Curvy Goddess Series

Book 8

Leila Lacey

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by an information storage and retrieval system-except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review to be printed in a magazine, newspaper, or on the web -without permission in writing from the author.

Editor: Leanore Elliott

Leila Lacey Copyright © 2016

A Marine AH-1 Super Cobra-Viper landed on the backside of the complex in the still darkness. “Okay, Daniel, Tim, Lionel and I will go in the complex back here,” Gavin said pointing to the map of the compound where Nya and Angelo were being held.

Greigo Gutiérrez had purchased his hiding place from the US military a little over two year ago. The Pentagon had been trying to decide between bulldozing the complex to the ground or handing it over to Afghan forces, which had been troubled by accusations of corruption, including collusion in the country’s vast opium trade.

It was in the sands of southwestern Afghanistan, larger than a football field with the hefty price tag of thirty four million dollars. Gavin had discovered where Gutiérrez was hiding just three days ago and now, they were on their way to rescue Angelo and Nya.

“Sal, you, Oliver and Nick are going to go in here, while we’re keeping Gutiérrez and his men preoccupied. Our people inside say he has more than forty people guarding the place, so as soon as we set off the first grenade, you guys need to haul ass.” He pointed to a medium sized rather posh building, if that word can be used for a military headquarters complex in a place like Afghanistan.

It had a massive command and control center, the size of which rivals that at the U.S. Central Command Headquarters in Tampa or the Supreme Allied Headquarters in Europe. With three presidential style security bedrooms to keep the important people safe.

With Jackie’s help, Gavin and his team had been able to ascertain those rooms were where he would be holding Nya and Angelo. “…Away from here, so you can get back to the Humvee, and back to this chopper too, and you will haul ass out of danger. Are we clear?”

“Yes. Gavin we’re clear!” Sal replied. “But what about all of you?” He had fought hard to be here helping to rescue Nya, there was no way Sal wasn’t going to be there to help rescue his wife and child and he wasn’t going to hesitate to help, no matter what.

Then there was Nick who had to make a lot of promises to his wife to come home safely, along with Phoenix promising to kill everyone that was left living if Nick didn’t return in the same condition he’d left in.

Gavin had fought them tooth and nail about coming. “I have to do it, get my son and your wife then get out,” Gavin had said when Sal had said he was going along. “I won’t have time to babysit you three!”

“I’m a grown ass man Gavin!” Sal had yelled at him, standing nose to nose. “That’s my wife my child over there. I’m not sitting by the phone like some woman waiting for you to call and tell me if she’s safe or not. We go with you or we go without you, but I told Nya I would always be there for her, and I would always protect her and our family. So I’m going! Besides that, you just had to fire and imprison more than half your strike team. You don’t know who you can trust and you’re the one who said you have doubts if just the three of you could pull this off alone.”

Gavin had shook his head. “Sal, I need you to do what I say when I say! The trained mercenaries are all going to be less than half a mile away, doing their best to kill us. I don’t want to have to try and explain to Vixen or even Phoenix how their husbands got hurt. So you three, Nya and my son will have your asses on this chopper ten minutes after we breach the gate! Period!”

“I will make sure we’re ALL here and that we leave no matter what,” Nick replied staring at Sal and Oliver.

Sal was terrified, but the need to save his wife was bigger and more powerful than any other feeling he could have.

As they all prepared to disembark the helicopter and get into the two Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle, known as the MRAP. If there were a vehicle that could protect them from any assault or counter roadside bomb attacks during this operation, it would be the MRAP. Truly, a multipurpose vehicle, the MATV was able to operate in every area of the battlefield and served such functions as command and control, troop transport, shelter carrier, towed weapons mover, armament carrier, TOW missile system carrier and even ambulance.

Sal, Oliver and Nick watched them all load their weapons. They were strapping on everything from a Mark nineteen to the M240 Machinegun. Lionel was going to be manning that weapon from the main peak terrain where he could see over the entire compound as their back up. The M240 would provide continuous and high rate of fire to engage long-range targets.

