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  “Thank you.” Hannah darted out the door.

  “Something isn’t right with her Sam,” Kong said rubbing his chin.

  “She’s just shaken up. Who wouldn’t be? She thought her daughter was dead.”

  “I don’t think that’s it. I think there’s more to that woman then just a worried mother.”

  Chapter Eight

  “He’s right Sam,” Ricochet said startling her. “You’re the one who had to hold her back when they brought the guy out of the buildin’. There was blood in her eyes.”

  “Sure, he had her daughter strapped to a bomb. I’d want blood too if I were her. Here’s a secret guys. All of us women aren’t the stand-back-and-let-the-men-deal-with-trouble type. Some of us can take care of our own.”

  Kong chuckled. “Yeah, we just keep finding them all over the place lately.”

  Sam didn’t like the sound of his tone. “And some of us are just stubborn pains-in-the-ass isn’t that right, Kong?” The way she emphasized his call name alerted him to her irritation with his comment. “Excuse me, I think I’ll find that restroom too.”

  After she stormed out Ricochet said, “It’s gonna be a cold bed tonight.”

  “Nah, it just makes it more interesting,” Kong replied with a wicked smile.

  Ricochet chuckled. “You’re lucky man. You found your perfect match. Boomer, he don’t think there’s a perfect match out there for him. Sad thing is he may never get the chance to see.”

  “He’ll get the chance. Don’t write him off yet, Rico.”

  “I’ve never seen him like that, man. He’s always been the mountain for us to lean on. Strong, unmovable.”

  “Then we’ll be the mountain for him,” Sam said from the doorway. “Where’s Hannah?”

  “Didn’t you see her in the restroom?” Kong asked.

  “No. I suppose she could have gone out for some air.” She plopped down in a chair next to Ricochet and avoided Kong’s eyes.

  “Excuse me.”

  They all turned to see a tall, slender man standing in the doorway wearing a white coat. Sam held her breath and clenched the arm of the chair.

  “I’m Doctor Bender. You came in with Ben Campbell?”

  “Yes, sir, we did,” Kong said standing and shaking the man’s hand. “How’s he doing?”

  “Please, have a seat. You all look exhausted.” Once Kong sat he took a seat as well. “He’s doing surprisingly well considering how much blood he lost. The knife wound was deep but somehow managed to miss any vital organs or arteries. We cleaned out the wound, closed it up and he’s resting comfortably now. I’m guessing you aren’t from the area?”

  “No we aren’t,” Kong replied.

  “Well he needs to stay a few days so we can keep an eye on him, give his body time to replenish the blood he lost and regain his strength. If there’s a hospital you’d prefer he be transferred to we can do that or he’s welcome to be our guest.”

  Sam was about to say they should transfer him closer to home when she was interrupted.

  He should stay, Samantha.

  “He’ll be fine here,” she said before questioning her guide. When Kong looked at her she nodded her head.

  “Good, I’d prefer that anyway. I’d like to monitor his progress closely myself,” Doctor Bender said as he stood.

  “Why’s that?” Kong asked.

  “I’m doing a paper on the role fitness plays in the body’s recovery process. Your friend is a prime example of my thesis. An average person would not have survived that amount of blood loss, much less come through without any damage done to his organs.”

  “Don’t forget the soul’s will to live, Doctor,” Sam said. “His will is as strong as his body. To me that’s just as important.”

  The doctor thought a second and then smiled. “Point taken. I’ll have the nurse get you when he’s settled in a room. He needs his rest so try not to disturb him.”

  “We won’t, Doctor, and thank you very much for taking care of him.” Kong shook his hand once more and let out a huge sigh of relief when he left the room. “See I told you not to write him off, Rico. He’s too damn stubborn to go like that.”

  Sam looked over at Ricochet and laughed when he gave them the biggest smile she’d ever seen followed by a single tear that rolled lazily down his cheek. It was the first time and hopefully the last time, she’d ever seen him come close to crying. When Hannah entered the room his smile faded.

  “Where were you, you missed the good news,” Sam asked her.

