Page 51 of Broken SEAL

“We’d better move fast,” said Mike. “Find her, Axe.”

The dog took off like a bullet, leading them past the shed where they’d spotted Kane’s van to the smallest of the buildings. There, they found Saber desperately trying to dig under a steel door.

“Saber, leave it,” snapped Mike. He grasped the dog’s collar and drew her back. “Saber, sit and stay.” “Rick, hold her.”

The SEAL corpsman knelt beside the frantic dog as Mike tried the handle. It was unlocked. He pulled the door open and stepped into the darkness. Frantic barking greeted him; he’d found the puppies. He felt Axe and Saber charge past him as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. Pulling his phone from his pants, he activated the flashlight and shone it in the direction of excited yelps.

“Rick, they’re all here.”

Axe and Saber were pawing frantically at the cage. Mike considered releasing them but quickly realized that wrangling five pups would take some effort. First things first, they needed transport.

“Saber, Axe stand and guard,” he ordered. The puppies were calmer now with their parents present.

“Let’s grab the van,” said Rick from the doorway.

“Solid plan, we’ll leave Axe and Saber here to keep the pups quiet.”

The pair shut the door and snuck around the side, heading toward the shed where they had spotted the van. Pausing to observe it for a few minutes, they ascertained it was likely unoccupied and snuck in under the roller door. Mike opened the driver’s side door and saw there were keys on the dashboard. He climbed in as Rick opened the passenger door and joined him.

Suddenly, light filled the cabin, along with an angry voice. “Get the fuck out of the van.”

Mike glanced at Rick and was about to start the vehicle when a bullet punched through the glass between them and slapped into the back of the cabin.

“Shit,” yelled Rick as he ducked below the dash.

“That’s your first and last warning,” a Canadian-accented voice yelled.

“OK, OK, we’re coming out.”

The SEALs climbed down out of the van.

“Walk around to the front,” ordered the voice.

Squinting under the bright lights, both men made their way to the front of the van and stood at the hood.

“Those are the fuckers from the Beaver,” said a voice.

“The gay cops,” added another.

“Yeah,” said a third, American voice. “They definitely look like frogmen.”

“Gavin Kane,” said Mike. “We were wondering when we’d get the chance to meet you.”

“And you are?”

“Mike Saunders, Team One. You stole my dogs.”

Kane paused in thought. “You seriously came all this way to recover five fucking puppies. Bud, you do know the bitch can have more.”

“It’s about loyalty and honor,” said Rick. “And clearly you don’t know shit about that.”

“Shut the hell up. Don’t you talk to me about loyalty. Did your teammates turn you in to command and fuck your entire career? Honor, there’s no honor in the teams. You’re a bunch of fucking mercenaries and hit men. You’re dogs on the government’s leash.”

Mike shrugged. “Once a SEAL always–”

“I said shut the fuck up.”

“What do you want to do with these guys?” asked one of the Canadian voices.