Page 48 of SEAL's Spitfire
“He’s not going to be a happy camper when he finds out his brother is dead.” Ryan smiled. He was the most bloodthirsty of the group when it came to the Taliban, but he had good reason for his hatred.
“So, what’s the plan, boss?”
“If Miranda is okay to travel, we’re going to rescue the other hostages.”
“Where are they?” Rafe asked, and Jake put the map on the cave floor and pointed out their current location. “Hibatullah said they were in these mountains, about twenty klicks northwest.”
“Do you think he was telling the truth?”
“I do. By then he was pleading for us to just take the girl and let him go. If we’d have been able to make EXFIL we’d have taken him with us. But I couldn’t chance leaving him alive to alert his brother.”
Rafe didn’t want to think about his kills. There had been many over the last ten years for each of them, but they did what was necessary to carry out their mission. They would have gladly given their lives it if meant protecting their country. It made him think of Meghan. He wasn’t even sure if she was back in DC at work or still in Atlanta. Either way, at least she was safe and hopefully soon her brother would be too.
“Did he say anything about additional men? Or supplies?”
“No. He went from screaming obscenities to pissing himself. But it wouldn’t surprise me if there were more men coming.”
“Did he have a standard check-in time?”
“He said no, but I took his phone, so we’ll know as soon as his brother figures out we’ve got Miranda.”
“Hopefully not until we’re breathing down his neck. I’m still concerned he’ll take out the rest of the hostages,” Rafe said. He sure as hell didn’t want to have that conversation with Meghan.
“He’d be pissed but he still reports to someone higher up the food chain. If he takes out their payday, he’ll have to answer for it.”
“True. Do we know who he reports to?”
“Hibatullah said he didn’t know.”
“Copy that.”
“We’re good, boss,” Murph announced as he approached them followed closely by Cam, Halo, and Miranda. She was holding her side as she limped along. Her face looked like hell.
“Good. How is she?”
“She’s got a couple of broken ribs, a bruised knee, and we need to follow concussion protocol, they did a number on her head and face.”
“Can she walk?”
“I can. I won’t hold you up. I just want to get out of here. Please don’t leave me.”
“Darlin, we’d never leave you,” Cam said before Jake had a chance to respond. Rafe and Murph exchanged looks and Murph shrugged his shoulders. There was a story there and he’d get it out of Murph later.
“We don’t leave anyone behind, Miranda. You’ll be safe with us. But you need to let us know if you’re hurting. We have medical supplies and we can give you something for the pain.”
“Thank you. But I want to have my wits about me. There were others and I know they’re coming back. I don’t want to be here.”
“You won’t. We’ll be leaving shortly. Ryan, check her out, see if you can do anything to make her more comfortable.”
“Sure thing.” As Ryan led her over to one of the chairs used by the guards, Jake turned to the others.
“I’m checking in with TOC to give them the update on Miranda. Hopefully, they have more intel, but if not, we’ve got a twenty click hike to the location of the other hostages based on what Hibatullah told me. If she can’t walk, we’ll take turns carrying her.”
“Copy that.”
“TOC may not like it, but we’re stuck waiting to be extracted until nightfall. Might as well make use of our time.”
It was the same decision he’d have made if he was in charge and Rafe was relieved. Even if he didn’t have a connection to one of the hostages, they were Americans and they couldn’t leave them behind. It would have gone against everything he believed in.