  “I went outside. I guess I just needed a moment to let it all catch up with me. I did hear the good news. I was standing out in the hallway. I figured you should have privacy with the doctor.”

  “That was kind of you but not necessary.” Sam looked at both men and noticed they still were acting suspicious of her.

  “Will you all be staying in the area for a while?” Hannah asked.

  “I don’t know yet. We’ll have to wait and see. I suppose I should stay anyway, with his brother coming in he may need help communicating with the doctors.”

  “There’re some decent hotels around the area that won’t cost an arm and a leg to stay at. I can take you shopping for some clothes if you need them. My car is available if you need it.”

  “That’s very generous of you,” Kong said folding his arms across his chest.

  Hannah became defensive. “You don’t need to be so harsh. I feel responsible for your friend,” she snapped.

  “Why?” Ricochet asked.

  “Because it was my daughter he went back for. If she hadn’t run off he would have received the medical attention he needed faster.” Tears welled in her eyes. “You all saved those kids and he saved her again. I’m just trying to repay you the best way I know how.”

  Sam clenched her jaw, angry with her teammates for making this poor woman feel so guilty. When Kong closed his eyes and let out a long breath she could see he felt like dirt and was glad for it. Maybe they wouldn’t jump to conclusions so fast the next time.

  “I’m sorry, Hannah. I’ve been so wrapped up in my own shit I didn’t stop to think how you felt. Thank you for your concern and help. We appreciate it.”

  “It’s okay and I’m sorry Raya was so much trouble,” she said wiping the tears from her eyes.

  Ricochet stood with the little girl in his arms. “She wasn’t trouble. She was just tryin’ to help the best way she knew how. This is some kid you have here.”

  “Yeah she is.” Hannah took her sleeping daughter from him and held her tightly.

  “Okay, troops.” The little, round nurse with the colorful scarf around her head stood at the door. “We’ve got your friend in a room and all nice and comfy. This is his room number,” she said handing Kong a slip of paper. “I know the doctor told you to go easy on him so I don’t want to hear you all are camped out up there and not letting him rest.”

  “Don’t worry. We’ll stay out of the way,” Kong replied.

  “Un-hunh. Where have I heard that before?”

  Ricochet walked up to the nurse and planted a wet, noisy kiss on her cheek. “Sorry I was a pain in the ass,” he said smiling at her.

  They all laughed when she fanned herself and said, “Honey, you can be a pain in my ass any day. Now go on, get outta here before you scare my visitors with those dirty, baggy clothes, face paint and masks. Good Lord, didn’t ya grow out of playing soldier when you were kids?”

  Never worried what others thought of them they all went up two floors to Boomer’s room, followed by Hannah and Raya. They all entered quietly, careful not to wake him and circled his bed.

  Sam’s first thought was how vulnerable he looked lying there. His long, large body took up most of the bed but his pale skin and sunken features made him seem smaller somehow. She gently reached out and brushed the backs of her fingers across his cheek. His eyelids fluttered then opened.

  “Hey,” Sam whispered.

  “Hey yourself,” Boomer replied with a weak smile.

&n
bsp; “You gave us quite a scare.”

  “Come on, you all know me better than that,” he said with a shaky voice. “It’ll take more than a knife to take me down.”

  “We’ll keep that in mind,” Kong replied.

  Raya began to squirm in her mom’s arms.

  “I think someone would like to say something to you,” Sam said nodding toward Hannah.

  She noticed when his eyes settled on her they sparked to life, then slowly gazed upon Raya. “Is she okay?”

  “She’s fine thanks to you,” Hannah said shyly.

  “Did you get her ankle checked out? She may have sprained it.”

  Raya reached out for Boomer so Hannah sat her on the edge of the bed and signed to her that he was injured and not to jostle him. Raya nodded her understanding and then pulled herself up on her knees, leaned over and gave Boomer a gentle kiss on the cheek.

  Sam saw a subtle change come over his face. Color tinged his cheeks and pale lips and she thought she saw moisture build in his eyes. It amazed her how someone so small could affect someone so large.

