Shadow in the Mountain by KaLyn Cooper

 

 

 

Chapter 1

Ryker Tufano glancedat the large black diver’s watch that had never left his wrist since BUD/S training. Charlie, whoever the fuck he was, obviously didn’t abide by military time. The first thing the Navy taught recruits was if you aren’t five minutes early, you’re late. The man truly was late, at least by seven minutes. Ryker would give him three more before he got up and returned to the hotel to take advantage of his all-expense-paid trip to Washington D.C.

Not for the first time, a shot of panic rushed through him as he questioned whether he was in the right place and had the right time.

He hated that he questioned himself. Until three months ago, that never happened.

No. He had the correct room. He’d checked twice. Number 212. It had seemed weird as he’d approached the door the first time because there was no business name like all the others up and down the hall. It wouldn’t matter anyway; his instructions hadn’t included a company name. No last name either. Just Charlie.

As he stared at the huge watch face, with several circles of numbers and four oversized external buttons, Ryker was thankful they had forgotten to take that from him when they’d stripped him of his rank and any hope of a military retirement.

But nothing compared to the pain in his chest when they’d told him that he could no longer consider himself a SEAL. As the sole survivor of his last mission, he had disgraced his team and every man who ever wore the Trident.

After he’d recovered in Germany, he’d been sent straight home with specific instructions to never have contact with any SEAL or the parents of his team members. No one would want to talk with him after what he’d done.

But…what had he done?

He couldn’t remember. Not. A. Fucking. Thing.

They had obviously been on a mission. He thought he remembered being in a helicopter. Hell. That memory could’ve come from any one of dozens of other missions. The psychologist in Germany told him his memory of the events surrounding that last mission may never surface.

Ryker speared his fingers through his long hair and stood to pace. The lemon-scented solution used to clean the table was starting to irritate him. On the other hand, everything annoyed him, starting with himself.

He’d only taken one step and had to readjust his waistband. Although he was thankful his mom had insisted on buying him a new pair of dark slacks, he should have bought one size larger since he’d put on several pounds over the past three months. Dad had lent him a freshly pressed white shirt. None of Ryker’s would fit. It was amazing how fast beer went to the belly, especially when he started drinking in the afternoon. Sometimes, immediately after noon.

Even though Mom had insisted he should wear a tie, it remained on the hangar as he got dressed that morning. He wasn’t at all sure what kind of job he was interviewing for. If they truly wanted to use his skills, he should have shown up in camouflage. Ryker had never been a suit-and-tie kind of guy.

He paced over to the small window and looked out, not really seeing the congested streets and tall brick buildings. He saw his reflection almost as though it were a mirror. His hair stuck up in every direction with deep valleys between the spikes. Dad, being a military man to his bones, had never allowed any of the children he and Mom fostered to have long hair while they were growing up.

Ryker wasn’t sure why Frank and Nancy Holt had given him so much leniency in the past few months. He had truly arrived home a broken man. Even though he’d forgotten everything about the mission, he’d thankfully remembered the two wonderful people he thought of as his parents. For all practical purposes, they were. Ryker had been brought to them at five years old. At thirty-five, he couldn’t remember what his biological parents looked like, but that had nothing to do with his current memory loss.

He could also remember every child who had ever come through the Holt home. Ryker fought tears when Ajax filled his mind. His brother of the heart had shown up when they were both twelve. From the moment they met, they were inseparable…until that last mission.

Fuck. Why can’t I remember?

Every incident when they’d gotten in trouble at school was clear as though it happened yesterday. The mental picture Ryker had taken as he stood beside Ajax, at attention, right hand in the air, repeating the oath to enlist in the Navy was forever seared in his memory. The next slide was similar. It was the day they pinned on their Tridents signifying they were officially Navy SEALs.

Ryker looked at the man reflected in the window. His face was puffy and ruddy-looking—more like an old drunk than the sharp-eyed special operator he was trained to be.

It was time to leave. He didn’t need to look at his watch for the umpteenth time. His mind automatically ticked off seconds, minutes, hours. Whatever was needed.

