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“Don’t you start,” Charlie retaliates.
Patting her shoulder, Mark laughs before taking his place beside his wife.
“Relax, Charlie, this mission is an easy one,” he begins. “Get in, get the guns, and get out. See, easy!” he tells us both.
“You say that about all your missions, but Emily isn’t like us,” Charlie insists. “She knows what these men are capable of, and face it, Hawke, you aren’t getting any younger.”
“Alright, alright, I get the point. I’ll talk to Em tonight,” I reassure her.
“Are you ready for the mission, Hawke?” Mark now asks to silence his wife.
Grunting, Charlie tells Mark that changing the subject won’t stop her nagging. Pulling his wife in close, Mark kisses the top of her forehead and assures her that every possible safeguard has been put in place to ensure that nothing goes wrong.
Turning my way, he places a file in front of me with the details provided by Gerrick Alexandria. The information we received from Gerrick details where in Bojayá Antonio plans to exchange the stolen arms and whom to.
Liam, Quinn, and I are leaving at dawn so that we can land at El Dorado airport and make our way to Antonio’s compound before sunset. Jackson has arranged for some locals to pick us up and transport us to Emily’s mother’s village. From there, we are on our own.
According to the intel from Gerrick, it disclosed how Antonio had seized the shipment from the storage facility in Virginia, which he then shipped to his compound near the township of Bojayá.
When Emily and I had lunch last week, I knew Antonio had been sighted in Virginia, but she was already on edge, so I kept that information to myself. I know it’s the wrong move, keeping Antonio’s presence a secret, but there is already an element of danger associated with this mission, and I don’t need Emily’s fears compounding it further.
“I’m guessing you haven’t told her about Antonio’s frequented visits over the last three months.”
I swear that woman is a mind reader.
My admission may be cowardice, but at least it’s honest. “Emily is terrified of him as it is, Charlie. I can’t predict what she’ll do if I tell her he’s been trying to find her.”
“What happens if he finds her?” she challenges. “What will you do then?”
“I’ll save her gorgeous ass and make sure he can never hurt anyone again.”
Rolling her eyes at me, Charlie declares I am no better than her husband.
Picking up the file, I stand and turn to face her one last time before leaving. “Promise me, Charlie, you will watch over Emily while I’m gone.”
The concern in my voice becomes evident as Charlie stands and embraces me, promising that she and Mandi will keep my girl safe until I return. Even though I joke, the worry I feel that Antonio may well indeed find Emily is genuine, and I can only pray that he stays in Bojayá until our mission is complete.
CHAPTERSIX
Emily
“So, tell me, Eric, what has changed since our last appointment?”
When Eric Dean started visiting me six months ago, he’d just returned from his tour in Afghanistan. His wife was concerned that he wasn’t coping and convinced him to talk to someone. Thankfully he listened because it only took one session to determine his post-traumatic stress disorder. Roughly seventeen percent of military personnel will return home from duty with PTSD, but sadly, most won’t seek help.
“The nightmares are starting to fade,” he quietly begins.
The smile that suddenly engulfs his face is addictive, and I instantly find myself mirroring his actions. “And I know it’s not a big thing,” he continues, “but I enjoyed my son’s second birthday party over the weekend.
When I started Eric’s treatment, his wife pleaded with me not to prescribe her husband any anti-depressant medications. I was puzzled at first, but then she elaborated and explained that Eric’s mother had an addiction to prescription medication before her death. I assured her I would assess her husband and determine the appropriate treatment.
With his mother’s medical history in mind, I opted for Cognitive behavioral therapy, or talk therapy as I like to call it. My initial analysis of Eric’s symptoms led me to diagnose him with Uncomplicated PTSD. Because he wasn’t suffering any form of depression or anxiety, I didn’t feel medication was warranted. Eric’s suffering came in the form of nightmares, where he relived the events of his stationing in Afghanistan.
Initially, it was thought Eric had gone AWOL because he refused to rejoin his squad overseas. His commanding officer didn’t understand that Eric needed to remove himself entirely because his team and role within it reminded him of what had happened. It wasn’t until he started his treatment that I managed to rectify any misgivings felt by his commanding officer.
Thankfully Eric has responded better than I’d anticipated, which is why I’m over the moon about the admission of his feelings regarding his son’s birthday. While he may feel it’s only a small step, for me, it’s a major development in his rehabilitation.
“That’s wonderful, Eric,” I congratulate him. “Remember, never undervalue those moments as they are not as minor as you believe them to be.”
