SEALs of Honor: Hawk (8 page)

Anyone used to making such physical effort wouldn’t have had a problem carrying her.

He dove into the tunnel and scrambled through to the other side. Still no sign of her. In the background was an odd scraping sound. He moved faster. The closer he got, the louder the sound of someone being dragged became. He’d found her. He had to save her before she was dragged all he way out. If they got her into a vehicle, it would be that much harder to rescue her.

And that wasn’t going to happen.

She was too sweet. Too attractive. And damn if he wasn’t interested.

As in damn interested.

But he had to save her first.

The drag noises stopped.

He froze. Voices up ahead. Shit.

Chapter 9

H
ER HEAD ACHED,
and her blood pounded so loudly she could hear nothing but the pulse that flooded her veins. She groaned. Then heard voices in the dimness of her mind.

“Why the hell is she awake?” growled one male. “I gave her enough to knock out a damn horse.”

“Whaaat?”

“Shut the fuck up.”

A strange sound whispered through her consciousness. What was that? It was a low level hum dragging across her skin. The sound aching deep inside as it grated inside her ears. It was like a rubbing sound. And it wouldn’t stop.

What the heck was it? She tried to roll over. But couldn’t. She tried again. And the drag sounds were worse. Her head responded with a heavy ache. Why couldn’t she figure out the noise in her head? And what was it going to take to make it stop. She moved her arms. And cried out.

“Shit.”

Someone was talking to her? “Who’s there?” she turned to ask, yet only a broken whimper made it past her lips.

And of course there was no answer.

She tried to move her arms again. Pain ripped through her – again. Groaning, she rolled over and immediately dust filled her mouth starting her coughing. She spat and struggled to sit up. Her arms were yanked hard.

She cried out as her body was pulled backward.

And she realized she was being dragged. She was hearing her body scraping along the ground.

She tried to pull back.

“Like hell you’re getting away.” He jerked hard and she went flying forward. “Stop struggling, you’re not going anywhere.”

“And she’s not going with you,” a strange voice snapped.

A male jumped over her and suddenly her arms were free. She groaned as they fell to her side. The pain was excruciating. She struggled to pull them free of the ropes. Groggy, she stood up and watched Hawk in an all out fight against a stranger in front of her. With a hand on the wall, she managed to stand up. She was so damn shaky it was hard to stay on her feet once she was vertical.

She gasped, trying to regain her senses. And suddenly Hawk was at her side. She tried to see behind him, but he blocked her view. “Don’t move. I don’t know what happened, but I think you were given something to knock you out.”

Outraged, she tried to take a step but listed to the side. He snagged a hold of her and held her close. “Take it easy.”

“I’m trying to. Did you kill him?” She peered over her shoulder but couldn’t see the man.

“No, I just knocked him out.” His breath was warm against her forehead.

“I don’t think you did a very good job then, he’s gone.”

Hawk spun around. And she had a clear view confirming the man’s escape.

“Shit.” Hawk glared into the darkness where the man disappeared.

She tried to push him away. “Go after him. I’ll be fine.”

His snort was anything but pleasant. “I left you alone last time and look what good that did.”

“It wasn’t your fault. I was hiding in the dark. I should have been safe.”

“But you weren’t. We were following the group ahead of us but missed someone hiding in the shadows. Shadow will be pissed when he realizes that.”

“Why?”

“He prides himself on those.”

“Shadows or men hiding in the shadows?”

“Both.”

She tried to step back and stand on her own two feet but couldn’t quite make it. She slumped against him again, loving the strength that held her so easily. He was a man’s man. And of course that made him a ladies’ man.

“You’re not quite ready to throw this off just yet.”

A weird echoing birdcall whistled through the cavern.

“Good, that’s Swede,” he said.

“Sending a bird call, isn’t that a little melodramatic.”

“Efficient. We send different messages back and forth using the calls. Each one means something different.”

“Cool.” She straightened up and managed to look around. “Does that mean your friends are coming back now?”

“Yes.”

Sure enough the men burst through the cavern.

“Mia, are you all right?” Swede asked, striding over to her.

She nodded. “I am now, thanks to Hawk.”