A job, that’s what he really needed. Ryker had always defined himself by the work he did. Currently, he wasn’t doing shit. He’d spent enough time wallowing in self-pity, doing just enough farm chores to keep his foster parents from kicking him out. Although his dad hadn’t said a word, other than to encourage Ryker to listen to what Charlie had to say and consider all his options, it was time for him to man up and move on with his life.

Work. Charlie was supposedly going to offer him some kind of opportunity.

Ryker sighed and scratched his chin, which was now nearly an inch deep in thick, dark hair. He’d give the man of mystery five more minutes. Thirty seconds later he heard footsteps echoing down the hallway outside then stop in front of the door.

Finally.

Turning to face the newcomer, Ryker’s heart stopped as he lifted his gaze and gasped.

“Holy mother of God.” His brother’s voice was just above a whisper.

His dead brother.

Ryker couldn’t believe his eyes. Ajax was dead.

At least that’s what he’d been told back in Germany. But he couldn’t deny his own eyesight.

Too afraid to move for fear the apparition of his best friend ever would vanish, the two men stared at each other.

“Fuck me. Ryker?” The voice was that of his brother and fellow SEAL.

“Ajax?” Ryker’s feet finally moved. “Is that really you?” In two steps the large men crashed into each other in a desperate manly hug. Ajax was alive.

Relief and thankfulness washed away the pain and sorrow that Ryker had felt for the past three months. He hadn’t killed his brother.

“I thought…” Ryker’s throat squeezed as he tried to say the words.

“They said you were dead,” the men said in unison.

After fist pounds on the back and silent prayers, they leaned back, simultaneously grabbing each other by the shoulders, and stared into each other’s eyes.

Ryker broke the silence. “What the fuck?”

“I was going to say the same thing.” Ajax’s voice was just as tight as his own.

“Where the fuck have you been?” Ryker didn’t understand that if Ajax was alive, why hadn’t he gone back to the foster parents he too considered Mom and Dad?

“My sister’s. In Tennessee. You?” Ajax’s reply made sense. Of course, he’d go to real family first.

“Mom and Dad’s place in Indiana.” Ryker stepped back and rubbed his forehead. “What the fuck is going on?”

“Not a damn clue. Do you suppose the entire team is coming here?” Expectation wove through Ajax’s question and sparked hope in Ryker. If he and his foster brother were alive, perhaps the other six were also.

When the door behind them opened, he saw the anticipation on his brother’s face and knew it reflected his own. Ryker’s face fell when a tiny wisp of a woman walked into the conference room. His eyes automatically watched the door, waiting for the powerful boss who would most certainly follow his buttoned-up secretary and take control of the meeting.

The door closed behind the fragile woman in the pencil skirt that reached her knees. With her sleek black hair pulled viciously into a tight bun, her green eyes seemed to pierce through pale white skin stretched over a heart-shaped face. Ryker guessed she was pretty in a plain kind of way.

Wasting no time, she held her hand out to Ajax. “Mr. Cassman.” When she released his grip, she reached for Ryker. “Mr. Tufano.”

His hackles immediately rose. “How do you know who we are? And who the fuck are you?” He didn’t bother to hold back the irritation in his voice.

“My name is Serena,” she said through a tight smile.

“I was told to meet with a man named Charlie.” Ajax glanced at Ryker who nodded in agreement. He’d been told the same thing.

“She couldn’t make it.” Serena smiled and reached to the center of the table, dragging the phone toward the edge. “She’ll be joining us by speakerphone.”

“Charley is a woman?” Ajax seemed as surprised as Ryker.

“Yes. Do you have a problem with women?” Green eyes stared expectantly at Ajax.

When his brother in all but blood lifted both eyebrows and stroked his beard, Ryker had to hold in a chuckle. He and Ajax had never had problems with women. In high school, girls were easy since they had both been jocks. Their bad-boy personas had been even more enticing to the teenaged girls. Once they pinned on their Tridents, beautiful young women were everywhere and theirs for the taking. Neither man hesitated.

Ajax finally answered her question. “Not at all.”

Ryker was in no mood to stand there and watch his friend flirt. “You didn’t answer my question. Who are you?”

“I told you,” she replied without looking at him.

“Gonna need more than a name, sweetheart.” Ryker watched Serena flinch and knew he hit a nerve.

