The Hunter (29 page)

He gave his cousin a telling stare, to which he received nothing but an amused quirk of the lips for an answer. It wasn’t lost on him how relaxed and happy his cousin appeared to be now. Apparently, keeping up with Marlena Maxwell’s lifestyle was good for him. He glanced at Amber, who was looking in the duffel bag, as if she wanted to use some weapon in there. Well, if Steve could manage a handful like Marlena, he could adjust to Amber and all her shady deals. She was doing something that he wanted to help with, anyway.

He bent down. “Land Rover?” he asked, leaving it to her to decide.

“You’re letting me decide?” Amber gave Hawk a sideways glance. Did he know how good he made her feel when he consulted her?

“You’re the guide. That’s what being a team means, sweetheart. We do everything together—like those two.”

He did know. She had to remember that he was a SEAL team commander. He would be the kind of man who liked to make sure his team, no matter how small in number, would know they were needed for the job.

Amber didn’t know what to make of the other couple. The man was very obviously related to Hawk. He had the same facial features, though he was a bit more clean-cut and stood a bit taller than Hawk. The woman reminded her a bit of Lily, with her sardonic humor and dark beauty. Amber wasn’t sure about that tidbit of information regarding her background, but from their fight, she could tell Marlena Maxwell wasn’t just a pretty face.

“You okay about this?” Hawk asked, pulling her up and taking her to one side.

Amber shook her head and spoke confidentially in his ear. “It’s too weird to think how we managed to bump into your cousin and his wife right in the middle of nowhere and they know the exact location of what we’re looking for. I mean, can you really trust them?”

“With my life,” Hawk answered, his eyes that dark gold color that always reminded her of sunlight reflecting on a bright ocean. “If they say they are down here looking for their friends, they are. Cam and Patty were their good friends. If it helps, the timeline checks out. I was in Asia when the drop shipment records were discovered and that was why we set up Dilaver. My commander wants me to map out the caches for destruction and GEM wants to make sure I get hold of one particular weapon for them. That’s this bomb.”

Amber looked over to where Marlena was talking to Steve. “GEM?” She should have known. “GEM is working with Jed now?”

“Isn’t Jed part of them?”

She looked at Hawk in surprise. “No. Jed is part of COS Command. GEM is an independent contractor agency.”

“They are working together now, Amber,” Hawk said, “and have been for some time. They were part of my mission in Asia. Jed runs part of GEM’s operations.”

“Well, the things a girl finds out in the wilds of Albania,” Amber muttered. “I don’t like GEM operatives.”

“Why? I’ve seen them at work a few times. They’re good.”

Amber leaned forward, making sure her words wouldn’t carry. “We call them witches.”

Hawk’s gaze turned quizzical. “Witches?”

“That’s info-world lingo. Some agencies get a reputation. When you want information personally extracted, hire a GEM witch. They’re programmed to seed suggestions to the subconscious.” She glanced at the couple not too far away again. “This one has probably infiltrated your cousin.”

Hawk slowly shook his head. “He works for them. Actually, now that I think about it, Jed probably has a hand in them being here. He’s a manipulative son of a bitch. What you’re talking about is NOPAIN, by the way. I know a little about it. It’s just a mental strategy technique.”

Amber snorted. “Mind control techniques, more like.” Amber studied him skeptically. “They taught you? Impossible. They only pick certain profiles.”

“Like what?”

“If you have been around them, haven’t you noticed? They’re mostly females. And orphans. I’ve been trying to get info on this agency for ages. Every operative that I’ve encountered or researched was an orphan and very carefully chosen. Info about GEM is an expensive item in some circles.” She met Hawk’s gaze levelly, then shrugged. “That’s my job. Even the CIA’s ultra-interested in GEM.”

To her surprise, he didn’t make fun about the information on the Agency or get angry at the notion that his cousin could be in trouble. He considered for a few seconds. “Will it make you mad if I tell you that too much info kills action? It’s not my area. Right now—”

Amber sniffed. “Yeah, yeah, yeah. Bomb, retrieve, remove, whatever. All this cool info and all you want is to save the world.” She smiled. “I’ll just grin and say ‘I told you so’ when you realize
she
isn’t just in Albania for some side job. She has another assignment.”

“Then that’s Steve’s problem.”

How like a man. She rolled her eyes. She would have loved to find out more about any new assignment. Information was money, and…She let it go. She realized that he wouldn’t understand how little bits of knowledge added up to make big money, thus paying for expenses incurred by her and Lily’s venture. Anyway, she was in this for him.

