Nightstalker: Red Team (11 page)

The beating continued for another minute or so before there was a bang and the door closing us in the room blew off. Three men dressed in black from head to toe rushed in, weapons at the ready. I could not see their faces they were in full battle gear, complete with face masks and NVG’s. The men easily subdued the Russians.

One of the men came over to me and cut my wrists free and I collapsed into his arms. He went to his knees and cradled me in his arms and began to rock me.

“You’re safe, I’ve got you.”

Sweet mother of God, that voice, those words.

“Lincoln,” I sobbed.

The video continued to play as Lincoln’s team zip tied the four Russian men’s hands behind their back.

“Mother Fuck, is Laura ok?”
Holy shit, I knew that voice. Eric.

“I got her, Wolf.”
That was Lincoln talking to Eric.

“Z is non critical.”
That was Leo’s voice.

“We move in two. This is going to be dirty, who’s up for some wet work?”
That was Lincoln again.

“Copy that.”

Zane was up and out of the chair walking on his own, holding his left elbow across his body with his right hand. It was obviously broken. Lincoln handed Zane his Ka-Bar. There was no time to blink before Zane plunged the knife into the side of one of the Russian’s neck. He spit on him as he pulled the knife from his neck and the body hit the floor.

Zane handed the knife off to Leo. He did the same to the man in front of him. The knife was again passed to Eric. He lowered his face to the Russian’s and spoke to him in such a low tone I couldn’t hear what he said on the video. Eric cut the Russian’s head damn near off.

“Ghost,”
Eric said as he passed the knife to Linc.

Linc put the knife in my hand,
“Ghost, help me please.”
He nodded his head as he wrapped his hand around mine. I started at the Russian’s navel and pushed in slowly. Once the tip of the knife was two inches in I started to move the knife up, stopping just under his breast bone.

“I told you I would gut you mother fucker. Who’s the bitch now? See you in hell, fucker!”
I pulled the knife out and slit his throat from ear to ear. 

I handed the knife back to Lincoln and laid my head on his shoulder.
“Thank you.”
My body went limb in his arms.

Lincoln

Ain’t life a bitch! I watched Zane console a sobbing Jasmin and I wanted to break my brother’s neck. Just the sight of Jasmin in another man’s arms had me ready to commit murder. Fuck, she made her decision. I knew I was taking a chance coming here. I should have stayed gone. When I was gone, I missed her and my heart ached every day we were apart. But I held out some sort of stupid ass fairytale hope that when I came home I could finally have her. I was wrong, so fucking wrong. I should’ve fucking known better, Zane warned me. I should’ve listened. At least I had both balls intact.

“Why can’t I remember that? How did Leo and Eric get there?” Jasmin’s eyes pleaded with mine. I had to look away.

I had looked into those same eyes so many nights when I held her through her nightmares, nursed her back from the torture she endured. I lay beside her for hours talking to her while she was recovering from skin grafts and surgery. She knew every part of me; I didn’t think it would rip my heart out the way it did her not remembering. I knew that was a possibility, one that I used to take comfort in, because that meant she would never remember the torture she went through, even if it meant I was erased too.

Zane looked at me demanding I tell her the story of how she lost her memory. I did not want her to have these memories. In some perverse way, her not knowing allowed me to pretend she did not go through the torture she did. It was the lie I had told myself for two years. I lived in this made up world where she was living her life without the knowledge that she almost died in a Russian prison. I was a selfish prick.

I pushed all my shit back into the box it belonged in. The same way I do with every other fucked up thing I had done or seen, and talked to her like I would any other operative. After all, that was all she was.

“I’ll start with Eric. I got the go ahead to infiltrate the Black Dolphin; we already had my cover in place. I was just moving up the time frame. Eric had already been taken to the vault and was being interrogated. My objective was to aid in his escape. A rescue team had already been called in from Z Corps once it was confirmed Zane had been taken.  You and Zane were already at the prison and in holding. Day five I had my opportunity to get Eric out. It was my turn to interrogate him; so far Eric had not given any information. He was useless and needed to be disposed of. I convinced the guards to give me one last go with him to see if I could break him and if he didn’t give me any information I was to kill him. During my interrogation I injected him with Tetrodotoxin, within 30 minutes he was dead and taken to the morgue. Leo was already there when Eric’s body was delivered and instructed to incinerate the body. The team transported Eric to a secured location off the prison grounds.
Tetrodotoxin is short acting; he was recovered from his temporary death within 24 hours.” Needing a moment to gather my thoughts, I stopped speaking. This was going to be the hard part.

