SEALs of Honor: Hawk (14 page)

One man walked closer and studied her with dark eyes.

She stared back. No longer afraid and no longer worried. She’d either live or die today. All she wanted at the moment was a bathroom and to get warm.

“Stand up.” He barked the orders in a thick accented voice that took her a moment to understand. When she did, she scrambled to her feet and swayed in place.

“I need a bathroom.”

He nodded. “Come with me.”

And he walked out. She stumbled behind, but her feet were thick planks and not interested in following her orders. She managed to hang onto the wall and make her way. Out into some kind of hallway, the stench almost making her retch, he pushed her toward what she assumed passed for a toilet. He stood outside and waited.

She took care of business quickly. It was her first chance to move in hours and her first opportunity for an escape, but with her body functioning in slow motion she wasn’t sure what she could do. But time was running out. She wracked her brain, trying to create a plan.

Another voice called out. Her captor responded in a language she didn’t recognize. He turned away slightly, and she heard footsteps recede. Quickly she straightened her underwear and spun around, frantic to find a weapon of some kind.

There were shouts up deck.

With no window to look out, she couldn’t see what the disturbance was. There were several blankets shoved in a corner. One was wet, but they were both better than nothing. She grabbed them and wrapped up well, her body reaching in relief for the heat. There were also old socks. She slipped them on, almost moaning in delight as her toes had a cloth barrier between them and the plank floor. There was a kitchen of sorts in the big room, maybe an old converted houseboat or fishing boat. Which would make sense. She vaguely remembered a smaller boat first, a tugboat, maybe. Then being transferred here.

There was no way to see outside from where she stood and no way to send a message. But could she slip away in the confusion? Hide? She had to try.

She did a fast search of the room, looking for anything helpful, and found a small piece of copper wire. She studied it and wrapped it around her wrist to keep it safe.

She retraced her steps to the bathroom and the door to the hallway. She opened it carefully.

And came face to face with a wired…something.

Running feet pounded overhead and more voices. Good, she hoped the boats were being boarded. Preferably by the Coast Guard. She slipped to the stairs and stared up. Could she make it up there without being seen?

Determined to try, she crept higher. There were six steps. She crouched lower the higher she went.

“What the fuck are you doing?”

She ducked, hoping the yelling hadn’t been directed at her.

There appeared to be more people on board now. Why? What the hell was going on?

She poked her head above the deck and took a quick look around. It was more like an old fishing boat. The men were behind her and waving their arms and doing lots of shouting. Good.

She’d take any distraction she could. She focused on the rowboat tied to the railing not six feet from her. If she could make it there…

It was raining out. And they appeared to be in the middle of the Bay. Miles from shore. And miles from any other boat. She knew death was certain on board. Was it also certain in the water?

She ran to the rowboat and ducked down beside it. She peered over the railing. The water churned in a mad foaming wash against the hull. She studied the rowboat hangers. There was some kind of hydraulic system to release it. The men had guns. If she wanted a quiet escape then a rowboat wasn’t it. They’d kill her before she got the rowboat to the lowered position.

A quick glance showed the men still arguing.

There really was no choice. She ditched the blanket, knowing it was only going to drag her down, and crawled through the railing. With one last thought of Hawk, she grabbed the life preserver clinging to the side of the boat and snatched the blanket up again, to hide the bright white and red colors. She needed it to stay afloat but didn’t want to let them know where she was. The waves were going to take her several yards away in seconds. Out a few minutes and it wouldn’t matter, she’d be long gone.

Just as she was set to jump as far off to the side as she could, the
wap wap wap
of a helicopter sounded overhead.

She waved up to it, swore she saw someone wave back and jumped.

*

“
I
S THAT HER?”
Shadow pointed to the far distance and a blob of green behind a lifeboat.

Hawk stared, snatched up the binoculars and adjusted them. “It is her.”

He quickly assessed the problem and what she was up to. “Crap, she’s going to jump.”

“She does realize she’s likely to drown in this storm.”

