bound to hear our code words. They can say them, but they’d have no idea what they mean.”
“Don’t they? Then how do you explain them being one step ahead of you? How do you explain that when Cole gave the order over the radio on that mission where you ran into Brick, they knew to spread out and do exactly what you did? It’s all on the video. Somehow, they know and understand what you’re saying! What your plan is!”
I reached forward and handed Daniel, now in the kitchen, my cell phone and watched as he and Dell witnessed what I did.
“Please, John, I know this is crazy, but listen to my gut on this.” I took a breath and glanced at Savannah’s red eyes. “I would bet my life with you on this. They know. They know.”
Daniel came to my side and reached for the phone.
“She’s right, John. I just saw the video. Esteben gave the order to circle around you right after Cole gave the code. You need to contact Chamness now, because you all are heading into an ambush.”
“Copy that.” Cole’s voice crackled through loud enough for me to hear it. “Tell Sloane…” I couldn’t hear the rest.
“Tell Sloane what?” Savi asked before I could.
Daniel held on to the island while he muttered a prayer for the boys. Their mission just went from bad to worse, but at least now they had a fighting chance.
He turned to us. His face was drained of color, but a little relief showed in his eyes. “That you’re now fifty-eight.”
“What does that mean?”
Savannah broke out in a smile. “It means you’re one of us, and you can’t leave.”
I let out the air I had been holding in one big rush and let Cole’s kindness that I did have a place here wash over me, even if it was just for a moment.
Daniel pulled up Frank’s name in his contacts. “Now we just need to figure out how the hell they’ve cracked our codes.”
Chapter Twenty-One
John
Our entire team stood motionless, each lost in our thoughts. The only thing that proved our existence was the fact that we would catch our balance whenever the chopper took on turbulence.
It was difficult to process that the enemy could speak our language, that they knew our secrets, that they could open us up, leaving our belly exposed to attack. It explained so much, but it brought even more questions.
“All right.” Cole slipped into colonel mode, and I knew we were back on track. We spent the next forty-five minutes listening to his new plan of action. It was intense and quite possibly would be the wildest, most unrehearsed attack we’d ever tried.
But this was what we did. We planned for the unexpected, got in and got out by any means possible.
Cole didn’t switch channels when he placed a satellite call to Chamness, and I could only imagine the thoughts running through Chamness’s head when he saw his phone light up and heard those two simple words, words that would make any commander freeze on the spot.
“Black Mirror.”
We have been compromised.
We all watched as Cole’s eyes stayed locked on the bar across from him. If one of the cartel knew what that meant, we’d know Chamness was a mole. There was a missed beat or two of silence, then his words came back over the radio.
“Copy that.”
Cole ended the call and continued to explain the plan. We would attack backward and work our way toward the start.
Once we were briefed, we each replayed our parts over and over again until no uncertainty was left. Sometimes we’d sign each other questions about who was where and when instead of breaking each other’s concentration with the use of the radios.
We had made good progress into Mexico, and I used the drone of the chopper’s engines to focus my thoughts. I turned to Cole and switched to a private channel.
“I never shared my sister’s recovery with you guys because I didn’t want you to have to carry it.” I had no idea why I was bringing it up right now. I guessed I just wanted to go into this war with a clear head.
Cole slowly turned to look at me. His face carried a level of stress that was to be expected from a leader.
“I think it’s fair to say we all would have done the same thing.”
“All right.” I gave a tight nod and went to switch the channel back when he held up a hand.