Page 6 of Cole
“I’m the negotiator here. I’m with the state department negotiating the hostage release. Or, at least I was,” she said.
“Oh, well, I was listed as Samuel Smith.”
“Geez, this is all coming back to me now. You left when I was just a kid but you got married. I think your wife didn’t want you working in something so dangerous.”
“Yes,” he nodded. “I was stupid to leave all of you. I left to take care of my mom, fell into a relationship with an old girlfriend and married too quickly. I was young, scared, and stupid. We divorced within three years and I went back to work for the Navy.”
“Why didn’t you call us? Why didn’t you come back? Wait. Never mind. Come in here. My colleagues are working to get your release. Looks like they’re a little late.”
It took hours of questioning, examinations, showers, and changes of clothing to finally get everything settled. Angus had organized their escape, taking his fellow hostages out a back window in the middle of the night and traveling through the desert only at night.
“Angus, that’s amazing,” said Bailey. “You didn’t happen to see my brother’s SEAL team, did you?”
“No, I’m afraid not,” he frowned. “Is something wrong?”
Bailey looked around the lobby, realizing that they were left alone. She gripped his arm and pulled him toward the sundeck restaurant, taking a seat beneath the shade of an umbrella. She released his arm, almost afraid to. It was wide and strong, rippling beneath her fingers.
“They keep saying nothing is wrong but I know that something is, I can feel it. I know everyone thinks that’s crazy but I’m telling you, something bad has happened to Cole and I need to find him. I took this assignment so I could be in the Middle East.”
“Have you called your family?” asked Angus.
“No, but now is as good a time as any.” Bailey dialed the number on her VG tablet and saw the faces of Hiro and AJ.
“Bailey, are you alright?” asked Hiro. “Hey. Who the fuck- I’ll be a son-of-a-bitch. Angus.”
“Hi, Hiro,” he smiled.
“Dude, where the fuck have you been?”
“It’s a long story but I’m back working contract for Navy Intelligence. Or I was. I was part of the group kidnapped. We got loose.”
“He got them loose,” smirked Bailey. “I was here at the hotel trying to negotiate the release and he walked in with the rest of the hostages.”
“I’ll be damned. Come home, brother. Come home with Bailey.” Angus smiled at the young woman and then turned back to the screen.
“Maybe. But there’s another issue. Bailey is certain something is wrong with Cole. Do you have a read on him?”
“No. Nothing yet and we’re worried as well. His team got split up during an op and his commander was killed. There’s no word on where Cole is.”
“Shit,” muttered Angus. “The group that took us is going to be pissed that we got away. If they find him, they might think it was him that got us out.”
“We have to find him,” said Bailey.
“Sit where you are,” came the booming voice of Ham. Bailey swallowed, staring at the Angus.
“Sir, I won’t let anything happen to her.”
“Angus Williams, fucking good to see you. You’re not the kid you were when you left here,” he smirked.
“No, sir. I’m not. But I will keep your daughter safe as long as she’s here.”
“Angus, you can’t promise that,” said Bailey. “The Navy is going to want you back at your duty station.”
“I’m former Navy Intelligence, Bailey. I technically left six months ago. I was here on contract for them, just traveling,and got swept up in the wrong group, wrong time, wrong country. I’m not technically working.”
“Yes, you fucking are,” said Cam coming into the frame. “You’re working for us again, as of right now.”
“Is that an order?” smirked Angus.