“I’m sure she’s thinking that she’d rather drown than stay with them.”

“If she’s thinking at all.”

And Hawk knew that was likely the real answer. She was reacting. She wanted to save herself and was doing what she could. He had to admire she was functioning at all. Then he watched, his heart in his throat as several men pointed in her direction. She couldn’t see them from where she was hiding, but her instinct was sound. She wrapped her arms around something large and dark and jumped off as he watched.

The men on board raced to the railing.

“Shit.”

He sent word to the pilot who immediately swerved the angle and flew toward the boat and the woman floundering in the water. The distance between the fishing boat and the woman widened quickly. Getting her to safety was the priority.

Hawk dumped his gear and moved to the edge of the helicopter. He’d jump in as soon as they were close. She wasn’t going to swim far in this cold water. And he figured she’d be too cold to climb out herself.

A shot rang out just missing his head. The helicopter veered to the side.

“No,” he yelled. “Let me off first.”

“Easy.” Shadow shifted position, a weapon in his hand. “We’re too far away to take out the shooter. Need the rifles.” And he was already up and running to the back of the helicopter.

“This is a reconnaissance mission, we didn’t come loaded for bear,” the pilot shouted back.

“I’m not leaving without her,” Hawk snapped. Other watercraft were on their way. If the helicopter was forced to return, the two of them wouldn’t need to be in the water for long.

The helicopter swung around for another attempt to get closer to Mia. The men were standing on deck, milling around uncertainly. If they opened fire on the helicopter, they would be taken out immediately. He couldn’t think about that. He stayed focused on Mia. The helicopter swung in closer. Hawk was all set with Shadow back at his side, prepared to take out a shooter if they were under attack. With Mia drifting further away from the boat, Hawk jumped into the water.

Braced for the cold he sank deep then he kicked up strong. From under the waves he could see Mia about twenty feet from him. His jump appeared to have sent her rocking further away. Good. He surfaced and reached her within minutes. She was stretched out across something that he realized when he got closer was a life preserver. He wrapped an around her.

“Mia?” he called in a loud voice. “It’s Hawk. I’m going to get you to safety. Hold on.”

She lifted her face and stared at him. His heart swelled in pain. Her face, already ravaged by the beating, hadn’t taken well to the saltwater. She reached out a hand to stroke his face. Then she started to cry.

He held her close. Thank God they’d found her. She wouldn’t have survived long out in the Bay. “It’s okay. I’ve got you.”

He signaled up to Shadow. The rope harness dropped down. He quickly hooked the two of them up. Shadow called from up above and pointed behind them. Hawk looked around. The boat was motoring away. Too bad it wasn’t going to get very far. As long as he rescued Mia he didn’t give a damn what the bastards did. He’d be back for them soon enough. They could run – they wouldn’t be able to hide.

At his okay, Shadow started the winch system to haul them both up.

Mia hung limp against him. Shivers rippled over her body, and her skin tone was grey ugly paste. Now she had to combat hypothermia on top of everything else.

“Hold on Mia. Hold on.”

But she’d closed her eyes and never responded.

Then they were in the helicopter and racing her back to the medical center.

Chapter 19

M
IA WOKE TO
heat, blessed comforting heat. Maybe she was on fire. She’d been so cold before, now she burned with pain. The numbness might have been a blessing because along with her body waking up from the cold, the damaged parts were waking up too. And she hurt.

She huddled under the covers, loathe to open her eyes and see where she was. Thoughts of being home safe and sound never entered her mind. As if that were too far a stretch of the truth. But she needed to know. She peeked under her lashes. White everywhere. The sheets, the pillow against her face, the curtains around her. A hospital? Or something else? She couldn’t tell. But she was alone.

At least here.

The white curtains rounded her on all sides. So privacy screens in a medical center. Well, that worked for her. Except she needed to know what was on the other side. She slowly sat up and kicked her legs over the side of the bed. Instantly the curtain was pulled back, and a woman dressed in medical whites, some kind of emblem on her shirt, walked over.

