as he takes a seat next to me on the bench.

“Yes, they have to know they can’t fail. Most of these men can do it. It’s all mental.”

We watch as two men fall and don’t get back up. Cole goes over and starts yelling at them. I can’t make out what he’s saying, but it doesn’t sound nice. I cringe, feeling bad for the guys.

“He’ll ask them what’s wrong,” Daniel says, noticing I’m shifting uneasily. “See?” He points. “See how Cole nods at someone? That’s the medic. He’s letting them know that the men are all right, but to keep an eye on them. He’ll ask the men if they are VW, voluntary withdrawing. If they are, they will be asked to leave right away.” Daniel looks at me. “We are not here to break the men. We are here to make sure we let in America’s best. These are all great soldiers. They’re just not all great Green Berets.”

I watch Cole reach in his pocket and take out his cell phone. He glances over at us and answers the call. After a few minutes he motions for another man to take his place. He signals something to his father, who then excuses himself to follow Cole into the main building.

“Excuse me,” I ask one of the men working a stopwatch a while later. “Could you tell me the time?”

“Sure, it’s fifteen hundred.”

“Three p.m.?”

“Yes.” He smiles.

Cole and Daniel have been gone for over an hour and a half, and Keith will be here to pick me up shortly. I decide to go over to the main building, where I run into Davie from the dining hall.

“Hello again,” he says, coming up to me sporting a broken nose.

“Oh, ouch!”

“It’s fine. At least I got a breather.” He shrugs.

“Have you seen Colonel Logan?”

“I did, he’s in the main office,” he points down the hallway, “second door on your right.”

“Thanks, and good luck to you.”

“Thanks, I’m gonna need it.”

I hear some shouting as I get closer, and I pause outside the door, not sure what I should do. I decide to take a seat next to the door. Ten minutes later the door opens and out walks a woman holding a bunch of files. She’s turned away from me and doesn’t shut the door all the way as she hurries off in the opposite direction.

“I don’t like that idea, son,” I hear Daniel say. “I see what you’re saying, but it’s suicide.”

“I know, but if I can get back in under The American’s hold, if I can get them to think they’ve got me—”

What?

“Logan, if they find that wire, they’ll kill you on the spot,” Mark hisses.

“They won’t,” Cole argues. “We need that information. We are so close. If we don’t do this, Savannah will never be free. Her father knows so much. We can get these fuckers!”

Cole’s words echo in my head, as everything else around me goes quiet. I don't even realize I am moving until I’m back up in his room gathering my bag, and I hear Keith’s voice.

I slip out of the room and head down the stairs where Cole is quietly chatting with Keith in the corner. He stops and plasters on a smile when he sees me coming.
I’m tired of all this whispering.

“Hey, baby, sorry about leaving you right before you have to go.”

“Is everything all right?” My voice sounds off, and I know he hears it too. His eyes narrow as he studies my face.

“Yes, of course.” He leans in and gives me a kiss. I try to respond, but I am in too much shock with what I just heard to act normal. This is not the time to talk about it with him, though. “Hey, are
you
all right?”

“Mmmhmm.” I glance at Keith, seeing his face is stressed. “I’ll see you in a few days, right?”

“Yes, of course.” He leans down once more and kisses me. I want to ask him to promise me, but I know he’d ask start asking more questions. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

The trip home is uneventful, and after everything is unpacked, I head for the kitchen where I run into Derek, who is in a foul mood.

“Savi, could you ask Mike to meet me in the garage? He’s in Cole’s office.”

“Sure, Derek.” I smile, not wanting to know what is pissing him off right now.

I knock on the door and see Mike on the phone. “Derek needs you in the garage.”

“Okay, thanks.” He rushes past me. “Shit, could you give that file on the desk to Keith?”

“Sure, no problem.”

“Thanks!”

I move over to Cole’s desk and pick up the file. As I do, some papers fall out and land on the other side of the desk. I start picking them up, when I glance at the computer and see a forwarded email to Cole from Frank with my father’s name as the subject.

I have never invaded someone’s privacy before, but this e-mail involves me, and I’m tired of not knowing anything.

I strain to listen for any voices, but all is quiet. I shift and click on the email but stay on my knees, hidden in case anyone comes in. I don’t want to run the risk having anyone catch me, so I press print and wait till the two pages came out. I fold and tuck the papers into my back pocket. I collect the file for Keith and click out of the e-mail back to the inbox.

Once I finally get a moment alone in my room, I pull out the papers. I take a deep breath and scan the email.

Logan, how would you like us to deal with this?

Holy shit!

My father is reaching out to Frank about knowing I am alive and being protected by the U.S. Army in a safe house somewhere in the States. He’s not angry they’ve had me for so long without telling him. He just wants to see me.
Wants to hold his daughter he thought was dead.
Tears slip down my face as I read. My father pours his heart out to Frank, begging him to let him see me.

I read Cole’s reply.

Frank, I just did. See below.

My eyes scan his words back to my father. I’m confused. Why is Cole telling him that he doesn’t deserve to see me? There are answers to be had before he will
ever
let him see me.

My back hits the wall then my butt sinks to the ground, hard. Things don’t make sense. Why would my father reach out to Frank? How did he find out I was here? Why hasn’t Cole told me about the email? And why would Cole want to risk his life to get answers from The American?