Invincible (The Trident Code) (5 page)

I flipped the light on
in the hotel. Kyle was passed out in the bed next to some blonde girl, Vic was crashed on the sofa in the small living area. I knew the drill—if one of us was going to get lucky, he’d head up to the room first. We’d hobble in later when the coast was clear and crash on the floor, giving the loving couple the bed. Of course, Vic never did that to us. He was a serial monogamist. We’d always tease him, but I was starting to think Kyle and me were the ones who were fucked up and Vic had the right idea. I wouldn’t be in this mess now if I hadn’t given in to my needs, but then again I would’ve never found Annie.

I nudged Kyle. “Hey. Sorry to interrupt. But we need to go.”

Kyle understood. He rolled over to the girl. “Hey, sweetheart. Sorry, but I need to help my buddy out.”

The girl nodded, almost looked hurt. She reached for her clothes and grabbed them off the floor on the side of the bed. I couldn’t help but stare at her naked body.
Great ass, perky tits, nice tan skin. She slipped her panties on, then her jeans, and pulled a pink tank top over her head. She either hadn’t been wearing a bra or didn’t bother to look for it. Kyle gave her a kiss on the cheek. “I’ll call you. We’ll be in town for two weeks.”

Kyle actually might call. He straddled the line of commitment-
phobe and romantic. His usual M.O. was to start a fling with a girl, swear that she was the one, then vanish when it got intense, which it always did. Everything we did was intense. Sometimes I wondered what it would be like to have a mellow job, a relaxed life.

I gave the girl an awkward wave. But because I was paranoid about Annie, I decided to speak. “Where you staying?”

“Oh, a hotel down the road. I’m fine to walk.”

Fuck that. “We’ll take you.”

She looked at Kyle. “No, I’m okay. Really. It’s just a few blocks.”

Kyle got dressed. “No, Pat’s right. Sorry, I was about to offer but I was just groggy. We’ll drive you.”

She shrugged her shoulders. “Okay.”

She slipped into the bathroom. I signaled to the guys to get their guns and night op gear.

“It’s on.”

Vic slipped on his gun. “You found her.”

“Not sure but think so. Her pimp is there.”

“Good enough for me.” Kyle loaded his pistol and gathered the bag full of our gear. “
Hooyah!”

Kyle’s girl walked out of the bathroom, her mascara smudged. But at that moment, I didn’t see this nameless girl, I saw Annie.
Annie’s eyes. In one careless, drunken night, Annie’s world had changed forever. Spring break, five years ago, a night like this. The girl that stood before me, she didn’t know that Kyle was a good guy. That the three of us weren’t going to gang rape her. But this girl took a chance, a chance on him, a chance with us. In a foreign country, with different laws. These girls had false senses of security, that they were invincible. But all it took was one wrong drink, one wrong man, and they could end up dead, or in a living hell. Just like Annie.

We headed out of the hotel and piled into the small rental car. We dropped the girl off at her hotel room, Kyle walking her in to make sure she was safe.

He climbed back into the car. “So what’s the plan?”

“Well, we’re going to go back and case the place. Not sure a
fter that and I’m not even sure Annie is there.”

This amateur rescue attempt was so different than the missions we usually went on as a Team. We just had to clear the house, like we’d done many times in Afghanistan. These traffickers probably only cared about drugs and money; they weren’t going to try to start an international incident just to keep a girl that they’d ki
dnapped five years ago. Chances were, they were looking for a way to get rid of her anyway. Not that I was going to attempt to reason with them.

We parked a block away from the building and snuck up ou
tside the door. It seemed quiet inside and the lights were off. They’d probably be asleep already. I wanted this to be clean.

“I think she’s in that room. Second window to the left.”

“Let’s check it out.”

I was a non-practicing Catholic. Even so, every time I went on a mission, I recited the Family Prayer from my favorite movie, Boondock Saints.

“And Shepherds we shall be

For thee, my Lord, for thee.

Power hath descended forth from Thy hand

Our feet may swiftly carry out Thy commands.

So we shall flow a river forth to Thee

And teeming with souls shall it ever be.

In
Nomeni Patri Et Fili Spiritus Sancti.”

Amen. Let’s roll.