Hawk explained.

“Do you think he’s on the run or waiting for us up ahead?” Mia asked in a low voice as the men scattered, leaving the two of them behind with Swede.

“He’s running. They are late for a rendezvous. We lost them on the other tunnel but heard where they are going. And apparently it’s not a US monument that they are after but a bridge instead. The Golden Gate Bridge.”

A moment of silence filled the air as they each contemplated the concept of the bridge being bombed.

“Jesus,” she whispered quietly, sagging heavier against Hawk. “We have to go after them.”

“Shadow is on it. We are going back to the vehicle and will follow.”

She shook her head. “We’re going to lose them. Let’s go.” And she tried to walk forward but sagged to her knees.

Swede gave a muffled exclamation and snatched her up into his arms. “Shadow is going to try and hitch a ride up ahead.”

Hawk led the way back to the vehicle.

“You should have left me behind,” Mia said. “You could have caught him.”

They reached the entrance to the cave in time to hear a vehicle driving closer.

“Damn it, he’s getting away,” Mia cried.

Only the vehicle was approaching them, not driving away.

“Or his partners are coming to pick him up.”

Hawk melted into the bushes. Swede stepped in the shrubbery, keeping her out of harm’s way and watched. She struggled to stand up, but Swede wouldn’t let her. Realizing arguing was fruitless, she relaxed back.

Shots crackled through the air. The car engine revved then changed as if the vehicle was backing up. And gunned it. It disappeared in the distance, the sounds quickly fading.

Swede stepped back onto the road and strode quickly forward. They turned around the bend up ahead and she gasped.

Hawk was squatting beside the body lying on the road.

He straightened as they approached. “It’s the man who attacked Mia.”

Swede lowered her to the ground and with Hawk’s help, she walked closer and stood over the man. Now that she was in the natural sunlight, she could see his features. “He was at Dad’s.”

“Yes, he was.”

“He’s the one who wanted to keep me. The other guy called him Stan.”

Both men stared at her. She frowned at them. “I told you, didn’t I? Or maybe you heard it.” She shook her head trying to clear her thoughts. “The one wanted to take me with him to keep him warm at night, but the other man said he had no tolerance for rape. And this guy,” she motioned to the dead man, “said he’d
make
me willing.”

The matching frowns deepened.

“You didn’t share that part.”

“Oh.” She shrugged. “It doesn’t matter now.”

“But it does as it explains why you didn’t get a bullet when he saw you.”

She brightened. “Right.”

“Let’s go,” Hawk said, motioning in the direction of the vehicles. “You need to be checked over and we need to move it.”

“You’re going after the men?”

They just turned those flat gazes her way. Of course they were going after them.

*

H
AWK WALKED TO
Gordon’s bed. And found the old man awake. Good.

“Damn it’s good to see you. And good timing,” Gordon managed to get out. “I owe you my life.”

“You owe me nothing but I could sure use details. What the hell’s going on?”

Shifting uneasily, Gordon said, “I don’t know the whole story but have an idea.” He raised a shamed gaze to Hawk. “My brother is involved.”

“Was involved.” Hard cold clipped, Hawk wasn’t going to allow for any misconceptions here. “He was shot with a single bullet to the head.”

Gordon nodded. “I know. And…I’m sorry, but now that I know what I know, I’m not surprised.”

“Tell me.” Hawk stood and waited. What he heard was a bigger development on the bit Mia had shared. “So Gerry came back expressly to set this scenario up? To collect the stash and when the cops found it, he told his cohorts about your stockpile?”

“I think so. The men who kicked the shit out of me had a good laugh at me being set up. Then again they had a good laugh at killing my brother too.”

“Any idea what their plans are?” Gordon asked.

“Golden Gate Bridge. Water attack of some kind.” Gordon leaned back against the headboard and closed his eyes. “Is Mia okay?”

“Yeah, she’s here in the hospital but she’s going to be fine.”

“The army was in to see me,” Gordon said. “I told them everything.”

“And the sheriff, did he show up?”

The snort said it all. “I haven’t seen him but apparently he was here. Didn’t bother talking to me though.”