Gavin handed Sal, Oliver and Nick all a M9 berretta “Are you ready to use this?” he asked Sal.

He nodded swallowing hard as he held the weapon in his hands.

“Sal, I need to know if you can protect my son by any means necessary! Are you ready?” Gavin asked him again. He was normally very tolerant and patient with everyone. But this—this was life and death and he had no time for hand holding.

“I’m ready!” Sal finally replied looking up at him confidently.

Gavin stared at him for a moment.

They all thought he might ask Sal to stay behind.

Nick tapped Gavin on the shoulder. “He’s got it. Let’s roll.”

They all loaded into their separate vehicles and headed toward the entry spot. When they got there, they disembarked the vehicles getting into position. It was only minutes before the first explosion went off followed by rapid gunshots into the pitch black night. Sirens blared in the distance. Sal, Oliver and Nick ran for the building Gavin had told them to run to.

Sal could feel the fear creep into him as his heart beat so fast, it felt as though it was trying to escape from his chest. Getting closer and closer with each ragged breath. The cool night air coursed through his lungs and dried his already parched throat. He hadn't kept track of how fast and far they’d been running, when they came up on the entrance that would take them to Nya and Angelo.

“Okay, fellas we’re gonna find Nya first,” Sal spoke. “She’ll more than likely know where Angelo is. We get him and haul ass out of here!”

“Okay,” the guys replied nervously.

Shooting the lock and kicking the door open, Sal led them up a long concrete set of winding steps. They weren’t sure how many flights they had gone up.

Sal looked like he was sure he was on the verge of death when they finally came to the door of the room Nya was in. He also looked winded and exhausted. Kicking the door in, he walked into the room, gun raised to shoot whoever got between him and his wife.

Oliver stood close behind with his gun lowered but ready to fire if he had to.

“SAL!” Nya yelled running from behind another door into her husband’s arms.

Sal wrapped Nya in a bear hug squeezing the breath out of her body as he planted kisses all over her face while simultaneously saying, “Oh Baby, I missed you so much! Are you okay? I promise I will never let anything bad happen to you again. Did they hurt you?”

“I’m okay, I’m all right…” was all Nya could say reveling in being back in her husband arms and trying to hold back her tears.

“Guys, I really hate to break this up but we need to find Angelo and get the hell out of here!” Nick said from the hallway just as another explosion went off, rocking the very ground they stood on.

They could hear the screams of men dying or getting injured after each explosion or firing of weapons.

There was a man calling for some of the men to get to the building and get the hostages in Spanish.

“Aww shit! He’s just sent them here! We gotta get the fuck out of here. Baby, do you know where Angelo is?” Sal asked Nya.

“He’s two doors down with the nanny! I think she carries a gun,” Nya said quickly

Taking the safety off the gun, Sal replied, “That’s okay. So do I, and I’m not taking bullshit today!”

“God, you are sexy when you’re playing Rambo!” Nya said kissing him again.

“Wait till we get home,” Sal promised pinching her butt.

“Okay, come on ladies. Do you want to give your gun to Nya?” Nick asked.

Turning toward him, Sal squinted his eyes in anger giving him the finger. “Maybe I should shoot your ass in the leg to show how prepared I am to fire a gun. Gavin trained me five days a week for three months to use this. I got it.”

“I’m sure the worst he can do is shoot himself in the foot,” Oliver joked, his Brit accent thick.

“Alright, let’s go,” Sal said looking around the corner down the hall to make sure no one was there.

They all walked down the hall, Sal leading with Nick and Oliver following up the rear to watch their backs. They could hear that the explosions, shouting and gunfire were getting closer and closer to their location.

“Sal, we really gotta get the hell out of here man,” Nick suggested nervously.

“This is his room,” Nya told Sal when they got to the door.

“Okay. You all STAY HERE! I’m going to go in and get Angelo,” Sal told them.

Normally, Oliver and Nick for that matter would argue with him, but they knew there was no time. They nodded in agreement.

Kicking the door open, Sal went into the room to find Angelo. There was no one in the room that he could see. He ran to the crib and grabbed him.