Stealthily, we left the car and snuck around the building. I heard a dog bark in the distance. Kyle and Vic stood watch alongside me as I used my night vision goggles to peer into the window.

There was a small cot in the room. Annie was curled up asleep on it.

I signaled to my men. There were bars on her window. We couldn’t just grab her. We had to go through the back door.

“The execution of my duties will be swift and violent when r
equired yet guided by the very principles that I serve to defend.”

We had no intention to kill her captors. Our only goal was to save Annie.

Gun and scope out, Kyle touched the door; it was unlocked. He pushed it in, Vic and I were right behind him.

As they scanned for men, I crept to Annie’s door.

She was sound asleep. If I woke her, would she scream? She was probably high. I scooped her limp body in my arms and raced her out of the room before she could wake.

Her eyes opened, startled. But she didn’t say anything; just gave me a silent smile and wrapped her arms around my neck. My
heart almost pounded out of my chest. Recognition lit those hazel orbs and instead of screaming like I feared. Her trust almost brought me to my knees.

Vic threw a flash bang. The stun grenade detonated. A blinding light and booming sound would render her captors helpless so we could make our escape.

Once outside the room, I saw the pimp cowering in the corner. The drummer was reaching for his gun but clearly disoriented.

It wasn’t worth the risk.

I turned toward Kyle. “Send it.”

Kyle killed them both, two shots to the head, two shots to the heart.

Done. Let’s get the fuck out of here.

Vic went in front of me and Kyle had my back. I walked out of that house, holding Annie. My heartbeat drummed in my chest.

She was finally free.

We dashed into the car,
then hightailed it out of there.

“My Nation expects me to be physically harder and mentally stronger than my enemies. If knocked down, I will get back up, every time. I will draw on every remaining ounce of strength to protect my teammates and to accomplish our mission.”

We’d done it. “Annie, you’re safe. They’re dead. You’re free.”

Her eyes, which had seemed so disturbed on the night that I had met her, were soft, almost filled with an inner glow. She
teared up, holding my hand and refusing to let go. But I didn’t want to let go of her either. I meant what I’d said: I wanted to make sure that Annie’s pain had ended for good and that I would always be there to protect her. But I knew that our time together would be short. And I couldn’t be responsible for someone else’s safety when I’d be fighting a war a world away.

We took Annie straight to
the yacht and got the fuck out of Aruba. Kyle started up the boat and we headed back to Curaçao. I was grateful that I didn’t have to be alone with Annie. I wanted to focus on her recovery and not any feelings she might develop toward me since I’d rescued her.

She hadn’t said much on the car ride, just sat
there dazed and crying. Overwhelmed, no doubt.

Once we boarded the ship, I took Annie up to the living area. “Annie, these are my friends, Kyle and Vic. Vic’s a medic; he’s going to help detox you. I bought you clothes and supplies.”

She blinked rapidly, scanning the tiny room. She wore a tattered shirt that skimmed her thighs and black panties. She was skinny, almost deathly so. She swayed with the movement of the boat, a little disoriented, probably in shock, confused. Her flat black hair hung around her face and she hugged her arms tight to her chest. When she spoke, her voice was a whisper and cracked with emotion. “I didn’t think I’d ever see you again. I can’t ever thank you enough. I never, ever thought . . .”

She bit her lip in an attempt to stop the tears that shone in her eyes. She looked vulnerable and doll-like in the soft light of the room. I pulled her to me and just held her close, her small frame tucked into my large one. She felt fragile in my huge arms, break
able. I took a steadying breath to stem the rising urge to keep her there, a feeling that pissed me off as much as it confused me.

“Hey, why don’t you take a shower? We aren’t going an
ywhere.”

She didn't respond for a few moments, instead she tucked he
rself more closely into my embrace. I was loath to let her go, enjoying the feel of her soft body against mine when she took a step back. She walked slowly into the bathroom and shut the door.

I let out the breath I didn't know I was holding. I don't know what the fuck I’d expected her reaction to be. I guess I thought she’d be running around ecstatic, kissing and hugging me, but her dull calm threw me. I had to remind myself that she was an addict, and that the reality of her freedom hadn’t sunk in for her yet.

I opened my duffel and pulled out a bottle of whiskey, throwing back a quick shot straight from the bottle. What the fuck had I gotten us into?