When she nodded, Hawk turned his attention back to his cousin. “Jeep it is. You guys aren’t afraid of a bomb, are you?”

“A bomb? Let’s go for it.”

Marlena sighed again as she fell into step with Amber. “You know about their penchant for explosions and destruction, don’t you?”

“Besides other things,” Amber replied.

“Oh, of course. They are SEALs,” Marlena agreed. “How did you and Hawk meet?”

“I own a café in Velesta.”

“Oh, I have to drop by sometime. Do you do your own dishes there? Stash adores my cooking,” Marlena said, suddenly looking mischievous again. “Don’t you, husband, dear?”

“Absolutely,” Steve said without looking back at them.

“Stash?” Amber prompted.

“Personal nickname. You have to have one with the McMillan men, darling. They are all named Steve.”

“I don’t understand,” Amber said with a frown.

Marlena tsk-tsked. “Hawk, darling, you really should tell her.” She turned back to Amber. “It’s a shock to the system to find out that not only is Stash Steve McMillan, but every damn male in that family is also Steve. Or Steven. Or, if I remember, there was one named Stephanus. Stupid family tradition.”

“You mean, Hawk’s name is…” She had never really thought about asking him.

“Steve McMillan,” Marlena sagely finished for her. “And if you have a kid with him, he’s doomed to be called Steve. Oh, quit looking at me like that, Hawk.”

Climbing into the vehicle, Amber returned Hawk’s amused gaze. A kid. She definitely hadn’t thought that far ahead. She didn’t tell Marlena that she already had a nickname for Hawk.

Hawk squeezed her hand gently. “We’ll sort it all out when this is over,” he whispered into her ear. She smiled back at him.

She had to admit that the Land Rover was a good idea. It covered the rocky terrain in no time and it felt great not to be on her feet. She was in good shape, but it had been a while since she had done such strenuous exercise. Besides—she glanced furtively at Hawk—she was glad Hawk was resting, too. She didn’t care that he hadn’t said one word about his injuries; she knew they had to hurt him, especially when tackling the steeper paths.

Feeling her eyes on him, he turned. The sunlight reflected the deep brown shades in his hair. His eyes had that golden glow that always fascinated her, and they had that heated expression that never failed to make her insides clench in anticipation. She kept her hands in her lap even though what she really wanted to do was reach out and touch that scruffy handsome face, pull him by the collar, and kiss those lips.

Her eyes moved to his mouth. Masculine. Sensuous. She blinked and looked back up. He was watching her silently, but she knew he was reading her mind. His eyes lazily roved down her face and to the V opening of her shirt. A small quirk lifted the corners of those lips. Then his eyes went lower and she unconsciously squeezed her thighs tightly together. He was driving her crazy by just looking at her. It just wasn’t fair what the man could do.

She was about to do the same thing, let her eyes travel where her mind was leading, to see whether she could get a reaction, when the sound of vehicles from behind them caught her attention. Hawk and she turned around at the same time.

“Two vehicles behind us, Kisser,” Hawk said.

“We’re going to turn into that small road. If they follow us, start shooting,” Steve said.

Marlena had already turned around, weapon ready. Amber caught the Uzi Hawk tossed and positioned herself against the back seat.

“Not much protection this way,” Amber said.

“I have some grenades to do the job,” Marlena said.

“That definitely ups our protection,” Hawk said quietly.

The Rover turned. So did the other two vehicles. Sunlight glanced off the weapons pointed at them.

Marlena didn’t wait. She tossed the first grenade just as Steve made another sharp veer into the side road. Steve pushed Amber’s head down as he also hunkered down. The loud explosion hurt her ears and she felt things spraying over them and into the vehicle. There were shouts and screams.

Something fell on top of the Rover, blanketing them. Amber blinked, trying to focus even as Steve braked hard. The material was heavy, ropelike. She heard Steve cursing as the vehicle ground into whatever it was and smelled tires burning as they tangled with the rope.

“That was a fucking decoy!”

Hawk pushed up with the muzzle of his weapon. She did the same. The gauze broke easily, but the ropes binding it weighed a ton. Something sharp hit her in the back and she cried out.

“Amber?” She heard Hawk yell.

“Stash! Don’t come over here!” She heard Marlena call urgently. “I’ve been—”

The world turned woozy and the voices slowed down like a recorder in need of a fresh battery. Amber felt as if she were being choked. She needed air. She reached out and felt Hawk slumped down against the back seat, struggling, too. Drugged. Whatever had hit her had gotten the others, too, and they must all be feeling disoriented like her.

