Johnny: #2 (Special Forces) by Madison Stevens Read Free Book Online Page B

weapons out of his country that could kill his family and friends and start a damn civil war.” He sat back in his seat and stared hard at Johnny. “We don’t do him any sort of honor by going after someone with a bunch of charges that won’t stick. We honor him by getting to those weapons before someone else does.”
    Johnny clenched his fists and leaned hard against the chair he had been sitting in. He wanted to drop in there with several squads and blow past whatever weak-ass PMC mercs the bastard had guarding him. But, in the end, it didn’t work that way.
    They were the sword of the US government, and their leash might be long, but it was still always there.
    He gritted his teeth. This wasn’t Clint’s fault. He knew his commander wanted what was best.
    Still, none of this was an easy pill to swallow. They had the man responsible within their grasp, and he was just going to get away with it. The rich bastard’s actions had costs many lives, and not just Emir and the men killed in the safe-house raid.
    “We’re organizing a mission to get to those weapons. Our intel is still gathering sources, but the higher-ups want boots on ground there ASAP.”
    They all stared at him, and he knew what was coming next.
    “You’re officially on leave,” Clint said, “but we can handle that easily enough. This is your run. Even if we can’t get this guy yet, we can still strike a blow against his operations. This is your chance to get some peace for Emir and maybe get word to Kadin about all of this.”
    Kadin was another local man who helped them with translation. He’d been forced into hiding to stay alive.
    Johnny sighed. This was his mission. It wasn’t the justice his friend deserved yet, but it was a start. Cut the dragon enough times, and he’d be weak from bleeding. Even Osama ended hiding in the end until the SEALs came for him.
    “We’ve got some time before we head out, but you’re going to have to make a choice real quickly. I want nothing more than to have you on our team, but I can’t wait around. Our tactical intel is time-sensitive.”
    Johnny opened his mouth to respond but couldn’t really find the words. The pull to stay was strong, but he just didn’t know if he had it in him to go back after what he’d seen over the years. If he put on the uniform again, would he ever be able to find it in him to put it away for good?
    Clint held up a hand. “You don’t have to decide today. Go home and think on all this. We’ll talk more in a day or two.”
    Johnny nodded. His eyes caught Luc’s before he walked out of the office.
    “Never quit,” Luc said quietly.
    The motto that every SEAL had burned into their bones. ‘Ready to Lead, Ready to Follow, Never Quit.’ The only way of life.
    Johnny nodded and stepped out the door. He had a lot to think over.

Chapter Nine
     
     
    It was dark out by the time Maddy got home from a day of library research and photography around town.
    Tired and exhausted, she climbed the stairs to her little apartment. If she were lucky, she’d be able to look over some of the new photos she’d taken. She knew a few were good. Some might even be great.
    Maddy opened the door and entered. She immediately walked over to her laptop on the couch and plugged in the camera. As the photos downloaded, she walked to her room and changed into a pair of pink and black shorts with a black tank.
    Far more comfortable, she made her way over to the fridge just off the living room. She didn’t tend to keep much in it since she typically ate with her dad, but the fridge and the microwave next to it were two things she’d insisted on getting.
    Sometimes a girl just needed her alone time.
    She sighed loudly as she looked at the empty fridge. With all the craziness of the week, she’d let her dad do the shopping, which meant she hadn’t gotten anything for her own fridge. So much for alone time.
    Maddy glanced over to the door. She could make a quick run to the house. With her dad