“Cora and Hannah seem really close,” Sunshine stated.
“Cora is a great lady. What’s not to like?” Sunshine cringed at the dig. Ben knew Sunshine’s secrets but promised never to tell. The secrets ate at Sunshine and eventually caused him to lose a great lady. And yet he still couldn’t bring himself to tell her the truth. Ben could only hope one day he would.
“Yeah, what’s not to like,” Sunshine muttered as they were escorted into the Commanders room.
The commander had half his face covered in bandages and both eyes were all but sealed shut. One hand was handcuffed to the bed. Ben doubted the commander would try and leave in his present condition. The man couldn’t even see.
“Commander Brady,” Ben called out.
“Midas,” Commander Brady spat and turned his head in Ben’s general direction since he couldn’t actually see him. “This is an outrage. You attacked a commanding officer. I will see you court-martialed for this.”
“Well, you won’t be seeing much of anything for a while. At least out of a hospital room or a courtroom.”
“You have nothing on me.”
On the contrary, we have plenty. Fox.”
Commander Brady lost his bluster and his fists clenched. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Of course you don’t” Ben gave his a droll look the commander couldn’t see. “Well, we tracked a large amount of money to a few offshore accounts in your name. Several shipments of weapons have been sent off over the years to countries we weren’t supposed to have dealings in with your signature on them. I suppose you’ll tell me next that your signature was forged?”
The commander fell back against the hospital bed. “You’re right. I made dealings with Alejandro’s men and others of his ilk for the past few years. I’ve sold weapons to terrorists that I fear have killed hundreds of our boys overseas. And I made a lot of money doing it.”
“Why?” It was the only thing Ben couldn’t figure out. Sure the money was great but there had to be a reason. You don’t just sell out your team on a whim.
“I was looking into retiring a few years back. You know what they told me? Due to changes in the military, they were taking a larger cut of my retirement. It was a pittance of what I should have made. I served my country well all these years for them to give me nothing. A guy I met around that time introduced me to some people that offered me large sums of money to transport weapons and money.”
“So why try to kill my team and Bulldog’s? None of us knew about your dealings.”
“ I soon made large trades with Alejandro. He’s one of the top distributors in the world. But the General was calling for me to take action against him and shut down the operation. I couldn’t do that.”
“You couldn’t lose that kind of cash flow.” Ben guessed, disgusted at the man in front of him.
“No, so because the General was watching I ordered the team in and requested a second team.”
“Wipe out a few teams and everyone would leave Alejandro alone.”
“Something like that. I informed Alejandro that you were coming. The where and when. Then you all came back and brought that slut back with you.”
Sunshine placed a hand over Ben’s chest when Ben stepped towards him. No one insulted his woman. She had been living in a hellhole and this pig dared called her a slut. He was really going to enjoy watching him rotting in jail.
“So why come after me?” Ben growled his barely controlled fury.
“I thought you had gotten rid of her when I told you too. I heard through the grapevine you were looking into the Fox and knew it was only a matter of time before you found me out. I went to your house to get the girl and disappear.”
“Who were you taking her to? Hannah mentioned you said you were supposed to deliver her to someone.”
Commander Brady was done talking and remained silent and turned away from Ben. “Who?” Ben bellowed.
“Let it go, Midas. He can’t hurt her anymore.” Sunshine told him a few times until Ben calmed down.
“He’s not worth it,” Ben said to Sunshine while looking at the commander.
“You’re right. Now let’s get back to your place and let everyone know.”
“First, I have to make a call. I promised when this was over I’d take Hannah back to her parents in Portland. I have to let my buddy know we’re on our way. I should have called him weeks ago but got side tracked. Just in case whoever wanted Hannah is tracking her I want back up.”
“You know we’ll go with you.”
“A whole Delta Force team on vacation together?” Ben asked pointedly.
“Maybe just one or two of us?”
Ben shook his head. “I want to keep a low profile. Between Adam and I we can handle it.”
“Are you going to leave Hannah up there?”
It was a question Ben had been asking himself all day. He promised Hannah to take her home but there was nothing saying he couldn’t bring her back afterward. He loved her and wanted her with him but he wanted the decision to be hers. He would have to talk to her about it. After she saw her folks. “That will depend on Hannah.”
Sunshine nodded and dropped the subject. They arrived back at Hannah’s place and as soon as Sunshine walked in Cora gave Hannah a
