Kidnapped by a SEAL - Makenna Jameison Page 0,14
eyes and saw a man crouched beside her. He was holding onto her shoulder, she realized, steadying her as the rest of the men jumped on and the helicopter lifted off the ground. She helplessly reached out and clutched onto him, and his large, gloved hand held hers as her eyes watered.
It was crazy to be clinging onto this man.
She’d rode in helicopters before, provided security to all sorts of important government officials. But at the moment?
She was weak. Injured. Scared.
Helpless and dependent on him.
This one guy was the calm in the midst of chaos.
Voices shouted around her, over the loud noise of the helicopter. “ETA is seven minutes,” one man barked out. “Tell them to have a medic waiting when we arrive.”
The man kneeling beside her lifted up his night vision goggles, and despite the dark interior of the helicopter, she could sense that he was looking at her. Watching her closely. She could barely see him, but she clung onto his hand like he was her lifeline.
“What’s your name?” he asked urgently.
“Em—Emily.”
“Good,” he murmured, ducking down so that she could hear him. “Do you know where you are?”
“In a helicopter?”
“That’s right. We’re heading back to base—the same place you were taken from over a month ago. We rescued you from your kidnappers. You’re safe now.”
She whimpered again, and another man knelt beside her, taking her pulse. “Are you in pain?” he asked gruffly.
“Yes,” she whispered.
“Quick, give her some morphine!” the first guy at her side said. “Don’t let her just lie there.”
“Easy, Ryker,” the second man said. “Let me do my goddamn job first.”
She blinked, beginning to feel dizzy. Her grip was lessoning on the first man—Ryker’s—hand. She’d feel better if she could just close her eyes for a moment and get some rest. Then she wouldn’t be so damn confused. Then everything wouldn’t hurt so much.
“Shit, she’s crashing!” Ryker yelled.
She surrendered to the darkness once more.
***
Footsteps paced around the room as Emily began to groggily stir. Her head still throbbed, and she was lying on some sort of bed. Where the hell was she? Had she dreamt that she’d been saved, or was she really free from that godforsaken compound? From those horrible men?
“I think she’s coming to,” a female voice said, coming closer.
“Well make sure you fucking help her,” a man gruffly replied. “She looks like she’s still in pain.”
“Easy, Ryker. You shouldn’t even be in here,” the woman said. “You know that as well as I do.”
“Like hell I shouldn’t. We pulled her out of a fucking terrorist compound. I carried her onto the damn helo myself. I’ve got every goddamn right to see how she’s doing.”
Other male voices joined in the conversation, and Emily mumbled, trying to make sense of her surroundings.
“We need to stabilize her, and then I’ll see about you visiting.” the woman said. “Why don’t you go wait in the hallway while I check on the patient. You’re disturbing her.”
Emily felt something pulling at her arm, and she realized there was an IV stuck into her vein. She blinked, finally opening her eyes, to see a military doctor standing before her. “Welcome back Ms. Swenson,” the woman said. “I know quite a few people will be happy to see you. But first and foremost, how are you feeling?”
“Awful,” she croaked. “How long have I been out?”
The doctor cleared her throat. “The SEAL team brought you back to base at oh-four-hundred this morning. You’ve been asleep for six hours.”
She sputtered, trying to sit up.
“Easy now,” the doctor said. “You need to rest. You’re dehydrated and malnourished. We’ve run some basic bloodwork but will do some additional tests today. We’ve given you pain medication as well, which is partially why you’re feeling so groggy.”
“Okay,” Emily murmured. “Can I get some water?”
“Yes of course,” she said signaling to a nurse who then exited the room. “And I know this is a delicate question, but I need to ask so that we can make sure you get proper medical care—were you sexually assaulted in your captivity?”
“No,” Emily said, wincing as she shook her head. “Thank God, no.”
“Other injuries?” the doctor asked.
“My head—they hit me last night when I almost escaped. And my ribcage. Most of the time, they just moved me from place to place and didn’t really touch me thank God. I didn’t get much to eat or drink and know I lost a ton of weight. I was constantly stressed out and scared.”
The doctor nodded, making some notes. “We’ll have psychologists available to