Eric and Tom were both pacing the floor liked caged animals. Zane, that mother fucker, still had his hands wrapped around Jasmin. Damn her, she made herself perfectly clear. I meant nothing to her; I was a warm dick when she needed some comfort. I would find a hundred other willing pieces of ass by next week. Only problem was, that thought made my gut twist.

“I am sure this is hard for you, but Laura you’ll need to watch one more video clip after I tell you the rest.”  Before I could continue she jumped out of Zane’s arms and was ready for a fight.

“Don’t you fucking call me Laura. She is dead.” Her fierce attitude was back in full force, making it easier for me to remember this woman did not need to be coddled. And she certainly didn’t want me to protect her.

“Well that was your name when I rescued your ass, sweetheart.” My temper was getting the better of me. I could not control the need to hurt her back.

“Listen, I’m just gonna lay it out for you. There is no need to sugar coat the facts. When the team got back to rescue you and Zane, you had been held for seven days. You saw the video of the rescue. All your interrogations as well as Zane’s had been recorded. Those have been destroyed, by the way. We moved you both to the safe house. We used it to stabilize you before transport. You had taken the brunt of the torture. The Russians used you to try and get Zane to talk. You had contusions and lacerations over most of your body, your arm had been branded with the Black Dolphin. You had severe head trauma that needed immediate attention. We transported out by helicopter to a Russian air base six kilometers northeast, then transported to Germany to a private hospital.” Once again I stopped speaking to see if Jasmin was paying attention. The next part was going to be the hardest. There she stood, tall and proud, my warrior princess ready to battle. God damn, I had to lock that shit away. She was not my anything.

“Once we got to the hospital you underwent a thorough examination to assess the damage to your body. No bones had been broken, no sexual assault. Infection had set in around the branding site as well as in the lacerations on your inner thigh. You had a concussion and brain bleed.” I blew out a breath, not wanting to remember how badly Jasmin had been beaten. She was almost unrecognizable. “The doctors wanted you to rest and heal before surgery. During that time, you developed migraines and night terrors that caused you to have seizures.”

Jasmin whimpered and sat down, curling her knees up into her chest. Zane cut his eyes at me like I should do something to comfort her. Not a fucking chance. I gave her the option to rethink was she was saying and she stuck to her shit like a security blanket.

“You got something to add, brother?” I smirked. Yeah I’m an asshole.

Zane shook his head in a nonverbal answer.

Fuck if I am going to bow down to the ice queen just because her panties are in a twist. She spewed out shit and wanted to be treated like the rest of the team. That was all I was doing. I wouldn’t cuddle and hold one of my men when they got hard information. Eric sent me a scathing look that confirmed I was being a dick; screw him, too. I was not on this op alone, yet I was taking the blame.

“Once the infections had cleared up you were given several skin grafts to remove the branding on your arm. Your head trauma was being closely monitored. After eight weeks, surgery was the only option to stop the bleed and your seizures.”

“Eight… eight weeks?” Jasmin stammered out, obviously in disbelief.

“Yes, eight weeks. That was your first surgery. The seizures and night terrors continued for another twelve weeks. You were told about an experimental procedure to stop the night terrors and seizures; the possible side effect was memory loss.”

“Five months, I was at the hospital five months?” Jasmin stopped me to ask.

“No, you spent three weeks in the hospital. After that you were released to a safe house,” I informed her.

I was trying to leave out any more information. She could read it all in the medical reports and after action briefs if she was so inclined. I was not, however, inclined to rehash her recovery.

“Who was at the safe house with me?” Fuck me, she had to ask!

“The procedure was a combination of Benzodiazepines and Propranolol. A recording was made of the doctor explaining the procedure as well as your consent of treatment. You may watch that recording as well at your leisure.”

I would not be around when she watched that video. My happy ass was getting on the waiting helicopter and leaving this fucking place. I had a mission to start.

“Who in the fuck was I with for five damn months?” Jasmin demanded.

Question and answer time was over!

“You will find everything you need to answer any further questions in your medical records, the video, as well as the AAR’s. I believe the President has brought all that information for you to review. I hope you understand that, due to the nature of the operation, all evidence of Laura Bennett will be destroyed after you review it.” With that final statement I was ready to grab the rest of my team and leave.

“Who the fuck was I with, God damn it?” She screamed.

