Redemption (Bennett Sisters Book 5) (3 page)

The General stood and glanced over his shoulder. “We’ll be on the ground shortly. I suggest you buckle up.” The General said and then took a seat near the guy in the white lab coat that had shot the drug into
Lydia
’s arm. Rick pulled the seatbelt straps across his lap and clicked it into place as he glanced around at the cabin full of military men. The scene wasn’t a far cry from the ones he was used to. He did his military stint just like all of them aboard.

Connors sitting across the aisle chuckled before he leaned over. “
You’re nothing like us, and it will be easier if you just accept it and go back home to your cozy little world.”

The plane touched down with a jump of the wheels hitting the runway and slowed on the tarmac. The men on the plane were up and moving, before it even came to a stop. Bags and other things were being pulled from the overhead compartments.
These guys didn’t waste time, and if he thought about it, he wouldn’t either. He understood the precious cargo aboard and the need to move quickly, but move to where was the question.

Rick stood and grabbed his bag and made his way up to
Lydia
. The effect of the drug still
coursing through
her system
had
kept her knocked out. She looked peaceful as her head lay against a pillow propped up against the window. A smile on her face told of the type of dream she’d had. She hadn’t been affected by the flight or their unknown
surroundings. Well at least if only for a short time the worries had been taken from her.

Connors walked past him and patted his back as he stood blocking the isle. “You need help with her, Romeo? I’m sure I can handle her lush little curves all by myself if you want to grab my bag.”

Rick clenched his jaw and regarded the man beside him. Connors lips split into a wide grin and amusement danced behind his eyes.

“Not going to happen in this life time, asshole!”

Connors chuckled as Rick regarded the sleeping beauty.
Lydia
stirred and sighed drawing his thoughts away from the obnoxious soldier standing next to him that was testing his patience. With her eyes closed she turned ever so slightly and snuggled into the pillow.

Connors shook his head. “I don’t know man, with all the red-hair, she might be too much for you.”

Briggs pushed up from his seat, maneuvering using his elbows to push them both out of the way. “If you two idiots are done, I suggest you move out of my way.”

Briggs unbuckled her seatbelt and removed the blanket he’d laid over her. He scooped her up in his arms and held her close as he pushed his way out of the confines of their seats. The lines of concentration deepened around his eyes and gave away his concern for
Lydia
. He gave the others a brief nod and swiftly carried her down the aisle disappearing from the plane.

Amusement flickered in Connors eyes before he chuckled. “You look like he just took away your candy. With any luck if you hurry, you might be able to catch them.” Connors patted him on the back. “Game on, Romeo. May the best man win.”

Rick hoped that he’d find out everything about
Lydia
quickly. The more he was around Connors, the more his temper flared. The man was trying to push his buttons, and seemed to be doing a fine job. Rick was a trained professional for god sake. He’d questioned criminals for a living. He could deal with this jerk. “You don’t stand a chance.”

Rick took a step toward the doors before he glanced over his shoulder and regarded the soldier. His own gut instincts warned him that this man would be nothing but trouble, but he couldn’t help himself.  Rick shook his head. “By the time she gets finished training with you, you’ll be lucky to still be standing.” Rick grinned. “Do you even know what she’s capable of?” Rick’s grin grew into a full-fledged smile.

Connors lips pulled into a thin line and Rick gave his own version of a chuckle as he hurried to catch up with Briggs. As much fun as it was dealing with Connors, Rick really did have an agenda to keep. He needed to keep his eye on his little
Auburn
beauty while trying to get the answers he needed.

Rick walked over to the waiting Humvee. The doors sat ajar and he could see
Lydia
sitting up wide awake glancing curiously at her surroundings. He stopped with his hand on the roof of the vehicle. The hairs on his neck stood on end. His gut was screaming at him that trouble was nearby. He was missing something, something that wasn’t good.

He glanced around the airfield. Off in the distance there were several buildings. People milled around outside but everyone looked like they belonged. The military green camo reminded him of the bases he’d been stationed at before joining the FBI. He turned toward the perimeter of the barbed wire fence. Thickets of green forest surrounded the compound. Nothing and yet everything seemed wrong. What the hell had he got himself into?

Rick hopped in the Humvee and glanced at
Lydia
. “Welcome back to the land of the living.”

“Some protector you are. You let them stick a needle in my arm.” Her voice was heavy with disdain and she let out a shiver.

It was clear she didn’t trust him and to be honest, she shouldn’t. However her body betrayed her, he’d figured out one bit of information from their short exchange of words. It seemed the little princess didn’t like the thought of needles. He silently wondered what else scared the strong woman.

Rick didn’t even grace her with a comment. Really what could he say? She spoke the truth. He hadn’t prevented the doctor’s advance. He had thought that she was relatively safe on a plane full of military personnel; now he was questioning everything.

Jimmy Summers let the binoculars drop from his hand and fall against his chest. His legs ached from the still position he’d been in all damn afternoon. He reached up and swatted another annoying mosquito as it tried to drain some of his precious blood. He was tired, he was hungry and he didn’t see the purpose why his boss sent him to sit in this damn tree. Beads of sweat ran down his face. The heat from the glaring sun all day felt suffocating. At least the sun had retreated several hours ago, but it was still too damn hot for his taste.

He reached up and swiped at the sweat with the back of his hand, hoping for some relief of his situation, as if that was possible. Had he known he’d be up this tree this late into the night, he’d have brought a towel and a damn snack; if he’d came at all. His stomach growled and he lifted a hand to his stomach trying to smother the sound. He’d hiding so well and just far enough away that  security from the compound hadn’t found him, and it seemed that his luck was about to run out the louder his stomach had gotten.

