SEAL's Embrace (10 page)

“Don’t do that. He’ll die,” Sheila called out, her voice muffled, strained. “Let go of me, you baboon!” A loud clapping sound was followed by a whomp.

Her body tensed. Had they hurt Sheila?

Unable to remain still a moment longer, Erin eased around the doorknob and eased the door open enough to peer out.

She pressed her hand over her mouth to smother a gasp. Six men dressed in black and carrying weapons stood in the ICU. Four were in the room with Hassani, loading him on a litter, transferring his IVs to the hooks attached to the mobile cart.

From where she stood, Erin could see Sheila lying on the floor, a pool of blood spreading across the clean tiles. Was she dead? Erin studied her body, hoping for the tell-tale sign of her lungs expanding. Her eyes blinked open, and she stared across the floor at Erin and gave her just the slightest shake of her head.

As soon as Hassani was unplugged from his monitors, alarms went off. The men near the nurses’ station jumped and rounded to other side, pressing buttons frantically and then used the butts of their rifles to smash the equipment, ending the beeping.

With Hassani loaded, the men rushed toward the exit.

They would pass by the door Erin hid behind. She closed the door carefully, praying they hadn’t noticed the movement.

Footsteps hurried past, the squeak of the wheels on the litter indicating they’d moved by.

Erin inched the door open again. The knob was yanked out of her hand and a man with a black mask and turban grabbed her arm, dragged her out of the bathroom and shoved a knife against her throat.

‡

C
aesar spent the
day in and out of his hospital bed. More out than in. Knowing Erin would be sleeping away the day, he couldn’t bring himself to disturb her any earlier than he had to. He did the next best thing. He walked to the gift shop in the hospital, had the attendant help him find Erin’s quarters and then ordered flowers to be delivered in the afternoon, after she’d had enough time to sleep.

Though she still resisted any claim to a relationship with him, Caesar knew it was only a matter of time before she caved. After making love with her behind the supply building, he refused to give up on being with her. She wouldn’t have responded so wantonly if she didn’t feel something for him.

He understood her hesitation. The fraternization rule was a huge obstacle to overcome, but others had done so. The Air Force couldn’t afford to lose a highly qualified CCATT nurse. As much training as he’d undergone as a SEAL, he knew the Navy wouldn’t part with him because he had fallen in love with an officer in an entirely different branch of service. His best bet would be to woo her while they were still in Germany, away from the stricter fraternization rules of theater deployment. Which didn’t give him much time. If the determination in her face at their last meeting was anything to go by, she’d already arranged her flight back to Afghanistan.

He had to see her. While he’d been at the gift shop, he’d purchased a Landstuhl T-shirt, a pair of sweatpants and shower shoes. The doctor had been by around noon to check out his incisions and stitches, claiming he would soon be fit for release. Caesar pretended he was in more pain than he was to get the doc to agree to hold him one day longer.

As the hour the flowers were supposed to be delivered came and went, Caesar dressed in the newly purchased clothes, careful not to disturb his bandages and stitches. He fully expected to fly back to Afghanistan within a couple days. His injuries had been nothing compared to others here at the hospital.

Afraid he’d miss her, Caesar left his room and headed for the cafeteria. A quick glance around was enough to know Erin hadn’t arrived. With less than an hour before she reported to duty, she should have been inside eating dinner.

Unless she’d stopped by his room on the way. In which case, he might have missed her. Caesar hurried back to his room, running into Lt. Reynolds in the hallway.

“If you’re looking for the pretty red-haired nurse, she came and left. She told me to thank you for the flowers. I let her know you’d gone to the cafeteria.”

“I didn’t see her there.”

“You must have missed her.”

“Damn.” Regret tugged at his achy body. “She goes on duty in fifteen minutes.” He glanced around. “Which way is ICU?”

“Building 3711, third floor.” The lieutenant grabbed his arm before he could leave. “Won’t do you any good. They aren’t letting any nonessential personnel inside while Hassani is there. I heard they have MPs guarding the doors. Not even family members can go in.”

“Seriously?” His heart sank into his shower shoes. His chances of seeing Erin narrowing, Caesar held onto the thought that at the very least, he’d catch Erin coming off her shift in the morning.

“You might as well get some rest. Do you want me to give you something to ease your non-existent pain?” Reynolds asked. “I intend to have the doc kick your ass out of here and make room for patients who actually
need
medical attention.”

Just what I need to hear
. He winked. “You’d miss me if you did that.”

“Careful, froggy. Your girlfriend might get jealous and think you’re flirting. Not that I mind, but she seemed pretty stuck on you and you’ve made yourself clear.”

Whoa, what is this?
He focused his gaze on the informative nurse. “You think she’s stuck on me?”

“She’d be stupid if she wasn’t.”

A shoulder lifted in a shrug, but hope had his pulse racing. “She’s a tough nut to crack.”

“Yeah, but that kind is all soft and gooey on the inside when you do.” Lt. Reynolds tilted her head. “Got any more like you where you come from? I could use a hero to save me from slitting my wrists out of sheer boredom.”

“Plenty more where I came from. Care to make a trip out to the sandbox?”

“In a heartbeat.” She sighed. “I keep asking, but my commander says they need me on site.”

“You’re doing a great service to the troops who have to come through here.”

“I know. It’s a great job and the patients are amazing. Don’t mind my drool as I go back to work.” She nodded toward his room. “And you should head to bed. You don’t want to reinjure yourself.”

With a sigh, he followed her back to his room.

Lt. Reynolds checked his pulse and blood pressure and gave him his vitamin and pain medication. “Go on, take it. You told the doc you were still hurting. The pill will also help you sleep so that you’re rested when you go looking for your red-head in the morning.”