“Where am I?” Mia asked.

“You’re in San Francisco at the Hartland Medical Center.” The woman smiled down at her. “Now please lie back down and rest. Your body has been through a traumatic time and needs to heal.”

Willingly, overjoyed with tears in her eyes, knowing she was safe, she snuggled back under the covers. The doctor covered her up.

“Are you still cold?”

Mia shook her head. “No, thank you.”

“Good. How about other aches and pains.”

“Yes,” she admitted. “Everything hurts.”

“To be expected.” The doctor adjusted something hanging beside her and that was when Mia realized she was on an IV drip system.

“Am I badly hurt?”

“Nothing your system can’t recover from. There are several broken bones in your face and a couple of cracked ribs. Your feet are damaged but in the soft tissue, so they only need time to heal. And the rest of you, well trauma can be a hard thing. The cold didn’t help, but you’re doing great considering what you’ve been through.”

With another smile, the doctor left.

“Thank you,” Mia called out.

“Don’t thank me. I didn’t jump into the cold water and haul you out,” came the cheerful voice.

“Wait…what?” Water? Someone jumped in and hauled her out? Mia wracked her brain trying to figure out what water she was talking about. She remembered being a prisoner on a boat, but things were hazy after that. The one dominating theme was the freezing cold.

Vaguely she remembered sneaking up from below deck and hiding behind the rowboat. She didn’t remember running into the water but must have. Or being pushed. No, she remembered feeling terrified of being caught. So she’d jumped.

Right…the memory jolted into her mind, but was distant as if from a dream. She’d grabbed a life preserver and jumped into the choppy waves. It had been so cold. She’d been kicking as hard as she could, but the waves had taken her where they wanted to.

And another memory blasted into her mind. Hawk. Or maybe a search and rescue person that reminded her of him. In her delusion, every man did. Sigh.

But she vaguely remembered being hauled up out of the water.

That was as far as her memory would go.

Warm and cozy, safe again for the first time in a long time, she closed her eyes.

Then opened them. Did they know about the bomb? Hawk. If they’d saved her, they must have found the fishing boat she’d been on. Except it ate at her. She had to know for sure. She sat back up and searched for a call button or cellphone, regular phone? Hell, a couple of Dixie cups and string would help. She smiled. No, they so wouldn’t.

“Hello?”

No answer.

She frowned and pulled herself to the side of the bed. She did not want to hop down. She worried her feet wouldn’t hold her. They shouldn’t have been too badly damaged though. She’d been walking on the ship. She lifted a foot. It appeared fine.

As she checked the other one, suspicion rose. Maybe she wasn’t so damn safe after all.

Slowly, she lowered herself to the floor and took a step forward. Her feet were puffy, hot. So the doctor was right. She glanced down at her clothing. Another hospital gown. White this time. Still, she had to know for sure. Nervous, she opened the curtain and peered outside. She was in a room with several other curtained off beds.

She was in a medical center. Thank God.

As she went to step toward the door, it opened. And several men entered.

She froze.

The man in the lead froze. And frowned.

“Damn it Mia, why aren’t you in bed.”

Hawk.

*

H
E WANTED TO
race forward and tie the damn woman down. He strode closer and glared at her. Gratified when she scrambled back into bed.

He deepened his glare for good measure and knew he’d failed to achieve his desired effect when she lifted her chin and glared right back.

“I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine. You’re exhausted. Your body has been through a horrific trauma and you need to heal.” Damn. How is it this woman always managed to make him yell? Even worse, her eyes now shone overly bright. She was crying. He felt like a heel.

Then she sniffled. That valiant warrior trying not to break down in the face of adversity. And he appeared to be the adversity this time. Damn it.

Her gaze widened as she looked behind him. The rest of the crew had crowded in close.

Her face brightened and she reached out her arms.

Hawk could only stare as big strong man Swede walked over and picked her up for a big gentle hug – after he shot Hawk a dark glare. Presumably for treating her so badly.