“This sucks.” He whispered to himself.

Jimmy heard the plane before he saw it and felt a sudden elation and apprehension fill him.

“About fucking time.” He spat out. If what his informant had told him had been the truth, then the plane he was watching taxi up the runway held precious cargo his boss was salivating to get his hands on. The bitch onboard was supposed to be their salvation, although the old man wouldn’t elaborate why. As far as Jimmy was concerned the old man was losing his mind if their survival depended on a damn woman on that plane. All of the drugs the asshole was taking were starting to affect his better judgment. 

Jimmy shook his head and lifted the binoculars back to his eyes, thankful that his time in the trees were coming to an end. A snarl formed on his lips as he watched a hulk of a man carrying a petite redheaded snuggled in his arms from the plane to the awaiting vehicle. “Who the hell is she suppose to be?”

No matter how big the asshole was that was carrying her, he wouldn’t stand a chance against his boss. When he set his mind on something, there wasn’t a thing the man couldn’t make happen. That was the only reason Jimmy was still listening to the demented asshole. It was uncanny how he managed to get everything he wanted.

Jimmy watched as the vehicles drove out of sight and toward the compound. He shimmied down the trunk of the tree and high-tailed it out of the overgrown forest to his hidden car he’d parked out of sight and off the traveled path. “I need a fucking raise, if I have to keep putting up with this crap.”

He unlocked the door and climbed inside starting the ignition. His legs protested and ached reminding him that he needed a long soak in a tub when he got back to his hotel.

He let out a sigh as the cool air blew out from the vents somewhat lessening his foul mood. Now all he needed was food and a stiff drink to take the edge off before he could put his plans into action. He pulled his phone from his clip. Mr. Floyd’s annoying gruff voice answered on the first ring. “Tell me you’ve got good news.”

Jimmy swallowed the lump in his throat thankful that he did have good news. No matter how much working for Mr. Floyd annoyed him, the man reeked of power and disappointing the man was never a good thing. Bigger men than him had fallen for saying the wrong thing to his boss. “They just landed and they’ve got the girl.”

“Hmm.” His boss sighed. “Excellent. Keep an eye on them.” Floyd ordered before he disconnected the call.

Jimmy tossed his phone in the passenger seat and clenched the steering wheel. How the hell did the old man expect him to do that without being able to gain access to the compound? He shook his head. “I need a drink.”

Jimmy drove back down the long dirt road until he hit asphalt and headed back into town.

****

Lydia
glanced at her surroundings. The unfamiliar area where their plane had landed hadn’t given her an idea of where the hell she was. Mountains in the distance in front of them and a thick forest lay behind them. She’d been shocked to wake up already at the compound. She lifted her hand and rubbed her arm where the needle puncture still hurt.  She hadn’t seen that in one of her visions. Her visions were shot to hell when Thompson and Briggs had decided to tag along. She tilted her head from side to side trying to undo the knots that were tightened in her shoulders. She turned her glare on the man beside her. “Where are we?”

Rick shrugged. “Don’t know. The General said he’d debrief us when we got here; wherever the hell
here
is.

Briggs let out a sigh. “We were only in the air for 15 minutes and we flew north.” Briggs pointed to the mountains in the distance. “If I had to guess that is the
Searing
Mountain
.” Briggs turned in his seat before turning forward again. “I’m not familiar with the towns in the valley around the mountain, so which town we’re in; I have no idea.” Briggs shrugged. “But I could get us out if we needed to leave in a hurry.”

Lydia
felt some of the tension in her shoulders ease. Her family had sent Briggs to keep her safe. Thank god she had someone else to count on besides Rick who had let her get knocked out.

The ride to the compound in the distance took mere seconds. The butterflies in her stomach hadn’t stilled and she guessed that they wouldn’t until she had more answers. If she didn’t get them soon, she was going to take Briggs up on his offer to get them the hell out of here.
Lydia
raised her brow at the armed guard as the General motioned them into what looked like a security room. Security monitors surround the walls. Men sitting behind computers clicking away on keyboards barely glanced in their direction as they passed.

“Jonah, everything okay here while I was gone?”

The computer geek grinned. “Everything’s been smooth here boss.”

General Lister nodded and walked over to the panel and placed his palm on the metal box. A green light lit up on the monitor above it with his name and picture. The General motioned for Briggs and Thompson to do the same.

The computer geek spoke up. “This is only so we can get you in our system and give you access to the areas you’re allowed to be in.”

First Briggs and then Thompson laid their palms on the box while the computer geek typed away at the keyboard. When Thompson’s name popped up, he raised his brow at the geek.

Jonah shrugged. “I knew you were coming. You were on the flight manifest so I already started programming each of you into the computer.”

The geek motioned
Lydia
for her turn at the box. “Ms. Stevens
, your
turn.”

Lydia
placed her palm on the box just like the rest of them had done. Just as soon as she placed her palm on the box, the man in the white lab coat walked into the side door across the room. Unconsciously
Lydia
’s temper flared at the sight of the man who’d stuck her with a needle. Her face grew hot. The hairs on her arm stood up as she focused on the man in white, never taking her eyes off the jerk in case he decided she needed to go back to sleep.

Sparks
flew from the box and around the screen. She jumped pulling her hand away and clutched it close to her chest.

“Shit.” Jonas jumped back.

Everyone in the building stopped their clacking on the keyboards. Several of them stood in front of their computers trying to get a glimpse of the damage she was creating.
Sparks
continued to fly through the air and around the box and monitor it was attached to, until the lights on the box went dead and died out.
Lydia
could feel her cheeks redden for a different reason as she glanced to the geeky guy. “Sorry about that.”