Halfway Between (12 page)

The full feeling had her trembling helplessly. 
“Darlin’, you feel fantastic,” Joel groaned.  “You’re so tight!”

“
Harder!”  Harper pleaded.  She was so close.  As Joel continued his slow smooth strokes, Drake’s mouth on her breasts tormented her further.

“
I don’t want to hurt you, darlin’.”  Joel held her hips firmly in his strong hands, not allowing her to push his cock deeper as she writhed, desperate to come.

Her clit throbbed.  When she felt Drake
’s hand cover her abdomen, she whimpered.  “Please!  I need more.  Touch me!”

Drake lifted his head and his eyes met hers.  She saw the tenderness in their depths as she felt his fingers move lower.  She knew when Joel
’s control finally snapped.

His thrusts became harder.  His hands tightened on her hips.  He buried himself to the hilt inside her, his cock hitting her womb.  She came in a fierce orgasm that wrung a scream from her, frightening her with its intensity.  She dimly heard Joel groan as he pounded into her.

“Fuck,” he panted.  “Her pussy’s milking my cock.  So fucking hot!”  He surged into her with one last powerful thrust, holding her hips firmly in place as she felt Drake’s touch on her sensitive clit.

“
No more!  No more!”  Shaking her head weakly, she lifted her hand toward Drake.  She felt Joel’s pulsing cock splash his seed deep inside her as Drake’s fingers moved on her clit.

“
Once more, baby,” she heard Drake croon.  Grasping her outstretched hand firmly in his, he and Joel wrung another rippling orgasm from her.  Harper never wanted to move again.  She felt more sated than any self-induced orgasm had ever made her feel.

“Shit, dude, my eyes are like fucking burning here,”
Brian said. 
“No one should see their brother and their best friend's ass in the same bed, kinda creepy.”

Drake opened his eyes to see Brian leaning over him.  He turned and looked, Harper was laying there peaceful like and curled up against Joel.  He grinned.  The night had only gotten better.

They had made love one more time, and then fallen into bed exhausted.  Harper was more than they could have ever asked for.  She was smart, sexy, funny, and she already held both of their hearts, even if they hadn’t said it last night. 

“
Fuck you, man,” Drake whispered.

“
Hey, they can’t hear me, or you right now, we are good.  I need to talk to you,”
Brian said and Drake laid back and sighed.

“
Okay, let's talk,” he said and waited for Brian to continue.

Finally his friend spoke,
“Our last mission solo together.”

“
Yeah, the one where we blew the dock?” Drake asked and laughed.

“
Yeah, that one.  Remember what happened in the end?  It is the final piece of the puzzle, but you have time to remember, I am just giving you a heads up.  When all is said and done, you need to remember the mission,”
Brian said.

“
I thought we were beyond the cryptic shit, isn't that what you told me?” Drake grumbled.

“
No, I said when Joel was in danger I didn’t have to, I had permission, Joel was gonna die if I didn’t.  This will explain the last question you will have, and help you finally realize that some things are connected even though you cut the head off the snake, there is always someone to replace them,”
Brian said.

“
What the hell, we have to keep this shit up.  I thought it was saving our family that was our last mission.  Finding everyone, helping them, and bringing the man responsible for you and the other's deaths to justice,” Drake said, sitting up and staring at his friend in anger.

“
That is your mission, however, this last piece will give you the closure you will not have because in the end, that is all that you seek,” Brian said sadly.  “Our deaths, although tragic, were necessary.  There are so many soldiers in the world, cut off from their families, and coming back and leaving again.  Those men are the ones you are all fighting for as well.  Because taking this threat out will keep them safe.  The future soldiers—the past soldiers—and the present soldiers, will all be in danger of fighting a battle that can never be won, and never know the purpose for what they are doing.  We all come back broken—we all have issues.  You have seen it—lived it—and are going to live with it the rest of your lives.  However, in the peace you get, the answer will be clear.  Our men served their country well, and they deserve to be recognized more than just one day a year.  Although special, the fact is at least one dies daily.  I can give you the names of every soldier who has died on every day since the beginning of time.  I can also give you the men they are watching over, and the families they left behind.  The list would overwhelm you.  That is not your job though.  You will complete it and move on.  But someone will ask a question, you will have the answer, and that will save more lives.  Because of
that
you need to remember.  Remember their loved ones, remember their sacrifices, and when push comes to shove—remember all of them.  Be thankful they had our backs, and make sure you have theirs in the future.  You guys are bigger than life itself—so many people appreciate what you do.  Give them a chance to show you.”

“
Having a Yoda moment here, big guy.  I understand, hell we all do but you know it has never been for the glory.  It has always been to protect this country—no matter if we come back fucked up, or no one stops to shake our hand and thank us.  Heck, no one thanks the waitress at McDonalds either.  Our society has become numb to the reality of violence.  Everyone is seeing it now, it touches so many people that when they look at us—they see men with a job—not men with a purpose.  That is the difference right now.”  Drake shrugged.

“
Well, maybe it will change, maybe it won’t.  Don’t let the people fool you though.  They care, but we have built up so many walls, not allowing people in.  Sometimes we need to stop and let them thank us—let them shake our hands and tell us how much they appreciate us.  Hell, I hate talking to people, but seeing things here—it is like I had shut myself off because I was blaming everyone for having to see the ugliness.  Not that I didn’t sign up for the job, I knew what I was getting into.  But coming back is the hardest, and once the parades are done, and the people forget we were once gone for months on end—that is when you are going to need them the most.  Just allow yourself to feel their support.  Now, go back to bed, and think about the mission,”
Brian said.

“
Yes, Obi One, I will sleep,” Drake said.