“Maybe you weren’t awake yet?”

“I was awake. I heard the fuss in the hallway. He was doing the minimum he had to before walking away. More than happy to dump this in someone else’s hands. Might be the Feds taking it over too as these guys came from three states for this and will be heading to California for the attack.”

“Makes sense,” said Hawk in neutral tones. “Who found the cache?”

“Local man – ex-military,” Gordon said. “When his boys found it, him being who he is and all…he called in his buddies and that was that. Now it will likely be a joint operation.”

“Minus the sheriff.”

They both smiled at that. Hawk checked his watch. He was late. He’d hoped to see Mia but he was out of time.

Chapter 10

“I
’M FINE.
I just want to go home,” Mia told the doctor earnestly. “I promise I’ll rest.”

“And how are you going to get there?” he said, writing something on the tablet. “You shouldn’t drive.”

Mia frowned, wishing her head would clear. “I don’t have my own wheels here anyway.”

“If you take a cab or get picked up, then fine.”

She brightened. “Thank you.”

The doctor walked out of the room, leaving her to put her jacket and shoes back on. She’d have some paperwork to do before she was finally released, but she was looking forward to getting home. But first, she had to see her father.

She walked into her father’s room as Hawk rushed out. She brightened. He hadn’t left without saying good-bye. Her instinctive thought. After all, she had nothing to offer him. Especially him. And especially being her. She wasn’t close to being a bombshell, and she’d heard about the SEAL life. From many sources. Enough to know it was the truth.

She’d had boyfriends, but she hadn’t had a long string of them. She preferred quality over quantity. And understood Hawk could have both in as many forms as possible.

She could never compete.

And he was…well, he was just so much.

She was such an idiot. Now if only she could get through this gracefully.

She sighed and gave him a small wave good-bye. “Thanks again for the rescue,” she said in a shamefaced voice as he came to a stop beside her. “Normally I’m the one doing the rescuing.”

“Sometimes even the toughest of us need a little help.” He patted her on the shoulder. “You stay here and heal. I’ve got to run.” He walked away backwards with a final caution, “Please stay out of trouble.”

And he was gone.

Damn it.

“Are you going to come back?” she called out. Then winced. Talk about subtle. Not. Where was that wish for a graceful good-bye, head high, classy finish? Snort.

He turned enough to see her but didn’t stop moving. “Not for awhile.”

Her face fell. Her heart sagged and her body just plain hurt.

She turned away and saw her father awake. Bursting into tears, she raced to give him a big hug.

“I’m so glad you’re okay,” she said through her sobs.

“I’m so very glad you and Hawk were both there to help.”

“You mean Hawk. He rescued both of us,” she admitted.

“Good. Glad he did.” Her father reached up and rubbed his temple. “My head is pounding. It’s going to be days before I feel up to opening the store.”

“Are you still going to?” she asked quietly.

He raised an eyebrow. “Why wouldn’t I?”

“Well, your brother was shot in the store, it was ransacked, the guns were stolen and your cache at home was also stolen.”

He shrugged. “It was all insured.”

She nodded but inside it bothered her. “I’m not sure I like the idea of you selling guns anymore.”

“You never did.” He pursed his lips and studied her. “Nervous now? That’s not like you.”

“Watching those men…” She shuddered. “It did make me think.”

He shook his head. “It’s not the guns. It’s the people–”

“People who use them.” She groaned. “Yeah, I know.”

“Lucky you, you’re free to leave,” he said. “What are you going to do now?”

“As you’re fine and safe here, I’m going home. I got a pass from the doctor as long as I rest.” She stood up and reached over to hug him. “Love you, Dad.”

“Love you too, Mia.” He smiled up at her. “This will be a bad memory soon.”

“I hope so.”

With a small wave, she turned and walked out. Her energy was flagging. She needed to grab a cab. Outside she realized it was late. How was it she hadn’t understood that? Just staring out at the dark night she realized she probably should have stayed for the night. But that was fear talking.

Better to go home and face it. Now, should she go to her place or to her father’s house? No, she wasn’t going back there for a while. She needed time so she wouldn’t see her father’s body lying crumpled on the ground every time she was there.