If this had been a movie, we would’ve whisked her to the e
mbassy, her parents waiting to greet her. I’d have a hero’s welcome. We’d profess our love to each other and go on to live happily ever after.

But this wasn’t a movie. This rescue was off the books. There was no embassy in Aruba—the closest one was in
Curaçao—and it was closed because it was the middle of the night and on a weekend. And our victim was a heroin-addicted prostitute.

Vic took meds out of his bag. “So it’s going to be rough, esp
ecially for the next seventy-two hours. We’ll keep her comfortable.”

I heard the shower water run. What was going through her head now?
Her family, her friends, me?

Kyle laughed. “Dude, you pulled this off. Do you get how cr
azy this shit is? I mean, she’s been missing for five years, presumed dead. I never doubted you. Are you going to claim the reward?”

Three hundred thousand dollars.
I made around sixty thousand a year. A pittance considering the fact that I risked my life every day. Killed for my country. Could die for my country. I could use that money. I could buy my mom a nicer house. Maybe save up some for my retirement, when I’d probably be so physically and mentally fucked up that I wouldn’t be able to hold down a job. But I didn’t want a cent. That's not why I did what I did. Why any of us did.

“Nope. Not going to touch it. I hope to hell Annie will keep our involvement out of the press. But I’m prepared to face the cons
equences if our command finds out.”

“Take responsibility for your actions and the actions of your teammates.”

We’d already covered this ground—I wouldn’t have brought them into this if I were going to go shouting about it from the rooftops—but it was done now and they needed to know I was committed to that.

“Well, I doubt they’d discipline us for saving an American girl who was sex trafficked. The media would have a field day with that. ‘Navy SEALs punished for saving America’s Sweetheart.’ I say you collect the reward. I’ll take my share. I need a new truck.”

“What-the-fuck-ever, man. You’re loaded with all your NFL money. Anyway, not going to happen.”

“I do not advertise the nature of my work nor seek recognition for my actions.”

Annie emerged from the bathroom, her hair wet, her skin bluish. She sat at the table and ate some chips we had out.

Kyle, Vic, and I just sat there in silence, staring. What the fuck do we do now?

After a sip of water, she burst in tears.

I went over and sat next to her. “Hey, it’s okay.”

“No, it’s not okay. I don’t know what to do, who I am. I mean, I’m a drug addict. I’m a prostitute. My family won’t want me back. Look at me! To get a clean vein I’ve been shooting up in my feet! What man is ever going to love a former hooker?”

Fuck. I had mentally prepared myself for her anxiety and d
etox, but I didn’t want to give her any false hope. Being rescued was the easy part; she would need to rebuild her life.

I took a deep breath, knowing that I needed her to hear me. “No man is going to judge you for something that was beyond your control. And your parents love you. They’ve been looking for you non-stop. I’m sure they’ll help you every step of the way. We’re going to detox you here; I have this boat for two weeks. Then I’m going to take you to the embassy. But we need to get you healthy first.” 

Her chin quivered. “I can’t. I need it.”

I pulled her chair to me. “You survived five years of unspeak
able hell. You can do this. We’re going to help you. I won’t leave your side.”

Vic took her into the bathroom, tested her for STDs, HIV, and pregnancy. The tests gave instant results, and we were all grateful
and, well, shocked when she tested negative for everything. Vic rationed out her drug cocktail: immodium, suboxone, Xanax, vitamins, potassium. He gave her the first dose and she downed the pills with a glass of water.

I held her hand. “I think you should sleep if you can.”

She nodded her head and leaned into me. I picked her up off the chair and carried her to the bedroom with the queen bed. I’d planned to crash on the floor next to her. I pulled a blanket from the closet and set it down on the floor for me.

“Patrick, can you hold me?”

I couldn’t say no. It was her first night free in five years. She needed me to get her through her transition. “Sure.” I wrapped my arms around her and she cuddled up into my chest and fell asleep. I felt like if I moved at all, I’d break her. She was fragile, small, and weak. She rolled over and I was spooning her, her tight ass grinding against my cock. This was going to be a long night.

I couldn’t remember the last time I’d spent the night in bed with a woman instead of darting away in the middle of the night. I fought sleep as long as I could, looking over at the slight girl in my arms, praying that she would be okay.