Page 6 of Finding Lexie
Abshir Farah watched from his hiding spot about a half mile away, teeming with frustration, as the two helicopters rose into the night sky. He’d left the camp to hunt at just the right moment. He knew without a doubt that his friends and comrades were dead. He’d heard the shots and came running to assist, but by the time he’d gotten close to camp, it was obvious the soldiers had already killed everyone.
They’d waited too long to get rid of their captives. They should’ve taken the five million dollars and released them. But instead, his comrades had insisted they could get more.
Anger filled Abshir. He needed that money. His family was starving. Living in filth. He’d been counting on the cash to get them out of the slums and into a proper home. His wife was pregnant with their sixth child, and there was no way he’d be able to feed one more person without that money.
But maybe there was still a chance to get their captives back…
The helicopters were headed toward Galkayo. If he was lucky—and he was obviously lucky, since he was still alive right now and not lying dead in the sand with his friends—they’d go back to where it all started.
He’d heard the rumors that the Danish man’s family had flown in his personal doctor. There was only one hospital in town, and if they took him there, perhaps Abshir and some of the others could get him back. And this time, they’d take the five million dollars.
It was worth a shot.
Abshir knew time wasn’t on his side. He needed to get to camp and see if one of the trucks was still working. He had no idea if the soldiers had disabled the vehicles or not. If possible, he would go back to town and tell the others what had happened. They’d want to avenge their friends, and his dead comrades’ families wouldn’t be happy that foreigners had come into their country and killed their loved ones.
Yes, with luck, they’d have both the man and woman back in their grasp, and this time they’d be smarter about their demands. Smarter about where they hid. Maybe they could beat on the woman a bit and see if they couldn’t get the American government to pony up some money for her as well as get the five mil for the man.
They had a second chance to salvage this operation, but Abshir had to work quickly. Spread the word about what had happened.
Deep down, he knew what he was doing was wrong. But his world was every man for himself. And Abshir needed money to feed his family. If that five million disappeared, they were all screwed.
Chapter Two
Midas wasn’t happy. He and his team had originally expected to fly to a US Navy ship stationed in the gulf, but they’d learned at the start of the mission that the Danish special forces team had been instructed to go to Galkayo and bring Dagmar to the hospital.
Apparently, Magnus Brander had enough money for the government to give in to his demands to take his brother back to the town he’d been kidnapped from, so he could see his personal physician. Then, and only then, would he consent for Dagmar to be flown elsewhere…with his doctor in tow, of course.
On the helicopter, he and his team briefly discussed taking Lexie to the US ship and leaving Dagmar in the care of his own countrymen, but Lexie had become visibly upset for the first time upon hearing that plan. In light of all that she’d had been through, and because they were worried about her mental health just as much as they were her physical well-being, Mustang decided they’d continue with the previously altered plan to accompany the Danish soldiers, and Dagmar, to the hospital.
Dagmar’s physician would be allowed to do a short exam, Lexie could be seen by a doctor at the same time, then they’d get the hell out of there. It would still be difficult for Lexie to say goodbye to the man she’d been held captive with for months, but hopefully after she’d had a little more time to process that they were safe at last, she’d be a bit calmer about leaving.
The situation wasn’t ideal, but the SEALs were used to having to pivot at the last minute. Besides, Dagmar did need immediate medical assistance.
The decision made, Lexie had quickly passed out against his shoulder, and no matter how loud the others spoke through the headset, she didn’t seem to flinch.
He marveled that she looked the same as she had in high school. Well, not exactly. She’d matured, of course, but she had the same curly brown hair that seemed to have a mind of its own. Even now, dirty from months in the desert, the strands seemed to be alive, curling around some of the equipment hanging on his vest. She’d used a piece of twine she’d probably found out in the desert to hold back the shoulder-length locks, but it wasn’t enough to completely tame it.
Midas remembered being fascinated with her hair back in high school, when they were working on their English project. She was constantly shoving it back behind her ears, but inevitably it would fall forward again, annoying her. Back then, she’d smelled like peaches, and he had no idea if it was her shampoo or lotion or what, but he’d associated the sweet fruit with her for months after he’d last seen her. She didn’t smell like peaches now, of course, but that didn’t mean his brain didn’t recall the memory.
Her hazel eyes were just as he remembered, as well. They’d had an uncanny way of somehow seeing through his bullshit. There was one day when he’d been upset over something—he didn’t remember what—and when she’d asked how he was doing, he’d lied and said he was fine. She’d studied him silently, then gently pushed for him to confide in her.
Aside from his parents, she may have been the only person in his youth who’d ever bothered to see beyond the cheerful jock he’d always tried to project.
She was about half a foot shorter than he was, and even though Midas hated to admit it, he hadn’t missed the way she’d filled out since high school. Even after being in the desert for months, she was still curvy in all the right places. He hadn’t been able to take his gaze off her ass as she’d climbed into the chopper. He felt like a total dick for ogling her in the middle of an op, though it didn’t diminish his appreciation.
But more than her hair or her looks, Midas was impressed with her attitude. Over the years, he’d observed just about every kind of reaction from the people they’d rescued. Some were scared to death, others were hysterical and couldn’t be calmed down, and then there were the hostages who were pissed that they hadn’t been rescued faster. But Lexie fell into a category all her own. She’d stayed calm. Was obviously scared but hadn’t let it paralyze her. She was worried about Dagmar, and smart enough to let the SEALs do their job.
It was safe to say Midas was intrigued. Lexie Greene had grown up to be what seemed like an amazing woman.
She shifted against him, and Midas tightened his grip on her as the chopper began to slow. They’d have to land a bit outside the town. Aleck and Pid, along with two of the Danish soldiers, would secure transportation while the rest of the group stayed with the helicopter and the freed hostages.
The situation wasn’t ideal, to say the least. The sun was rising, which meant the residents would be waking up. While this part of the country wasn’t as openly hostile toward Western soldiers, no one wanted to push their luck. Hence the reluctance to return to the town.
“Has anyone notified my physician that I’m here?” Dagmar asked as the chopper lowered toward the ground.
Midas frowned slightly. The man had remained awake throughout the flight, talking about what he’d endured in the desert. Not once had he asked about Lexie. Or if anyone had been hurt in the extraction.
He wasn’t overly impressed with Dagmar so far, sick or not.