When he turned to leave, he was confronted by one of Greigo’s men.

He must’ve been hiding behind the door and he was now holding a gun to Nya’s head. “Drop the gun!” the man ordered.

Before he could even think another thought, Oliver put the gun he carried to the back of his head and pulled the trigger.

Nya screamed holding her ears at the explosive sound of the gunshot near her ear, as blood splattered on her face from the man’s head Oliver had just put a large hole in.

Oliver stared at the gun in disbelief as the man crumpled to the floor.

Sal, Nya and Nick stared at Oliver in shock.

Approaching him, Sal put his fist up for a fist bump whispering, “Thank you.” He grabbed Nya’s hand and handed Angelo to Nick. “Come on ladies, those gunshots are getting closer and closer.” He took the lead, heading back toward the Humvee and getting them to safety.

The blood pounding in her ears clogged Nya’s brain, as she launched into a full on run with Sal, Nick and Oliver, round pregnant belly and all. They had their arms stretched out in front of them as they ran, moving the brush and bushes that were in their path.

They tried to pick up the pace but a very pregnant Nya was running as fast as she could in her condition. Finally, coming to the clearing where the truck was, they boarded the truck.

Sal jumped in the driver’s seat and took off toward the helicopter just as Gavin had instructed.

“What about Gavin?” Nya asked.

“We can’t wait baby! We have a plan in place, so don’t worry. I’m sure Gavin is fine!” Sal yelled to make sure Nya could hear him over all the gunshots and explosions.

“Sal, they know we are gone man! I can hear them saying they’re coming after us,” Nick yelled holding a two way radio. Watching behind them for any sign of Greigo’s men.

“They have to catch us first!” Sal exclaimed speeding down the sand covered road. All he could think about was getting his wife and child to safety. Nothing else mattered, he put the pedal to the metal, praying Gavin made it out.

They arrived at the chopper, jumping out they ran toward to the chopper and jumped in.

“GO, GO, GO!” Sal yelled at the pilot helping Nya onto the aircraft and getting her buckled in a seat. He let his hands rest upon her knees as he took two deep breaths. In through his nose…out through his mouth. Fear was starting to catch up to him.

Wiping away the beads of sweat from his forehead, he heard a blaring horn of an approaching vehicle, as the chopper slowly started to lift off the ground. Looking outside the helicopter, Sal could see Daniel speeding toward them beeping the horn. With an injured Gavin in the seat next to him and a jeep with three men rolling up close behind them firing machine guns at them.

“Wait! Wait!” Sal yelled at the pilot getting behind the .50 Cal machine gun that was mounted on the helicopter. A barrage of drumfire sounded as Sal shot at the men who were chasing Gavin and Daniel. Giving Daniel time to drag Gavin out of the car and get to the helicopter.

Nick jumped out to help Daniel, who they could now see was also injured.

“DANIEL LOOK OUT!” Nya screamed.

Nick ran to Gavin’s side helping to drag him.

Sal knew if he thought about it, if he let his fear freeze him now…They would all die. He hit the jeep the men were in with three rounds before it exploded as their helicopter took off. “BABY! LOOK! I blew something up!” Sal exclaimed whooping it up until he glanced over his shoulder.

Nya was on her knees next to Gavin trying to assess his injuries.

Gavin looked to be near death. “Angelo, Angelo,” he sputtered blood shooting out of his mouth, as he asked about his son.

“He’s here! He’s right here.” Nick said holding Angelo up, so Gavin could see he was safe. Terrified but safe.

Gavin then passed out, knowing that his son was now safe and sound.

“Greigo shot him a bunch of times. Before Gavin beat him to death. With his bare hands,” Daniel explained, leaning against a seat with an injury of his own in his leg from a bear trap.

“What about Tim and Lionel?” Sal asked.

To which Daniel simply shook his head to indicate they hadn’t made it.

“Baby is he—?” Sal started to ask Nya.

“We have to get him to a hospital NOW! It’s bad Sal!” Nya said crying but trying to hold her composure, and praying she wasn’t about to watch one of her good friends die.