They needed air. She pushed out of the cut material, the thick rope bindings wide enough for her to squeeze through. Sunlight flashed blindingly as her focus blurred and cleared and blurred again. A figure stood not too far away.

Amber frowned. “Lily?” she asked, her voice sounding hoarse and strange. The last thing she saw was Lily walking toward her, a grim look on her face.

The voices sounded distorted, as if he were
underwater. Hawk opened his eyes and everything was white, without shape. He found it hard to move his arms and his head felt as if something heavy was holding it down. The glaring white light hurt his eyes and he had to blink hard to focus.

Maybe he was dead. They always talked about a bright white light at the end of a tunnel. But there was no tunnel and the sounds weren’t angelic. In fact, it sounded like…a very, very pissed-off woman, using a lot of words he was sure wouldn’t be present in heaven.

“This time I’m going to kill her! I’m sick and tired of being poked by these tranqs every time we go for a drive. Stash, don’t move, so I can cut the ropes, babe. These things are heavy.”

“I’m okay. Go check on Hawk and Amber.”

Amber! Hawk jerked up with a start and his head hit something hard. His chest exploded in pain.

“Hawk, are you hurt?” he heard Marlena somewhere beyond the white light. There was the distinct sound of a slicing knife and suddenly he saw a glimpse of trees and sky, then Marlena’s face. “Hawk?”

“I’m alive,” he said, pushing away the rest of the material. It tore easily enough once there was a cut. “Amber?”

There was no reply.

“Amber!” He struggled up, squeezing out between material and ropes.

“Careful, Hawk,” Steve said. “The ropes can get you tangled up even worse. Almost like a commercial net of some kind.”

“Where’s Amber?” Hawk asked, moving toward where Amber had been sitting. She wasn’t there. “Amber!”

“She’s gone. They must have taken her,” Marlena said.

“Dilaver,” Hawk said grimly.

Marlena nodded. “It’s Greta, for sure.”

“How do you know?”

“Stash and I were tranqed in a similar fashion in D.C. when we were driving. Darts. Same effect. Since Greta was the handler in D.C., of course it must have been she who authorized our capture then. We have to get out of here and call Center.” She turned to Steve. “We don’t have a choice.”

“No, we’re going to go after Dilaver right now and get Amber,” Hawk corrected.

“Don’t think so, cuz,” Steve countered. He was out of the vehicle, looking down. “All the tires have been slashed.”

Hawk determinedly cut through the rest of the material, making the opening wide enough for his body. He jumped out of the Land Rover. Like Steve said, the tires were flat as pancakes. He kicked the rim in frustration.

“We’ve got to get to Dilaver.” He looked at Steve and Marlena. He tried to say it as calmly as possible. “You don’t know what he’ll do to her.”

In reality, his whole being was frozen with fear at the thought of what could be happening to Amber now. He had to get to her. Dilaver would be taking revenge on her because of Hawk’s betrayal.

“Hawk, we’ll have to call Center to get help here,” Marlena said quietly. “You know they’ll ask us to go check on the weapons cache first.”

“She’s right,” Steve said. “They will ask for the status on the bomb.”

“Fuck the bomb.” Hawk meant it. “I need a vehicle and we’re going back to Velesta.”

“Look, there’s a note.” Marlena pointed to the windshield.

Steve snatched the note that was stuck between the glass and wiper. “‘Bring the bomb to me and you get her back,’” he read. He glanced up. “What do you want to do, cuz? I’m with you, whatever you need.”

Hawk nodded. He knew Steve understood what he was going through. When Marlena was missing in D.C., his cousin had enlisted his help and had even gone off to destroy an entire luxury sailboat to get his woman back.

“This is going to be more than a dozen armed thugs,” he said quietly. “Dilaver’s got an army in Velesta and he should have the compound fortified by now.”

“Draw it up. Let me see it. Then we’ll make plans,” Steve said.

“My darlings,” Marlena interrupted. “Can I interject here and make a suggestion? Like, let’s go to the weapons cache and then call Center?”

“Lena, we can worry about the bomb later. We have to find a way back to Tirana to get…” Steve paused and smiled wryly at his wife. “Sorry, love, my bad…. Hawk, we have weapons nearby—that cache itself. It makes sense to go there.”

Hawk frowned as he figured out a way to get out of there. Marlena slipped in between Steve and him and stood quietly till he gave her his whole attention. Her blue eyes, a little darker than Amber’s, didn’t have their usual flirty sparkle. They were cool and assessing as they caught his gaze.