  Raya sat back down and began to speak to him with her hands. “I knew you would be okay. I tried to tell them but they wouldn’t listen.”

  They all chuckled as Hannah interpreted for them, then tapped Raya on the shoulder and told her they should let his friends have some time with him. The small girl started to pout but agreed when Sam told her she would have plenty of time to visit with him later.

  Hannah scooped Raya up in her arms and headed to the door. Before she walked out she turned to Boomer. “Thank you,” she said as a tear flowed down her cheek and then rushed out.

  “She’s pretty,” Boomer finally said staring at the door.

  Ricochet snorted. “Loss of blood must be affectin’ him. He actually noticed a woman.”

  Sam’s phone vibrated in her pocket. She answered it and smiled. “Hi, Uncle Walt. Yeah he’s doing fine. They need to keep him for a few days. He lost a lot of blood but other than that he’s okay.”

  “Tell him I’ll be back on the job soon,” Boomer told her.

  “He says you’ll be back on the job when you’re healthy enough,” she relayed to him. She listened a second and then handed the phone to Kong. “He wants to talk to you.”

  Kong took the phone and walked into the hallway. Sam settled herself on the bed next to Boomer while Ricochet took a chair on the opposite side.

  “Anyone hurt in that explosion?” Boomer asked.

  “No man, no one was hurt but you and I oughta kick your ass for not lettin’ someone else go after that kid,” Ricochet growled.

  “You wouldn’t have been able to talk to her buddy,” Boomer chuckled. “She actually thought she could disarm that damn bomb. It took some talking to convince her to come out. Then she fell and hurt herself.” He looked at Sam. “Make sure her mother gets that ankle checked out.”

  “I will and her mother’s name is Hannah.”

  “Hannah, that’s a nice name.”

  Sam saw that odd spark in his eyes again.

  “Don’t go gettin’ hung up on her. Somethin’ ain’t right there, I can feel it in my gut.”

  “Stop it, Ricochet, there isn’t anything wrong with her.”

  “I’m tellin’ ya the way she wanted to go after that guy was weird.”

  Boomer turned his head and looked at Ricochet with questionable eyes. “What do you mean she wanted to go after the guy?”

  Ricochet leaned forward in his chair. “When they brought him out of the buildin’ she saw him and started to make a beeline straight at him. Sam had to hold her back and it wasn’t easy. That woman wanted blood.”

  Sam made a low growling sound in her throat. “I thought we went through this already. She was scared and angry. Her daughter had been held hostage by the guy, he was going to sacrifice her for his cause. Of course she wanted his blood.”

  “No!” Ricochet barked. “There’s somethin’ more there. More than an angry mama wantin’ to hurt the guy.”

  Kong walked back into the room and handed Sam her phone. “Your brother will be here in a few hours Boomer,” he said halting further conversation about Hannah.

  “Oh no, who called him?”

  “Cannon did. He’s flying him in and putting him up at a hotel for a few days.”

  Sam looked closely at Kong’s face. Something was wrong. “What’s going on Mark?” When he pulled the room door closed she knew it wasn’t good.

  “There’s a situation,” he said rubbing his tired eyes with his thumb and forefinger. “The target got away.”

  “What?” Sam rose from the side of the bed. “What do you mean he got away? He was tranqed. He couldn’t walk under his own power.”

  “He didn’t. He had help. They were transporting him to federal facilities and were ambushed. A rig pulled out in front of them and stopped, blocking them from going forward. A van came up from behind. These men had firearms that would make you envious, Ricochet. Three agents dead and both targets gone.”

  This isn’t good is it? Sam asked quietly inside her head. We aren’t finished with this mission are we?

  Many events will transpire. Many lives will be affected, her guide replied.

  Sam closed her eyes. In short the message meant life was going to be hell for a while. “Have we been requested to bring him back?” she asked Kong.

  “Not yet. The Feds are taking this personally. They want him. Cannon says we’ve been put on standby in case they can’t handle it.”

