Seals Hunt Together (Book 3)

Chapter 7

        Their voices, lowered to where I wouldn't be able to hear what they were talking about, filled the room. My eyes took in the four bullet proof vests before me. An old Seal buddy owed me a favor and I called it in. He only had four, and it would have taken him almost a week to get another. So I just told him that I only needed four. 

        Making sure that I had everything strapped down and ready, I slide the vests on my arm and walk towards the guys. "Sam, Jason, John, Luke, put these on." I command as I hand each of them one. "Now, I know that I don't have to go over this, but I am. Our target is General Caine. He will have bodyguards, but I want to just knock them out. If that can't be done, break their necks, quietly." 

        An hour later, and we're hiding outside of the house in the dusk. While it was light enough to still see, the oncoming darkness would help us slip around the grounds almost undetectable. It didn't take us long to take the guards out. And then we were slipping into the house like a ghost. 

        The sound of a scuffle from Caine's office reached my ears just as I let the body of an unconscious man fall to the ground. Pulling my pistol out, I quickly slip in to find my guys standing around Caine's body. I made out three wounds to his chest. 

        "Good going guys." I say softly and they turn to face me. Everything happened so fast after that. My eyes widened when I saw my mistake. Caine wasn't dead. He pulled a gun from his jacket and pointed it at the back of Luke's head. 

        I lunge forward and push Luke out of the way as I raise my gun at Caine. We fire at the same time. My bullet landed right between his eyes. I bit my lip as I felt the slug from his gun hit me in the chest. The guys just stood there shocked. They knew better to turn their backs on a target that they weren't sure was dead. But the blame laid on my shoulders, and I would pay the price. 

        "Ella! Are you alright?" They ask and I could hear the concern in their voices. I just shrug, while keeping my face blank. The movement caused a wave of pain to hit me, but it didn't show. "Kevlar." I say with a small smile. Looking around, I noitce that Caine's gun didn't have a silencer on it. 

        "We have to get out of here before the cops show up. Make the place look like someone broke it and fought with him." They do as I say as I hurry outside. Finding a small rag and tape in the kitchen, I quickly put it across my wound and fix my shirt. 

        They join me and we leave the house. Tossing Luke the keys to the car, I climb in the back. He drove like a mad man to our little hideout. Once back in the safety of the room, I just sat at the table and started to slowly clean my gun. They pulled the vests off and laid them on the table. I knew that I had to get the wound looked at soon, but I didn't want them to know that I didn't wear a vest. 

        It didn't take long for them to fall asleep once the affects of the adrinallin faded. With a promise to Luke to not stay up to late, I watch him fall asleep. After making sure that they were completely out, I slowly grab the vests and car keys. Slowly making my way outside, I slip into the car and pull onto the road. 

        I couldn't go to a hospital, that's for sure. They would alert the police that I came in of a gunshot wound and they would ask questions. Questions I couldn't answer without putting us all in trouble. As I drove through D.C., a face flashed in my mind and I knew where I was going. An hour later, I pulled into the drive way of an old house. 

        Pulling out my cell, I dial a number and listened as the phone rang. I hated to wake him, but it coudln't be helped. "Hello?" His voice came across the line and I knew that I pulled him from his bed. "Hey Doc. It's Ace. Listen, I'm in a bind and need some help." 

        "Ace, long time. You know I'll always help you out. Where are you?" I knew that he was wide awake instantly. "I'm outside your house actually." He chuckles softly and I see a light turn on. "The door's open. Come in." He said and hung up.

        Getting out of the car, I make my way up the walk and open the door. Stepping into the small house, I make sure to lock it behine me. "Doc?" I call out looking around. "Back here Ace." He replies and I follow the sound of his voice to a small clinic type room. He looks up and I smile at him. He motions at the table and I sit on it, pulling my shirt off slowly. 

        He removes the make shift bandage and makes a soft 'tsking' sound between his teeth. "What happened?" I shrug and instantly regretted it. "Let's just say that I ran into someone who thought I was someone else and took a pop shot at me."

        "He must have been a good shot to hit ya in one try." 

        "Eh, it was just luck." I say watching as he cleaned the wound. "You were lucky Ace." He says and I could hear that he was speaking about the wound. "If that bullet hit you just an inch more to the right, we wouldn't be speaking." I just nod, knowing that he was right. 

        Doc had tagged along during one of my first missions and we hit it off. He reminded me alot of my dad. As he taped the injury up, I notice that his eyes take in my left arm. Doc wasn't one to pry into sore subjects and I knew that he wanted to know what happened. And I did owe him for waking him up in the middle of the night to patch me up. 

        Slowly slipping my shirt back on, I sigh softly. "The guys and I were on our way back to extraction. I didn't notice the snipe until he fired. The bullet hit me in the arm, but we managed to get him. I patched it up the best I could and we got out of there. But by the time we got back to the boat, infection sat in. 

        "I lost my career and my arm." A look of understanding and a hint of pity flashed through Doc's eyes. "Don't pity me Doc. It was worth it."

        "How?"

        "By taking that bullet, a memeber of my team lived. I would do it all over again in a heartbeat." Doc nods, and I know that he understands. He begins to clean up and my phone rings. I answer it. "Ella, where are you?" It was John and he didn't sound happy. 

        "I'm just returning a few things. Why, what's up?" He sighs and I could just see him running a hand through his hair while looking at the others. He was so predictable. "Listen, we just recieved a call from the General...We have to go back early and you need to go back to your parents until we get back." 

        "Alright, I'm almost done here. I'll be back just as soon as I can." I tell him and hang up just as Doc comes back in the room. "What do I owe you for the patching up Doc?" He glares at me and I laugh. 

        "You don't owe me anything except maybe a visit every now and then." Sliding to my feet, I give him a mock salute. "Sir yes sir." I say laughing. He hugs me gently and I head towards the door. "Oh, Doc. I left some vests on your porch. Could you see that Jimmy Gail gets them? Tell him Ace said that she considers both of them even."

        "I know Jimmy; he's a good kid. Yeah, I'll drop 'em off later." I smile at him and hurry back to the car. I had to get back to my guys and say goodbye. I couldn't let them leave without saying goodbye.