Ian sighed. “Jesse,” he yelled. “We’ve got to get the vest on her.”
Jesse appeared from the rear of the cave and roughly pulled her out of the chair. She twisted and turned and wished her feet weren’t manacled together so she could kick the crap out of him. But they were, and the heavy chains didn’t allow for much mobility.
“No!” she cried as he put one of her arms through the vest.
Jesse raised his hand and slapped her hard across the face. The pain and shock immobilized her enough for them to unlock her hand and finish putting on the vest. Then they pushed her back into her seat and resecured her wrist to the chair.
The vest was thick and lighter than it looked. There was an odd smell that terrified her. Her heart beat so quickly she thought it might fly right out of her chest. This couldn’t be happening to her. It couldn’t. Her face throbbed from the slap, and she knew deep down in her heart she wasn’t getting out of this alive. Not now. They were going to kill her, and there was no way anyone would ever find her in time.
Joe finished briefing the team, then picked up his diving gear and weapons. Everything felt good in his hands. Right.
He suited up, then climbed in the back of the truck for the short trip to the boats that would take them close to the caves. From there they would approach underwater.
At nearly five in the afternoon, he and his men waded out into the ocean and slipped onto the boats. Joe’s headset crackled.
“Larson?”
“Yes, Captain.”
“We just got word. They warned us not to try anything. They’ve wired her with an explosive. If anything happens they don’t like, she’s gone.”
Joe heard the information but he refused to react to it. Now he was on a mission and it was all about doing the job. He wouldn’t allow himself to think emotionally or feel. Darcy’s life depended on his ability to disconnect from her.
“This changes everything,” Phillips said. “You have to come back.”
“No, sir,” Joe told him. “We’re still going forward. If they’ve got her wired, they’re prepared to kill her. They’ll probably do it anyway. We have to get her out.”
“Larson?” Another man came on the line. “This is President Jensen.”
Joe stiffened. “Yes, sir.”
“That’s my daughter we’re talking about.”
It was also the woman Joe loved. “I understand what she means to you, sir. I’ll bring her back alive.”
“You’d better.”
“Sir, I will bring her back or die trying.”
Jensen didn’t respond. Phillips came on and gave a few last-minute instructions, then Joe motioned for the team to head out. As they moved north across the ocean, Joe breathed in the scent of salt air. The water had always been a haven, he thought. It was the one place a SEAL could feel safe, and where he performed best.
Three caves. He’d taken the team going into the largest one. His gut told him she was there. They had a plan and a willingness to do whatever it took to save her life. He loved her too much to let her die.
Darcy sat in her chair, shaking. She would have thought that over time the fear would lessen, but it hadn’t. She held on by a thread.
Ian and Jesse stood in the rear of the cave, speaking in low voices. The acoustics were such that Darcy could hear them, and their words didn’t make her feel any more comfortable.
“You think they’re really going to release Jonathan?” Jesse asked.
“Sure. They don’t want anything to happen to Darcy. We’ve got them. Once we get word he’s released, we’ll call the boat and get out of here.”
Boat? They already had two. Darcy glanced at the small vessels in question and realized Ian was talking about something bigger. Of course. They were flying Jonathan to a rendezvous point and they would meet him there with a boat.
“Good,” Jesse said. “When we’ve put this place behind us, we’ll dump her overboard. No one will ever find her.”
Darcy froze and waited for Ian to deny the statement. When he didn’t, she knew she wasn’t going to be able to hold it together much longer. A scream built up inside her.
Suddenly the television picture disappeared into snowy static. Ian ripped off his headset and yelled, “What the hell?” Cries of pain came from the back of the cave. Without warning, the water seemed to rise up and a shock wave blasted across the open space.
Darcy felt herself tossed around like a toy. She and the chair slammed into the wall and everything went black.
Joe and his men rushed out of the water. The jamming signal had rendered everything electronic inoperative, including the remote detonation for the bomb. He’d sent in the stun grenades such that Darcy received the least of the impact, but she’d still been blown back into the wall.
“No one gets out of the cave,” Joe said into his headset.
The instruction was unnecessary-his team knew what to do, but he couldn’t help it. There was too much at stake.
He ran to Darcy’s side and checked her for injuries. No blood, although her head might have hit the wall. He saw the chains and cursed, then reached for the vest.
“Joe?”
“Hey, Darcy.” She was awake. Thank God. He fingered the various wires, then reached for his small tool kit.
“You’re not dead. I thought he shot you.” Tears trickled from the corners of her eyes.
“That was Alex,” he told her. “I’m okay and so are you.”
“Alex?”
“He’s in surgery.”
“It was horrible. I was so scared.” She touched the vest. “It’s a bomb.”
“I know. Trust me. I know what I’m doing.” He managed a smile. “I’ve taught the class.”
“I always knew you were a great guy to have around in a crisis.”
He sorted through the wires, then cut three. “How do you feel?” he asked as he pulled off the vest and tossed it away.
“Like I was hit on the head with a hammer. You know, he could have detonated that remotely.”
Joe wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. She was still attached to the chair, but he didn’t care.
“We jammed the signal.”
“So that’s why the TV went out.”
“Yeah. Signals from the cavalry. You okay?”
She clung to him. As soon as he felt her hands on his back, he allowed himself to relax a little.
“Never better.”
“You must have been scared.”
She pulled back enough to look at him. “You can’t imagine. Remember how last time you said I had to talk to someone?”
He nodded and touched the bruise on her cheek. “I have some names.”
“I think I’m going to need them.” Tears filled her eyes. “Oh, Joe. You’re here.”
“Yes, Darcy. I’m here.”
“Don’t let go.”
“I won’t. Not ever.”
“You can’t take me,” Ian screamed as he ran out from the back of the cave and drew a gun.
Joe pushed Darcy behind him and, in one quick move, pulled out his gun. One of the guys on his team got there first. After a terse order to “freeze,” three shots rang out in the cave. Ian stumbled then collapsed.
Joe ignored the bleeding body. “The rest?”
