Page 14 of Protecting Josie
“The team took two of the boats. We need to get to the third. Our contact is still there. Just in case we get separated, it’s a brown speedboat. Looks like shit but she’s got enough power to outrun anyone who might follow. He’ll wait until dark if need be. The plan is to get to the boat and the second we get out of Iranian waters, we’ll be picked up by a bird.”
Blink nodded, not liking their odds at actually making it to the boat at this point. And he wasn’t even going to ask Kevlar what he planned on doing if theydidget separated, and he and Spirit took the boat that was waiting.
As if he’d been working with Blink for years, rather than the short time they’d actually been on the same team, Kevlar said, “We’re getting out of here, Blink. We still need to have words about you sneaking off in the middle of the night without us.”
He nodded. He realized he was breathing hard and adrenaline was still coursing through his bloodstream. They were so close to getting out of there, but the most dangerous part still remained. They had to get to the water and hope the pilot and the boat were as good as Kevlar claimed.
The woman who’d invited them into her house said something in rapid-fire Persian, then pulled on Spirit’s burka and pointed toward the back of the house.
None of them had any idea what she’d said, but it was obvious she wanted them to follow her. They walked through the small house to a back door. She opened it a crack and peered out. Then she said something else to them and nodded, holding open the door.
Blink would have preferred to wait a little longer to make sure their pursuers thought they were gone, but it looked like they were leaving now. He nodded at the woman who’d helped them and stepped outside with Spirit and Kevlar once more.
“Doing good, Spirit,” he told her quietly, as soon as they were back on the city street. “Just a little farther.”
His feet hurt. His legs hurt. His fingers and back hurt. But nothing would keep Blink from getting to the water. He thought about the rest of his team, who’d been willing to come after him. About his former teammates, who’d died and been injured fighting against evil. And he thought about thewoman who’d just risked her own safety to hide them. She didn’t know they were Americans; all she probably saw was two parents and a child, scared and about to be caught in the middle of something dangerous. Blink had no idea if the woman thought they were the ones being chased, or if they were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. But her kindness had allowed them another chance to get home. He would forever be grateful.
That was the thing about war. About the missions he did. Even though they might be in a hostile country, there were always innocents. Civilians who were merely living their lives. They weren’t hardened terrorists, didn’t want to kill or be killed. They were simply trying to survive in whatever situation life had handed them. Women, children, and men who loved and wanted to be loved. Who had goals and aspirations. Who didn’t agree with others who were willing to kill for power. The woman who’d let them use her home as a momentary refuge was one such civilian.
Blink didn’t know exactly where they were going, but he trusted Kevlar, and he could smell the water as his team leader steered them toward it. It didn’t take long to reach, and there was a lot of action around the docks. Men yelling and pointing toward the gulf.
Scanning the boats, Blink spotted what had to be their ride. A man sat in a brown boat, and Kevlar was right, it looked like it would sink if it tried to go anywhere. Instead of looking concerned about the commotion around him, the guy appeared calm. He wasn’t fiddling with fishing gear. Wasn’t doing anything but sitting at the back of the boat with one hand on the control stick of the outboard motor.
But if thiswasn’ttheir contact and their way out of there, and Blink, Spirit, and Kevlar hopped into his boat, they were fucked.
Kevlar stopped with his back against the wall of a building not far from the dock, and Blink did the same, noticing he didn’t even need to instruct Spirit to sandwich herself between them. She followed his lead without questions, without hesitation.
“See that boat?” Kevlar asked them, pointing out the exact one Blink had already spotted.
Spirit nodded, at the same time Blink said tersely, “Yes.”
“That’s our ride.”
Spirit immediately looked up at Blink and shook her head.
He wished he could see her eyes better, but with both of them wearing burkas, he couldn’t. “It’s okay,” he told her.
Instead of nodding, she shook her head again.
He wasn’t sure why she was hesitating. He needed her to be onboard with this. He could carry her, but it would bring attention to them, attention they definitely didn’t want or need. He squeezed her hand reassuringly, realizing yet again just how small and fragile she really was.
He didn’t wait for Kevlar to explain why their only option at this point was getting into that boat. Spirit was looking tohimfor reassurance. “The helicopters can’t cross into Iranian airspace without triggering a major international incident. Out in the desert, sure, they can manage to sneak in, drop off special forces, then sneak out, but coming into the city just isn’t possible. We have to get out of the country so they can pick us up. Kevlar assures me that the boat can get us where we need to go in order for a chopper to pick us up. I trusthim with my life. But more importantly, I trust him withyours. We can do this, Spirit. Hell, this is easy compared to what we’ve already been through.”
He had no idea if what he said was getting through. She stared up at him, and it didn’t feel like she was even breathing.
Then she shocked the hell out of Blink by sagging toward him, her forehead smacking against his chest. Her arms wrapped around him and held on so tightly, he winced from the pressure she was putting on his bruised ribs.
But he didn’t hesitate to put his arms around her in return. She was shaking, obviously scared out of her mind. He wasn’t sure why…but he was beginning to think it was because of the boat.
“Is that what happened to you? How you ended up here? A boat?” he asked quietly.
She nodded against him, and Blink’s heart bled for her.
As much as he loved having her lean on him—he was a protector, after all—he knew they couldn’t stand there forever. Someone would notice them.
He pulled back but didn’t let go of her. “You aren’t going back there. I give you my word as a Navy SEAL, and as a man. We’re all getting the hell out of here. And when we get to the carrier where the rest of my teammates are waiting, I’ll make sure you have the biggest, juiciest hamburger I can find. With all the trimmings. Oh, but if you’re a vegetarian—which is fine, I mean, there’s nothing wrong with that—I’ll fix you the biggest salad instead, with every vegetable known to man.”
She made a sound, and if Blink wasn’t mistaken, it was a laugh of sorts.
