Special Forces: Operation Alpha: No Protection (Kindle Worlds Novella) by Gennita Low Read Free Book Online

well,” Ella addressed them all, feeling remarkably pleased she’d gotten under Liam’s skin.
    “Like you said, he’s been securing and delivering ‘packages’ for over a year. About time someone like you shakes him up and brings him back to reality,” Abe said. He nodded toward the man she’d been baiting. “Once a SEAL, always a SEAL. He’s lost a lot, including his way, so be gentle with him, Ella.”
    She nodded. One thing was for sure in this day full of uncertainty. If she came out of this in one piece, Liam McMillan was going to be her next project.

CHAPTER FOUR
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    T he evening desert sun was comfortable, not like the stifling heat when they were making their escape from the check point. Liam stared out the window into the expanse of arid semi-desert landscape as their M-ATV rolled on.
    He wasn’t angry. Okay, a little. Not at Ella, anyway. At himself. He didn’t want any of his past emotional baggage clouding his mind and that woman had tied him up in knots with mere words . He tightened his hold of the weapon in his right hand. All these months, he’d allowed constant action and movement, a crazy wild ride of going in and out of danger zones, doing what he did best, but on his own. No one but himself in danger, and then...some chick named Ella Fitzgerald pounds through his impenetrable mental wall...with words. How ironic, right, because he loved quoting Shakespeare so much, his teammates had made fun of him and called him Player.
    He admired Ella’s bravery. No matter how hard one trained for it, it wasn’t easy to look at death in the eye. However, she was new at this and hasn’t suffered true loss yet. That kind of experience left an indelible mark. Hell, look at him.
    His satellite phone buzzed and he pulled it out of his pocket. This must be an emergency. Hawk and he had already talked earlier.
    “We’re on the road, Hawk. No way this signal is going to last,” he said, without preliminary. “Make it quick. Is there a change of plans?”
    That would be the most likely reason why Hawk would call so soon after his last update. He’d shared with the others what Hawk and he had agreed on and they had made quick changes in their initial plan to accommodate the timing. Hawk’s men were hurrying towards their target. Like them, they would take the quiet route because of the prisoners involved. The element of surprise was important.
    “I have new satellite pictures,” Hawk said. “Your hostiles are waiting for a convoy to arrive. Apparently, they want to keep the check point as a stronghold for a while. What with so many prisoners, we’re concluding they’ve decided take advantage of the stalemate and use the check point to get their supply lines across the border to their territory.”
    “That must be the new orders from their higher-ups,” Liam surmised, “since their initial mission failed.”
    “Yes. Not a bad decision, since the last time they’d attacked, the Iraqi army practically ran away.”
    Hawk didn’t say it, but Liam could almost imagine the expression on his cousin’s face. The Iraqis, trained by American special operatives, had turned and abandoned an entire city. The event had become the biggest news item among the spec. op. teams as well as the entire region. Different militant and small armies headed by warlords had laughed and mocked. The spec. op. teams had sighed, grimly acknowledging there was nothing they could do to salvage the situation. Meanwhile, an entire city had, overnight, become virtual prisoners to their captors, who had threatened, pillaged, tortured and raped at will.
    Not this time, Liam vowed. Not under his watch. “Can you take care of the convoy?” He asked.
    “Yes, but you must make sure the timing is right so they can’t exchange communications with the convoy. Admiral Madison sends you a message.”
    Caught by surprise, Liam didn’t say anything for a second. He hadn’t expected the Admiral to even remember