Page 54 of SEAL Ever After

“Damn it,” Ryan muttered, his eyes blazing.

“Send me the address, and I’ll work the new route,” Evan said, putting down his rucksack and pulling out a tablet computer.

“I’ll go tell the colonel we’re searching elsewhere,” Matthew said as the others nodded. He jogged off after the Mexican military official.

“What’s at this location that makes you believe she’s there?” Patrick asked, exchanging a glance with Ryan.

Ryan felt like the world stopped as he waited for the answer.

This could be it. If they rushed off to the wrong place, maybe they’d find some other women there, but Sarah could be prisoner at one of the original locations and would slip right through their fingers and disappear.

Forever.

If they moved her from Mexico City, Ryan had the sickening feeling he’d never see her again.

They had to be one hundred percent certain of her location, and there was damn little way to be. His heart pounded in his chest, and he wanted to beat the hell out of anyone who stood in his way to finding his woman. They needed more men to simultaneously search multiple locations, and they didn’t have it.

“As I said, Lexi was able to obtain some intercepts of the communications,” Lt. Commander Morris said. “It seems that they are directing potential buyers to this new address.”

“Potential buyers,” Brent muttered, punching one hand with his fist. “They’re selling goddamn women.”

Ryan crossed his arms, glancing at the Mexican military members in the distance as Lt. Commander Morris continued. “Multiple buyers. This is big. The area the Alpha team was before looks to have been recently abandoned. But the new plantation is large enough that multiple women could be held there.”

“Hell,” Ryan muttered, anger rising within him. They’d been about to rush off to the wrong damn place. Sarah was here, in Mexico City, and they’d been about to lose her.

Christopher looked over him, offering reassurances. “The imagery looked good before our flight—we had sat imagery of the plane at the airport and vehicles moving off in the direction of town.”

“It was good,” Lt. Commander Morris confirmed. “This is a very new development. The other buildings appear to have been deserted between yesterday evening and this morning.”

“But why would they leave?” Patrick asking, frowning.

“That’s unknown. It could have to do with Juan’s arrival with Sarah. We just don’t know.”

“Then we head to the plantation,” Ryan said, his voice hard. “They wouldn’t keep her somewhere alone—not when they plan to fucking sell her. Is there imagery of the car they were traveling in at this plantation?”

“They arrived at night, so unfortunately we don’t know. There’s been lots of activity this morning.”

“Meaning the vehicle’s not there,” Ryan said.

Patrick glanced over at him. “But Sarah might be. They could drop the women there as a holding spot before the buyers arrive.”

“Then we move in,” Ryan said. “We don’t have time to waste. If Lexi discovered they’re directing buyers there, they could be moving the women as we speak.”

“I’ve got the new coordinates,” Evan called out, looking over at them. “Safest route is keeping to the outskirts of town.”

“Into the Humvees,” Ryan commanded. “Ice, call Matthew back and notify the colonel. As far as he knows, you’re running this op.”

Patrick nodded, jogging toward the Mexican military members as Ryan and the Alpha team climbed into their vehicles. Ryan’s heart pounded in his chest, his grip tightening on his assault rifle.

“Keep me apprised,” Lt. Commander Morris said over the headsets. “I’ll be watching from Little Creek.”

“Roger that,” Ryan said.

Out of all the missions he’d conducted while serving as a SEAL, this was the damn most important of his life. The riskiest thing he’d ever done. He trusted his men implicitly, but that wouldn’t stop him from being the first in to rescue her.

Sarah was his.

There was nothing he wouldn’t do to rescue her. Nothing he wouldn’t give to find her.

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