“I’m not your sweetheart. That’s all you need to know.” She picked up the phone and dialed so fast Ryker didn’t see all the digits. She then pressed the button and put it on speaker. “Have a seat, gentlemen,” she ordered as the phone rang on the other end.

The two men exchanged a glance before Ajax announced, “We’ll stand.” In sync, they both widened their stance and crossed their arms defiantly. Ryker was tired of playing nice. They wanted answers.

“Suit yourselves,” Serena said with a shrug, making no moved to sit either.

“Hello.” The voice was definitely female, but not overly feminine.

“Charley, this is Serena. You are on speakerphone. I have Mr. Cassman and Mr. Tufano here with me.

“Good.”

If one-word sentences were all Charley was going to say, this conversation was going to take an inordinate amount of time. Ryker decided to get the ball rolling.

“Mind telling us what this is all about? Do you know why on earth we were both told the other was dead? While you’re at it, where is the rest of our team?” Ryker had gotten louder as his demands grew.

“I’m going to answer all your questions, gentlemen.” Charley seemed a bit condescending, as though speaking with impetuous children. “Has my assistant offered you a beverage? This is going to take a few minutes. You might want to get comfortable.”

“We don’t need anything to drink. We need answers.” Ajax scowled.

“Look. I’m not the bad guy here. My goal is to help you. You were wronged. My intention is to right that wrong.” Charley’s words hit Ryker like a gut punch. Damn straight he and Ajax had been wronged. For the past three months, each had believed the other was dead. And what about their fellow SEALs on that mission? Did each think that he was the sole survivor, specifically instructed not to contact anyone? And how did this woman know so much?

Before he could stop himself, Ryker asked, “Who do you work for?”

“I can’t tell you that. What you need to know is that I’m on your side. I know everything that happened to the two of you and the rest of your team. I’d like to hire you for a top-secret job.” Charley certainly didn’t sound desperate for their talents.

“Hire us?” Ajax leaned forward, palms on the table. “Why would we want to work for you? We know nothing about you, and frankly, right now, I’m two seconds from pulling the phone cord out of the wall and leaving this room. So, you better give us some answers fast before I lose my cool.”

The woman on the other end of the line let out a heavy sigh. “The reason you’re going to take me up on my offer is because I’m going to make you a deal you can’t refuse. I need you to go back into Ethiopia and rescue the rest of your team.”

Ajax sucked in a gasp of air as he glanced at Ryker. “You’re telling me the rest of our guys are still in fucking Ethiopia?”

“Yes. My intel suggests they’re alive. I’m still gathering data about their specific location, but I’m expecting to make contact with my source so we can get this ball rolling in two weeks.”

One glance at Ajax and they were both thinking the same thing. This was insane. How could they possibly trust this woman?

“Who are you?” Ajax pressed.

“You can call me Charley. Beyond that, I can’t tell you.”

Ajax jerked his gaze towards Serena. “My partner and I could easily overtake this woman you sent and force her to talk.”

The demure woman gasped and took a step back.

Once again, Charley sighed. “She knows nothing. It won’t do you any good.” The temperature in the room seemed to instantly lower. “Listen to me,” Charley snapped. “I know everything that happened to you. More than either of you know. You were on a mission. You had the green light. You surrounded the target, and then you closed in. There was an explosion. The building blew to rubble. The two of you were knocked off your feet and thrown backward, landing hard in the street several yards from where you’d been standing. You were both knocked unconscious in the blast.”

“Why on earth was I told the entire team was dead and I was the lone survivor?” Ajax insisted.

It was a long minute before Charley answered. “Because someone higher up the food chain needed to cover their own ass.”

Ajax shoved off the table and took a few steps back, leaning against the wall for support. “How do you know all this?”

“I have my ways.”

The more Ryker listened to the all-knowing, ominous voice on the other end of the phone, the less he liked what he was hearing. Spooks. The shadow world. Bits and pieces of information siphoned through intelligence analysts who piece together a puzzle. If they are wrong, special operators lose their lives…or get captured.

Ryker put the pieces together in a way that made sense to him. “What happened to the rest of the team if they didn’t die in the explosion?”