“Fine.” He downed the pills, washing them away with the cup of water on the stand next to his bed. Since he couldn’t get into ICU to see Erin, he might as well sleep away the night. Tomorrow, he’d check on flights back to Bagram. If there was one, he was afraid Erin would have booked a seat. He wanted to be on it, as well, his thoughts going to his team. He hoped they were all right without him. Kicking backward with his arms behind his head, he counted the minutes until he’d see Erin again.

Within half an hour, he was snoring.

Caesar ran up a hill, the body on his back weighing him down, making his steps slower and slower, like when he’d slogged through knee-deep mud. The helicopter engines roared ahead, the blades turning faster and faster. He had to get there before they took off.

Sting Ray, carrying a man on his back, sprinted past him, grinning like an idiot, reaching the helo in time to dump his load and climb aboard. No matter how hard he ran, Caesar got no closer. The helicopter hovered an inch off the ground, rising slowly.

No! You can’t leave without me.

Caesar stumbled and fell, his legs refusing to hold his weight. He tried to stand, but when he looked down, he had no legs. Horror filled his gut. No. This isn’t happening.

He left the body he’d been carrying on the ground and clawed his way toward the helicopter. As it lifted off, he grasped the skid. The helo rose off the ground, but his arms were too weak to hold on. He fell back to the surface with a hard thud that shook him awake.

Caesar jerked to a sitting position and stared around, heart pounding double time. The desert sand was gone. In its place were the clean white walls of a hospital room. Instead of hard ground beneath him, he lay on a soft mattress with clean sheets and blankets. Still wearing his sweats and T-shirt, he swung his legs over the side. A twinge of pain reminded him of the stitches in his back, buttocks and thighs. With more care, he slipped off the bed, thankful when his legs held his weight. The dream had been so vivid, he thought for sure his legs would give out.

Too wound up and disturbed by his nightmare, he left his room, determined to walk off the residual adrenaline.

At this hour, the hallways were empty of visitors and patients, only nurses and the occasional doctor passed him.

One nurse stopped him and gripped his arm. “Shouldn’t you be in bed?”

“Thank you, but I need to move.”

She studied his face. “I can look at your chart and see if the doctor left instructions for sleep medication.”

“No, thank you. I really just need to walk.”

“Well, we don’t like patients to wander around. If you should fall…”

“Fine. I’ll go back to bed.” He performed an about-face and walked back the way he’d come, ducking into a maintenance closet where disinfectants, mops and brooms were located. And spotted one slightly soiled hospital maintenance coverall.

Caesar slipped into the coverall, thankful the previous wearer was a large man. He had room to zip up the top, when most shirts and jackets didn’t fit over his muscular frame. Acting the part, he pushed a mop and empty bucket out into the hallway and headed for building 3711.

Twice, a nurse stopped him to clean up a spill. He did so, thankful they didn’t catch on that he was a patient and thus should be safely asleep in his bed. As he neared building 3711, he noted the number of people in the hallway had dwindled down to none.

Had they cleared all personnel to safeguard their prisoner?

Still pushing the mop bucket, Caesar proceeded quietly down the hallway, the silence eerie and unnerving. As he passed a room, he heard an agonized moan. He glanced at the ground where a dark smear led underneath the door.

Though he wanted to proceed to the ICU and find out what the hell was going on, he couldn’t ignore the cry. Heart pounding, he pushed through a door and stared at a man in combat uniform wearing an MP armband. His face looked like hamburger meat, red, purple and raw, as if someone had bashed him several times with something heavy. Both his eyes were swollen nearly shut and blood ran freely from his nose. He’d been bound, gagged and dragged into the room.

With his nose smashed, the man couldn’t get enough air and he struggled with each breath. Caesar yanked the gag out of his mouth and searched for something to break through his bindings. “What happened?” he asked.

“Ambushed,” the MP croaked.

“Who?”

“Don’t know. They wore masks and black turbans. Headed for ICU. Where’s my partner, Rothe?” He coughed and spit out blood.

“You’re the first person I came across. How many more MPs were there in the building?”

The man stared up at him, his eyes narrowing.

“Look, I’m one of the good guys. I’m Navy SEAL Caesar Sanchez.”

The man’s frown eased. “Two MP’s on each floor of building 3711, and two at each entrance to the hospital.”

Caesar tore at the knots binding the man’s wrists and ankles, afraid he was taking too long. If the attackers were headed for ICU…

Dear God. Erin.

As soon as he freed the MP, he stood, using the mop handle for support. “I’m headed to the ICU. Think you can get back down the hallway and sound a quiet alert?”

The young MP squinted through his swollen eyes. “I think so.”

“Tell them to come in quietly. No major alarms. We don’t want the terrorists randomly killing if they’re spooked.”

“Yes, sir.”

Caesar helped the man to his feet and to the door. He peered out, verifying the hallway was clear. He pointed the man in the right direction. “Go.”

Staggering, with his hand running along the wall, the MP hurried back the way Caesar had come.

Turning the opposite direction, Caesar sprinted toward the ICU. On the first floor now, he had to get to the third floor. Whatever faction had staged the attack could have left guards along the way.

Avoiding the elevator, Caesar found a stairwell. As he eased the door open, he nearly tripped over the body on the other side.

Wearing the same uniform as the other MP, he sported a name tag with Rothe written across it.

Fuck
.

Pressing two fingers to the carotid artery in Rothe’s neck, Caesar held his breath. After a moment, he felt the reassuring thump of a pulse. Though the guard was injured, he showed no signs of an open wound. Caesar searched him for a weapon. His holster was empty.

Caesar left him, slipped out of his shower shoes and moved silently up the stairs to the second floor, easing around each turn, checking for enemy guards. When he arrived at the third floor, he peered through the window in the door, looking in both directions.