“
Whatever, asshole,”
Brian laughed and faded away.

Drake laughed and snuggled into Harper, closing his eyes, thinking back.

He had been trying to figure out a good distraction while he was pushing through the tiny opening in the walls, making it look like he was never on this side of the dock, instead looking like he had wandered into the docks looking for help.

Drake took a deep breath and pushed his leg against a piece of metal that was sticking out.  At least he had his tetanus shot in the last few months.  Lockjaw would suck, especially for him
—he liked to fuck around with the guys too much.  If he had to be quiet that would then have him thinking too hard on how to torture them.

Shit, that stung, he thought and looked down, it went a little deeper than he intended.  He was going to have to get stiches when they were done.  Drake grabbed his leg and allowed the blood to come through his fingers before staggering into the open, moving toward the men.

They noticed him and had immediately begun to lead him to the canteen.  It was nothing fancy on the outside but damn, when they walked through the doors, he smelt the most heavenly smell.  He allowed himself to be pushed to the closest chair.  The men talking to him in choppy English now.

“
Sit, bandages,” one of the men said and ran for the back.

“
You are lucky.  Only us three today making bread and soup for tomorrow.  Just about ready to leave,” another one said.

A young boy with dirty clothes walked out of the bathroom.  The last man slapped him upside the head, and not in a friendly way either.  Drake could understand what the man was saying.

“Take out the garbage and go home.  That is what I told you,” the man yelled.

The small boy nodded and walked to the back with the man yelling at him the whole way.

“Who is that?” Drake muttered and motioned with his head.  The one holding his leg turned and grimaced.

“
Whore mother, works for food,” he said and then ignored what was going on yet again. 

Drake waited and watched as the first man reappeared and they began to try to stop the bleeding.  Drake looked at his watch. 
“Are you the only ones here?”

Both men nodded and then continued what they were doing.  Drake was going to have to help the kid, these guys would mow him down to save their lives.  That poor little guy didn
’t look like he had enough energy to run very fast.

When they were finally done, Drake looked at his watch, perfect timing, got them off the dock but now to get them the hell out of there.  He stood and walked around in a circle, showing them that he was doing much better.  The men smiled and put the stuff away, looking like they were going back to work.  He could see the small child walking toward him rolling a trashcan bigger than he was.

Drake could see the tired sad eyes and felt like shit.  When the kid reached him, Drake swung down and grabbed the kid around the waist.  He didn’t even struggle.  He pulled out his gun and put a round in the oven, and the men freaked out, running out the door.  He followed, shooting in the air to make them keep running.  The dock was going to go up like a Roman candle in just a few minutes. 

He ran with the kid dangling in his arms until he knew they were clear of the blow zone.  Their extraction was going to be there and then he saw Frog come out of the shadows and motion to him to hurry.  He set the kid down and turned him around.  He smiled at Drake. 

Drake shook his head and then reached into his pocket.  They had been given a lot of money to purchase explosives there so they couldn't be traced to the US.  He grabbed the remaining wad, and knew it was a fortune to the kid.  He was reassured of this when the kid’s eyes grew wide at the look of the money.

“
Do you understand English?" Drake asked.

“
Yes,” the boy whispered.

“
Good, take this.  Get your mother and your family away from here.  Start over, there is enough there to do that.  Make a new life for yourself,” Drake said and the boy had tears in his eyes.

“
Thank you,” the boy said and Drake nodded.

“
Kid, you are my hero just from making it this long.  Go to school and get an education,” Drake said, then turned and ran.  Who cared if he had given the kid money.  If he would have had more of it, he would have given it all to him.

As they ran to their extraction, neither of them saw the little boy following them.  When the Hellos dropped, the kid memorized the numbers on the back, as well as took note of both of the men who had been there.

“
What do you mean they are gone?!  What could my puissant brother and his whore be doing together?  They don’t even really work together.  She is the American Rep. for this embassy—he is a flunky.”  Diego frowned.

“
I don’t know, sir, and neither did your mother.  But after she came in, she went to handle a business call, when she was done they were gone,” the servant said.

“
If they return, tell my brother I need to speak to him about the party we are to attend this weekend,” Diego smiled and said when he wanted to slit the idiot’s throat for not telling him sooner.

“
Sir,” the man nodded and left his room.

Damn it to hell, had they found out something and were going to the authorities?  Were they sneaking away for a quickie?  On the other hand, were they planning on gathering more of his information under the guise of family. 

It had occurred to him after his mother had left.  The authorities were beating him by minutes to places.  How did they know?  The only answer was his brother or his bitch was telling someone on the outside.  That was not acceptable.  Things were going to come to a head in a few weeks, and he didn't need to have someone running around on American soil with so much information.

Shit, maybe he should cut his losses for now and get out.
He could regroup, then come back in a few weeks and finish this.  If he left before they discovered it, he would be able to use one of his other passports he had back at home. 

“
Diego?” his mother said from the doorway.  “It seems that someone is beginning to put two and two together much quicker than you thought.  Certain people have been making inquiries that are a little closer to the truth than I like.  Can we move up the timeframe?  And have you dealt with your brother, I can't find him or the American woman.” 

Diego closed his eyes briefly, shit, he was pissed at his mother, Diego should just hang it up.  He would never make it out alive.  She would kill him herself, and think of an elaborate story about his disappearance.  She had hidden her true side for a long time, but Diego had found out, although they had never talked about it
—he knew.

“
I have him being taken care of, Mother, and we can speed things up a week, it will take a few phone calls, but  I think in ten days we could have this all done,” Diego said slowly and watched his mother purse her lips and then nod briskly.

“
Do it,” she said and left.