Erin's Hero

ERIN'S HERO Book One A REAPER Security Novel

Chapter ONE

Joe Dougall, better known to his teammates as Nine for his purported nine lives, always relied on the hardcore Midwestern values his father had taught him. A Vietnam veteran and farmer, Joe Sr. believed that hard work would always get you where you wanted to be. Keep your head down, work hard, don't back talk your elders, and don't start a fight with your betters. His words still echoed in his head.

His father's beliefs were probably true, thought Joe.

Although Joe's mother died when he was only three, his dad had raised him to be honest, loyal, hardworking, God fearing and country loving. You respected the flag, you respect the men and women in uniform and all would work out well with Joe Sr. His father was still working the family farm in Iowa that had been worked by three generations of Dougalls'.

But sometimes hard work didn't always prepare you for missions like this one.

He hated these kinds of missions. Some stupid corporate fuck had gone into a war zone, without the proper protection, and gotten in trouble and couldn't get out. Probably came into this God forsaken country to take over some natural resource and found out the locals didn't appreciate good ole American industriousness.

But these were exactly the kinds of missions that his team was known for taking on and conquering. All of his team was handpicked – former SEALS, Delta, SWAT, Firefighters, Bomb Squad, hackers and computer geeks. If you could pass the background, intense training, multiple interviews and the litany of tests that you were put through, then you could become a part of Reaper Security. Joe and his teammate Wilson – Dan William Anderson – had started the company. They had bonded during training over the fact that everyone always tried to make their first names formal – Daniel or Joseph – when it was plain old Joe and Dan.

As each new team member joined, they were given the option to buy into the company. Joe wanted everyone to feel ownership and leadership in the organization. He was essentially the CEO, but his teammates were equal partners. He trained all of them to take on that leadership role and get shit done when it needed to get done. He didn't have time to be a kindergarten teacher. Know your shit, do your shit, and accomplish the mission – if you could do that, then you were good with Joe.

He trusted each one of his men like a brother. Hell, they were his brothers in every sense of the word that counted. They were well-trained, armed to the teeth, and had absolutely no qualms about shooting the bad guys if needed. They had sworn an oath to protect all enemies, foreign and domestic, and in their eyes – despite retirement – they had not been relieved of that duty.

Dryden Corporation, a major contractor for the US military had contacted Joe with the information that one Dr. EG Richards had been kidnapped. No ransom requested from the captors, not surprising thought Joe. But Dr. Richards was a value to the organization and they needed him back. Dryden's request had gone all the way to General Murray and he in turn had become Joe's reluctant contact at base.

The problem for Joe was that the general hadn't been very forthcoming with information. He seemed almost reluctant to give his team anything and had gone to extra efforts to slow them down at every turn. First it was the inspection of their teams' equipment taking two days. Then it was the questions from the MPs about why they were on base. Little things that sent the nagging tingling sizzles up Joe's spine.

Joe's only info given on their package was 5'8, American, and could answer the question "What was your first dogs name?" with the appropriate response of Finn.

At six foot three and a lean, muscled two-hundred and twenty five pounds, Joe was an intimidating force. His intensive blue eyes made women swoon at his feet and made men back down in a heartbeat. He had his share of women, no doubt, although lately he just didn't seem to be interested in the offerings. Oh his dick still got hard, but every boy from the age of thirteen on knew how to solve that problem and he wasn't averse to taking matters into his own hand.