“Lincoln.” Zane answered in small voice. “You lived with Lincoln for a little over seven months. I came back to get you when you were done with your treatment and were ready to leave.”

Well, fuck me, so much for me leaving before that last bomb was dropped. Seven of the worst and best months of my life. Seven months I was not going to sit here and reminisce about. I was out!

“I think that is all, any further questions you can speak to Zane, Eric or Leo.” I took one more look at Jasmin; she was in shock. It would take her months to process this. I faced Zane, “I believe I am done here. I am going to meet with the team to go over the details of the mission.”

With that I walked out, not bothering to look back at her or my brother. I had already said good bye to her in the bedroom. Done and done.

The door crashed open behind me before I could even light my smoke. If Zane wanted to do this now I was going to beat his ass. I did not have time to hear him bitch me out.

“Lincoln, wait a minute.” I closed my eyes when I heard her voice. I really did not want to do this with Jasmin. I would take my brother over her. At least I could fight this adrenaline out of me.

I didn’t even bother to turn around and continued to walk around the corner of the house. “What do you need, Jasmin? I believe I was clear when I explained any further information could come from the reports.”

Just my fucking luck, she followed me.

“Why?” A simple question that there was no simple answer for.

Turning around, wanting to get this over with. “Why what? What the fuck do you want Jasmin?” I snapped at her.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

She looked small and hurt, so fucking beautiful my insides hurt just looking at her.

“I just fucking did, woman. What the fuck more is there to say? You wanted answers, we gave them to you. Do you want me to sit and hold your hand now and pat you like a dog so you can feel better?”

The need to hurt this woman was overwhelming. She shattered my soul. I have never loved any other woman in my life. I loved her so deeply I did not think I would ever get over her. My only option was to stay away.

“Don’t be a dick, Lincoln. Why didn’t you tell me that you were the one who took care of me?”

I was not answering that shit honestly. “What does it matter who took care of you? You were my mission, nothing more.” The lie tasted like shit on my tongue.

“Why don’t I remember you but I can still remember everyone from before that mission?”

“Guess I was just forgettable. Like I said, it was meaningless!”

I needed to get her to stop fucking asking questions. The more she asked, the more I lied and with each word I spoke, my soul died a little more. Lying about our time together felt wrong. I wanted to tell her how I held her and kissed her for hours, loved every part of her body.

“Did we… Did we umm…” she stuttered not finishing.

“Fuck,” I supplied.

“Yeah.” The blush I loved so much was creeping up her neck.

I felt my gut twisting and turning. This was the biggest lie I was going to tell. This was the lie that would kill my soul.

“Yes, sweet heart we did. We were alone in a safe house for months. I couldn’t leave you alone even for a moment. When the urge hit, we fucked. It was good, so we kept fucking. We both knew it meant nothing, it was a means to satisfy an itch.”

“Fuck you, asshole!”

Before I knew what I was doing I had her spun around facing the wall, my body pressed against her back, sandwiching her to the wall. I had no control around this woman. She was the most infuriating female I had ever met.

“Advice, sweet heart. Do not ask questions you do not want the answers to. Fuck me? You wanna go ahead and go another round? I’m game. I have to tell you it was so much better this time around. I didn’t have to go easy with you like I did the first time we were together. I wasn’t afraid I would hurt you when I fucked you this time,” I taunted in her ear.

I could feel her body shaking as I held her captive. I didn’t know if it was from anger or if she was turned on. There was one quick way to find out. I groaned at the thought of shoving my hand down her pants to test her pussy. My dick was hardening at the thought of my hand touching her soft lips.

“Get the fuck off me, Lincoln.” Yeah she was a little bit of both.

While her words sounded angry, I didn’t miss the way she pushed that tight little ass back to rub my hard on.

“Yeah, I think you like the idea. I think you would love nothing more than to feel my dick in you again, making you scream my name. You always did like it when I tied your hands up and fucked you from behind.”

“Cocky much?”

Her lame ass come back told me she was more turned on than angry. She was having a hard time controlling her breathing and that ass was snug up against my dick. I knew her body so well I could read every tell she had. I had spent days memorizing her. I had fucked this woman in every possible way. What could one more quick orgasm hurt? With a quick look around to make sure no one was around, I reached my hand around to the front of her jeans and popped the button open.

“What are you doing?” her breath was choppy, but she made no attempt to stop my hand from sliding into the front of her jeans.