  Sam opened her mouth to protest but was cut off by Kong.

  “Before you say anything,” he said holding up his hand, “we would be the same way. If things had turned out differently with Boomer we’d want the chance for revenge.”

  He was right, she knew that but she couldn’t help thinking it was going to cost more lives. “Do they know anything about him yet? We could do some research in the meantime and see what rocks we could turn over.”

  Kong smiled. “Scary how we think alike sometimes. They don’t know much about him other than his name and affiliations. I’m gonna go back to W&S and start turning over those rocks. Orders are if we find anything the Feds don’t know about we tell them ASAP.”

  “What about us?” Ricochet asked.

  “At this point there isn’t anything that can be done. Cannon says it’s up to you if you want to stay here or return. “

  “You should go back, Rico. You’ll just be wasting time sitting here with me. Those newbies back at base need to be terrorized in the way only you can.”

  “You sure?” Ricochet asked.

  “I’m sure. My brother will take good care of me.”

  “I should stay so I can help him talk to the doctors,” Sam told them.

  “No, Sam. I’m capable of translating for him.” Boomer reached out and took her hand giving it a brotherly squeeze.

  “At least let me stay and make sure he’s settled. I’ll go then,” she said feeling a bit rejected.

  “Okay.”

  “Well, since that’s all settled,” Kong said resting his hands on Sam’s shoulders, “we should let the big guy get some rest.”

  Sam noticed he was looking exhausted. “I’ll be back later,” she said then headed for the door.

  Kong walked to the bed and gently shook his friend’s hand. “You do what the doctors say so you can get out of here.” He walked up next to Sam, turned back to Boomer with a much softer look and tone and said. “Don’t you ever do anything like that again.”

  Sam dragged him out into the hallway to let Ricochet have his say in private.

  “I guess I’ll head back with Kong,” Rico said standing. “I don’t like leavin’ you here.”

  “I’ll be fine.”

  “Yeah well, I still don’t like it. I’ll check in with ya every day.”

  “Yes, Mother,” Boomer said in a high-pitched voice.

  Ricochet sneered at him. “Don’t get cocky or I’ll tell your nurse your havin’ trouble peein’. It won’t
be so funny when they stick a tube in ya to take a piss.”

  “You wouldn’t.”

  Ricochet gave him a bright, toothy smile. “Yes, I would.” He made his way to the door and stopped. “We almost lost ya today, Ben. It’s not somethin’ I ever want to go through again,” he said with his back to his oldest friend.

  “Point taken,” Boomer replied.

  “Good. Get your ass back to base as soon as ya can,” he said then walked out the door.

  Sam rode the elevator down with her two teammates in silence. It was hard for them to leave Boomer behind but there really wasn’t anything for them to do here. Once his brother was settled and knew where to find him she wouldn’t have any reason to stay either. It wasn’t like Boomer couldn’t take care of himself. It just felt like they were leaving a man behind and that was something that just wasn’t done.

  As they exited Sam saw Hannah sitting with Raya on her lap. The little girl had a bandage wrapped around her ankle and a set of crutches by her side. She walked up to her and knelt down and smiled.

  “Hi Raya. How’s the ankle?” she signed.

  “It’s okay. They said I have to use these for a few days,” she said then pointed to the crutches.

  “Then I guess you need them.”

  “They’re dumb,” she signed and then crossed her arms over her chest and pouted.

  Hannah sighed. “Most kids would love the attention they’d get from using crutches. Not my daughter. All she can think about is how they’ll slow her down.”

  Sam tossed her head back and laughed. She really liked this kid. They were so much alike in so many ways.

  “Hannah, I’d like to take you up on your offer of a ride for a change of clothes.”

  “You’re all staying then?”

  “No. Mark and Carl are heading back. I’m sticking around until Ben’s brother gets here so I can make sure he has everything under control and then I’m leaving.”

  “Oh.”

  Sam wasn’t sure if the woman was disappointed or relieved.

  “We don’t like leaving him but there are some lose ends that need to be tied up quickly.”