“No one was in that rubble.” Charley went on to explain, “None of you had breached the building yet. You two were the only ones knocked unconscious. Everyone else was taken hostage in the ambush. Your backup team was moving in so fast the rebels had no choice but to evacuate and leave your bodies behind, believing you were dead.”

“Unbelievable,” Ajax murmured.

This is insane. Ryker shook his head slowly left to right. He’d been close to insanity, overwhelmed with grief and survivor’s guilt. He glanced to Ajax just to make sure this wasn’t a dream. He grinned, smelling the remnants of alcohol evaporating from his brother’s saturated pores.

“I agree.” The woman on the other end of the line went on to explain, “Whoever fucked up this mission went to a lot of trouble to clean up after themselves.”

“Do you know who did this to us?” Ajax asked the question before Ryker could.

“No, but believe me, I’m working on it. In the meantime, I’m hiring the two of you to go back to Ethiopia and rescue your team.” On Charley’s cue, Serena set two manilla folders onto the table, easing one toward each man. A phoenix stared back at him as though the ancient Egyptian bird could see all the way to his damaged soul...daring him to look inside.

Ryker tore into his.

Holy fucking shit.He whistled through his teeth. “That’s a lot of money.”

“Yes. Your unique skills, not to mention motivation, make you worth every dime.” Charley must have seriously wanted the two of them.

“You realize we’ve been discharged. We no longer work for the U.S. Navy. Who exactly is it that’s paying the bills?” Ajax seemed to have his head in the game. Good thing. Ryker still hadn’t gotten past all those zeroes beyond the dollar sign.

“Me.” The female voice clipped without hesitation.

Ryker hoped Charley was a billionaire. Bankrolling a rescue operation wasn’t cheap. “And you aren’t going to tell us who the hell you are.” It was a statement, not a question.

“No. It’s safer this way.”

Ajax chuckled. “For us or for you?”

“Yes.”

Ryker groaned. This circular conversation was making him dizzy.

Ajax turned to look at him, lifting a brow. His silent question screamed in Ryker’s mind…in or out?

“Fuck,” Ryker said on a sigh. Of course, he was going to go back and rescue their teammates. The fact this woman was willing to foot the bill made the decision easy.

“What’s the plan?” Ajax stared at the phone.

“Pull your shit together, lay off the cookies and beer, and be prepared to travel in two weeks.” At Charley’s chastisement, Ryker looked down where his belly overlapped his belt. He had grown fond of Mom’s chocolate chip peanut butter cookies washed down with a can of beer. That would end. Now.

“How will we know where to go, what to do?” Ryker felt like he’d been left hanging out in the wind with no prior planning.

“Serena will be traveling with you. She’ll be told when and where to meet up with my contact when you arrive in Ethiopia.”

“What?” All three yelled at once.

Ryker stared at the petite woman in the gray suit and spiked heels. No way in hell was he taking this tiny powder puff into enemy territory. She’d get them all killed within the first hour. “No way in hell. That’s a dealbreaker.”

“Non-negotiable. Serena goes with you.” Charley wasn’t going to budge. It was in her voice. “I’ll overnight you the details in a few days. Plane tickets and all the information you’ll need to get started. When you arrive, you’ll stay in a hotel in Addis Ababa the first night. After that, you’ll meet up with my contact and be given further instructions.”

Ryker slapped his hands on the table and gripped the surface with whitened fingertips. “How do you know this isn’t a trap intended to get the both of us killed so whoever fucked up this mission can wipe their hands clean of all possible loose ends?”

Serena leaned forward and pushed the top piece of paper in the open manilla folder to the side then dealt out the next several pages as though they were playing cards.

“Motherfucker,” Ryker heard his brother say as he grabbed the stack and flipped through them.

“Fuck.” Ryker’s words were just above a whisper. Grainy black and white pictures were strewn across the light oak table. There was no mistaking the images of their team members. Their brother SEALs looked like shit. Three months of neglect and torture showed as much in their eyes as in their bruised and bloodied bodies.

Charley had them both by the balls. There wasn’t a chance in hell that either of them would leave their team members to continue to suffer.

Ryker and Ajax were headed back to Ethiopia.