Ignoring Coop’s obvious attempt to lighten the mood, Jake stood with his hands on his hips and addressed the group.
“I asked you here tonight because I need a favor.”
“I’m in,” Trevor said without hesitation.
Though understanding and appreciative of Trevor’s instant agreement, Jake shook his head. “It’s not that simple. It’s an unsanctioned job. Completely under the radar, and you all know what that means. No government support or acknowledgement of any kind. Something goes sideways, there’s a good chance we’ll all either end up dead, or left to rot in some hole-in-the-wall prison somewhere. I need to know that each of you is clear on what you’d be agreeing to. You also need to know if you want to bug out on this one, I will in no way hold it against you or think less of you. You have my word on that.”
Jake’s team knew his word was everything. He watched and waited, hating the looks they were all giving him. Mac spoke up first.
Scooting to the edge of her seat, she rested her elbows on her knees, her delicate-but-deadly hands folded together in front of her.
“Boss, I’m pretty sure I speak for the team when I say how sorry we are about your friend. We know she meant a lot to you.”
Jake wanted to tell them all to take their pity and shove it up their asses. Thankfully, what little sanity he had left won out.
“I appreciate that Mac, but I’m not looking for anyone’s sympathy. I’m going after the bastards who did this to her, and I just need to know whether you’re in or out.”
Mac smiled slowly and glanced around at her teammates. “Well, I don’t know about these other yahoos, but I’m definitely in.”
Jake thought he saw Coop give Mac a concerned glance, but it was gone before he could be sure. Turning to Jake, he said, “Hell, yeah, I’m in.”
As usual, Grant’s deep voice remained steady. “Whatever you need, boss.”
D was next, his southern drawl prevalent. “Hell, man. You didn’t even have to ask.”
Trevor looked at Jake incredulously. “You honestly think I’m gonna let you do this without me?” He glanced at the others and back to Jake. “That any of us would leave you alone in this?”
Trevor did his best to clear the emotion from this throat before continuing on. “I know what she meant to you.” He looked around at the others. “We all do. I cared about her, too, but I’ve already lost too many friends to shit like this. I’m not about to lose another one.”
The man looked pissed off at the world. Oddly, Jake found that comforting. His damn eyes started burning again, but this time, thank Christ, he was able to push it back.
“Thank you.” Inhaling deeply, he went into mission mode. “Derek, I need any and all info you can get on what went down. More than what you got before. We’ll need exact locations, known hostiles in the area. Everything.”
“On it, boss.”
“The rest of you...use your contacts. Call in favors. Do whatever it takes to gather as much intel as possible. I want to know exactly what we’re up against. No surprises. My gut’s telling me there’s more to this than local drug runners. The way the camp was hit,”—that damn knot was there again, but he swallowed past it—“the manner in which they were...disposed of,” he shook his head. “This wasn’t a simple tag and grab. I’ll give everyone time to get what you need.” Jake glanced down at his watch, “We’ll reconvene in the war room at fourteen hundred tomorrow. I know this isn’t a rescue mission, so we’ve got some time, but...I want this done ASAP.”
A moment of silence passed before Jake added, “This mission is revenge, plain and simple. My revenge. So, at any point in time if you want out, say the word. Just know, I won’t back down from this. Those bastards need to pay for what they did to her.” His fucking voice broke.
“We understand what we’re signing up for, boss.” Coop looked squarely at Jake.
“And this is not just your revenge,” Trevor added angrily.
The rest of the team muttered their agreements. Moved by their support, Jake ran a hand over his jaw to compose himself. “Thank you.”
“No thanks needed, boss,” Mac quickly responded. “You’d do the same for us.”
She spoke the truth. Jake would do whatever he could for each and every person before him. This wasn’t just his team. They were his family. He just prayed they all survived his bloodthirsty act of revenge.
****
Eighteen days. It had been eighteen long, terrifying days since Olivia had witnessed the vicious slaughtering of her colleagues, and she’d been brought here—wherever here was.
She was finally able to think about all that had happened without completely breaking down or getting physically ill. Olivia now drew strength from her fear and anger, and used the horrific memories of those first days of capture as a driving force to survive.
Since her abduction, they—whoever the hell they were—had kept her here, in this tent. It was small, about eight by eight. There was no light other than what snuck through the long slit at the tent’s opening, and the floor was nothing but dirt.
Once a day, someone would come to give her a little water or some type of rock-hard bread. At the beginning and end of each day, her guard would escort her to the trees so she could empty her own waste from the bucket they’d been so kind to provide as a toilet. Disgusting, but necessary.
Twice now they’d brought her a second bucket filled with semi-clean water and a used bar of soap. Olivia had taken full advantage, even going so far as to use the soap and a piece of material she’d ripped from her own shirt to clean her teeth.
It helped some, but she would give every penny she’d ever earned for an hour in a scorching, hot bubble bath. With candles, and wine, and...Jake.
Knock
