Delta Force Rescue - Elle James Page 0,38
at this point, we have no idea where they’re taking her.”
“Unfortunately, no.”
Rafe’s jaw hardened. “I want to talk to Alejandra. It’s got to be more than a jilted man wanting his woman and child back. Why is he so desperate to get to her that he’d hire a dozen thugs, mercenaries, a helicopter, and a jet plane to find her? And then to transport another woman back instead… It doesn’t make sense.”
“If someone stole Sadie away, I’d do everything in my power to get her back. But it bears questioning Alejandra to know what El Chefe might do next. I’ll have my guys bring her to the ranch. Maybe she can shed some light on why the man is so anxious to get her back that he’d kidnap another woman. In the meantime, you might as well come back to the ranch with me. We can monitor Briana’s progress on my computer. If they’re heading for an airport, we can call the sheriff or police in that area and have them waiting when they land.”
“And if they’re headed out of the country?” Rafe asked, cold dread settling like a lead weight in the pit of his belly.
“I can call in all my men and organize a rescue operation. I know someone who owns and operates a large cargo plane who could transport us. I also have contacts in Washington with decision-making power over the Special Operations Command. If push comes to shove, we’ll launch an extraction operation to get her out.”
He'd heard Hank had connections in high places, but to be able to tap into Spec Ops authority was huge. “You can do that?”
“There are a lot of people who owe me a favor. I can cash in my chips. However, we’ll need to have all our ducks in a row and all the intel we can dredge up to plead our case.”
“Sounds like it’ll take a lot of time.”
“Most likely, it won’t happen overnight,” Hank said, shrugging. “But I think we could mobilize in under forty-eight hours.” He frowned at Rafe’s truck. “What kills me is how he found you in the first place.” His eyes narrowed. “I’m betting he had a tracker placed on your truck.”
Rafe stared at the vehicle in the glare from Hank’s headlights. “It’s possible. They could have tagged it when they found Briana’s cellphone. She’d left it in her purse, locked up in the truck when we stopped for the night in Springfield, Illinois.”
“And they waited to attack until you two came out of the hotel.” Hank nodded. “It makes sense. Let’s leave your truck here. He can find my place easily enough, but why make it easy?” Hank jerked his head toward his men and his truck. “Let’s get this ball rolling.”
Hank led the way. Rafe climbed into the passenger seat of Hank’s truck.
Within the next fifteen minutes, they were rolling through the gates of White Oak Ranch.
Sadie came out on the porch, dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt, her brow furrowed. “I’m so sorry to hear about Briana.” She held the door as the men marched into the house and downstairs to the Brotherhood Protectors’ HQ-bunker beneath Hank and Sadie’s ranch house.
Hank made quick introductions to the men standing around. “You’ve met Swede.” He motioned to a barrel-chested man with brown hair and brown eyes. “Tate Parker, former Delta Force.”
Rafe’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t I know you?”
The man’s lips curled upward at the corners. “We met briefly on a mission in Afghanistan a couple years ago. You might remember me as Bear. That’s what people call me.”
Rafe nodded. “That’s right, Bear Parker. You ran into that building to pull a few kids out after the Taliban lobbed a grenade at it.”
Bear nodded, his lips thinning. “Got all but one out alive.”
Hank jerked his thumb toward a man with dark hair and darker eyes. “This is Taz Davila, former Army Ranger.”
Rafe shook hands with the man.
The next man had black hair and blue eyes. “This is Boomer, or Brandon Rayne, former Navy SEAL,” Hank said.
Next was a man with dark hair graying significantly at the temples. “Chuck Johnson is the old man of the team. Prior Navy SEAL.”
Taz leaned toward Rafe. “Don’t underestimate him. Chuck’s in top physical condition and can outrun, outshoot and out-bullshit any of us, any day of the week.” He grinned and held up his hands in surrender when Chuck glared at him.
After shaking hands with all the men. Rafe turned to Swede. “Where is she now?”
“They’re flying over Colorado