“We need Center to get us transport out of here,” she said. “It’s the quickest way. And you’ll have all the weapons you need.”

Hawk returned her gaze levelly. “Tell me the truth, Marlena. You know Center doesn’t give a hoot about Amber. They will want the bomb and won’t let me use it for an exchange.”

Marlena nodded. “Yes, you’re right, but we can use a decoy.”

“That’s fine and dandy, but they didn’t even allow me to cancel Dilaver because he’s still an asset. I’m not going to endanger Amber to please them.” Hawk turned to the Jeep. “If I have to I’ll go there myself with what weapons I have.”

Marlena laid a hand on his shoulder. “Call Jed, then,” she said. “He’ll find a way, Hawk. Jed’s Number Nine in his group and it’s his job to finish up any operations. He makes the final decision for the COS commandos. He won’t leave anyone behind if he can help it.”

Hawk stilled. That was right. Jed and Amber had talked as if they were good friends. “Okay,” he said. He pulled out the cell phone from the duffel bag. “Since you two aren’t supposed to be here, I’ll try not to mention your presence.”

Marlena’s smile was classic Marlena—sly and sultry. “If you have to, do it. I can have my honeymoon anywhere I choose,” she told him, then turned and walked back to Steve.

As the other two pulled out their gear from the vehicle, Hawk dialed the numbers and went through the usual indirect routing. He finally got hold of Jed McNeil. He gave an account of what had happened as quickly and succinctly as he could, then waited as Jed kept silent.

“We’ll get Amber,” he finally said, “but you have to go to the cache and get the bomb. When you’re there, activate your watch. I’ll find you.”

Hawk frowned. The watch had been a recording and uploading device. “I’m not sure what you mean. I activate it to steal the coordinates from Dilaver’s system. How would you locate me?”

“Ask Marlena to show you,” Jed said, and cut off.

Hawk put away the cell. “I didn’t mention your names, but he knows you’re here with me,” he told the other two. He showed them his watch. “He said Marlena would know how to use this to let him know how to locate us.”

Marlena crossed her arms, then turned and glared at Steve. “I hate those commandos.”

Steve grinned at Hawk, then showed him his wrist. He was wearing the same watch. “Wedding present,” he said, trying not to laugh. “His and hers watches.”

Hawk frowned. “What is it?”

“It’s obviously some kind of tracking unit,” Marlena said angrily. “Sneaky bastard. I’m going to kill him too. Right after I kill those who got us.”

“No,” Hawk said. “Dilaver’s mine. Now let’s go get the bomb and wait for Jed.”

“I didn’t find the weapon on them. Time’s running short, so I revised the plan. I have Amber Hutchens with me and left a note. He’ll bring the bomb in exchange for the hostage. Make sure you keep her alive till Hawk McMillan shows up. He’ll want to see her before he gives you anything in exchange.”

Amber didn’t move as she listened with her eyes closed. It was useless anyway. There wasn’t any way to loosen the ropes around her. She couldn’t believe that this was Lily speaking. It was her voice, but there was something different about its tone. It was flat, without emotion.

“They would have known I was following them. This way is better. Let him bring the weapon.” There was a pause, and Lily’s voice was very sure. “Of course he will come for Amber. Are you afraid? He’s just one SEAL against so many of you, and this time you’ll be ready for him, right? There will be no surprise ambush.”

There was a longer pause this time and Amber had to strain to hear Lily’s whisper. “I will do what I have to do. Things fall apart.”

“Someone’s been here since we left,” Steve said.

Hawk looked at the scattered branches and brush that had once covered the crates. “Didn’t you touch any of them before? How did you know Cam and Patty had been here then?”

Marlena pointed to a crate behind a big shrub. “That’s the one we looked at because it wasn’t hidden very well. It was as if it had been pushed back into place by someone else.” She walked over to it and slid the top aside. “It wasn’t nailed and it looked as if things had been taken out of it. Then we found a few articles of clothing that Stash said were Cam’s.”

“Definitely Cam’s,” Steve agreed. “A truly classic Cam tie. I checked around and noticed the hidden crates but opted not to open them. I had a feeling about what they were anyway. But we needed to find out about that particular one because Cam’s things were in there. It looked like he and Patty had opened it and taken things out. But then why leave his stuff inside?”

Hawk walked closer to the exposed crates. “Don’t know, cuz. Right now, my concern’s more on these. Whoever’s been here opened them, too, but left all these weapons lying around. I guess they were after something else.”

“I don’t think your target weapon’s going to be here anymore, either,” Marlena said.

