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“Something you can fix?”
“Don’t know.”
Gage eyed him. “You good to go tonight?”
“It’s kids. For them, I’ll put all this shit behind me until they’re home safe. So, yeah, I’m good to go.”
“All right. I’ll make one more round before I settle down myself. If anything changes, let me know. We’re not going to lose anybody.” Gage started off. “Let Sydney know that. If it helps.”
Joel turned his backpack into a pillow and dropped his head on top. His gut told him it wouldn’t change a thing, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t hope.
CHAPTER3
The convoy of vehicles rolled to a stop a few miles from the compound. The full moon and star-ridden sky would put them at a disadvantage, but they would have cover from the trees until they reached EN 140, the national road that spanned from Cariango to Mussende in the Angolan province of Cuanza Sul. Crossing over the different segments of the road would leave them vulnerable, but as Gage had told them repeatedly on the drive over: “Stick with me. Stick to the trees.Stick with me.”
Joel hopped down from the jeep and caught the bag Dez tossed his way. They strapped on body armor, secured helmets, and ensured all their weapons were loaded with extra cartridges on hand. Balaclavas dangled around their necks, which they would pull up once they were closer to their target position.
Adrenaline pushed Joel’s blood through his veins at twice the speed as he adjusted the strap on his night vision goggles.
A gloved hand landed on his shoulder.
“You good, rookie?” Dez asked. “How about I take you for some ice cream after this, hmm? Maybe we could play a game of catch, slugger?”
Anyone who didn’t know them would have probably assumed he was the youngest because of how they treated him, being the new guy. However, that title belonged to Julien. Next was Mike, who was only a couple of months younger than Giorgio. He and Dez were the same age, only a few weeks apart, and with Curtis gone, Gage took the title of the oldest.
“You’re joking, but that would be amazing,” he said.
Dez’s expression turned serious. “What’d I tell you on the first day you started training with us?”
“To never forget why we do this and who we do this for.”
“That will get you from point A,” Dez moved both hands in a slight arc, “to point B. Once you get there, you’ll find the strength to keep going. What helps me is carrying something I can see, hear, smell, feel, or touch that centers me when my mind is elsewhere.”
He nodded.
Right now, all he had was his wedding ring, but after his last conversation with Sydney, he wasn’t sure he wanted to rely on it if things got dire. Instead of ducking, he might open himself up to a shot.
“You have something of Larke’s?” he asked.
“A playlist,” Dez said. “And something else.”
“It’s panties, isn’t it?”
“Of course not.”
Joel flipped the cover down on his goggles. “It’s panties. You’re disgusting.”
“You two boys about ready to head out with the grown-ups?” Gage asked, a rifle perched against his chest.
Joel turned on his goggles. “Yes,Dad.We’re ready.”
CHAPTER4
Their boots sank into the earth with each step, and the scent in the air promised more rain on the horizon. No words were exchanged as they walked, and Julien had granted John and Benarld access to their comm links to coordinate a strategy throughout the operation. They were supposed to be just outside the rainy season, but heat continued to bear down on the region during the day, while heavy rainfall cooled the landscape by the time evening rolled around.
A drop of water fell onto Joel’s goggles.
Rain would provide them both an advantage and a disadvantage—the droplets would cloud their equipment, reducing their visibility, but they would be able to use the sound to further cover their approach.