“I’m going to look anyway while Jed sends us help.”

Hawk watched Marlena pull on Steve’s arm so she could glare at the watch he had on. “There’s no need to activate your watch,” she said, “since someone’s activated something on his wedding present that let
everyone
know where we were
every
moment of the day.”

“How was I to know?” Steve shrugged. “It’s just Jed, that’s all.”

“Oh yes, control freak king. Obviously, Hawk never activated his, so tell me, what did you do that’s different?”

Steve frowned, his fingers playing with the watch. “He showed us the recording and uploading feature.” Then he grinned sheepishly. “I asked him whether it took pictures underwater. And he told me to find out for myself.”

Hawk shook his head. “I don’t want to know,” he said. Marlena was staring at his cousin as if she were going to attack him any minute. Hawk shook his head again. Newlyweds. He added, “I really don’t want to know.”

Marlena didn’t seem to have heard him. “Is that why you took me swimming after…” She paused, the expression on her face somewhere between outrage and amazement. “I’m so going to kill him.”

“We’ll have a talk with Jed later, babe, but right now…” Steve looked around.

“I know. Sorry, Hawk. When we get Amber back, are you going to marry her?”

Hawk looked up. And he was suddenly very sure. “Yes,” he said simply.

Marlena smiled. “Well, then, don’t accept any wedding presents from Jed McNeil.” She looked up at the sound of a far-off chopper. “Do you think that’s for us?”

“Knowing Jed, yes,” Steve said.

“There’s nowhere to land except way out in the open,” Hawk said.

“Can’t tell you what Jed’s up to, cuz.” Steve swung his weapon over his shoulder. “But if it’s not him, we have plenty of toys and ammo here.”

Hawk looked up, trying to gauge where the chopper was heading. “We stay exactly where we are,” he decided. “If someone finds us, then we know it’s through…your wedding present.”

Marlena made a rude noise, then gave Steve a nudge. “Did you at least delete those pictures?” Hawk heard her ask in a low voice.

“Of course,” Steve said with a straight face as he headed toward Hawk.

Newlyweds. Hawk looked down at the weapon in his hand. He knew they were also bantering to distract him from worrying too much about Amber. The SEAL in him knew that he could do nothing for now, but the man in him knew the danger she was in and was howling in silent fury. He knew Dilaver would take great pleasure in hurting Amber. He prayed that he would somehow be in time to save her. And for the first time in his life, he was deathly afraid that he wouldn’t be.

They used the crates and shrubs as a barrier and waited in silence. Twenty minutes went by after the sound of the helicopter flying by had stopped. Hawk was about to say that maybe they had made a mistake when a shadow emerged from behind a tree. Hawk immediately took aim, quietly noting that the intruder hadn’t made a sound to betray his approach.

“He’s wearing white,” Marlena said. “That’s Alex Diamond, Number One.”

There were nine COS commandos. Hawk stood up from where he was. He’d seen this one before. After he and Steve had saved Marlena that time in D.C., Alex Diamond had shown up to debrief her.

The man stopped, giving the area a sweeping glance. He was either confident or arrogant, because wearing white wasn’t conducive to camouflage. He waited till Hawk reached him.

“Where is it?” His voice was as cold as his light blue eyes.

“It isn’t here,” Hawk said. “It might be with the same people who took Amber Hutchens.”

Diamond shook his head. “Then why the exchange note? Something’s wrong.” He turned to Steve and Marlena. “Congratulations. I heard you got married.”

Steve slipped a hand behind Marlena’s waist. Hawk suspected it was to stop his wife from making one of her usual rude comments. “Thanks. Anything to stop you from assigning her to work with you as a married couple,” he said with a slight smile. “Did you get hold of T.?”

Diamond’s eyes narrowed a little. “Have you seen her lately?”

“I did a few months ago,” Hawk said.

The other man pinned his gaze on him immediately. “We’ll speak more about your last meeting with her on the chopper. Leave the crates here. I’ll take care of it. The target weapon is more important.”

“But we don’t have it,” Hawk pointed out.

Diamond turned toward where he had come from. “You have twenty-four hours to find it,” he said. “We’ll get hold of Jed on satellite inside the chopper.”

The older man moved as if he had been trained in jungle warfare. Hawk admired his fluid speed and eerie silence. Even hiking with his SEAL team, Hawk would hear certain sounds from weapons and clothing. He looked at Diamond’s back ahead of him and wondered at the COS commandos’ training program. He had to find out more, not just for Admiral Madison, but to satisfy his own curiosity.