He did so. Explanation had to be quick. “The Americans we’re after are behind us and are coming down here. No idea what’s going on, but the rogue SEAL has taken off with the two prisoners. I have a feeling they’re trying to figure out who you are and what’s happening.”
Hawk didn’t turn to look at him, his focus on shooting down the easy targets holding the lanterns. “How many?” he asked.
“Can’t tell. One tried to get me alive, obviously to ask questions, but my guide is fighting him. There were two men with the SEAL earlier today, so at least two I know of. I need to go after the boat that just took off, Hawk. Surya’s on it. So are the prisoners.”
“Cucumber!” Hawk barked out.
“Aye, Sir!”
“Take Ryan on the rubber ducky and chase that fucking SEAL on the boat.” Hawk finally turned. His voice was calm as he headed off toward the woods with his weapon. “Put on the spare helmet to talk to Declan. Jazz, you’re leading the raid. Zo, you and I are going hunting back there.”
“Aye, Sir!”
“Copy!”
“My guide—Gasi—is the very short one. You can’t miss him,” Kirk added as he donned Hawk’s helmet.
A tall, dark shape loomed near him. That must be the coxswain, the one in charge of the boat.
“Follow me,” the man said.
“Cucumber?” Kirk asked, recognizing the fellow. “Umm…Lucas?”
Cucumber was a strange moniker for a SEAL to have. The man’s teeth were very white in the moonlight.
“Let’s go for a boat ride, young man. Hope you don’t get too seasick.”
* * * *
“I knew you weren’t just a friend to a bunch of thieves. I don’t recognize you, so you can’t be working for MacKenzie. You’re part of the American negotiating team, aren’t you?”
Surya nodded. “And you’re the kidnapper.” She glanced at the two people lying face down on the boat, with the man’s weapon pointed at them. “But why are Americans kidnapping our people and using Abu Sayyeh terrorists to front them? That’s the confusing part.”
The man laughed bitterly. “Yeah, that’s the million dollar question. You shouldn’t be here. Now you’re probably going to die.”
Surya cocked her head. “Probably?”
The boat was slowly picking up speed after navigating past several other dark shapes. From the sounds of combat behind them, she guessed they belonged to the SEAL team Kirk had been telling her about.
Kirk.
She pushed her worry for him firmly out of her mind. He was all right back there. He wouldn’t come running after her when there was a firefight happening.
“It all depends on how good you negotiate.”
“You got a name? Hard to negotiate without names. Mine’s Surya.”
“Mark. These two here are your scientists. It took me two days to figure out where those two-faced fuckers had hidden them. Now, what I want to know is, if you aren’t with MacKenzie, who are those fucking SEALs who suddenly appeared out of nowhere? I can recognize a CRRC sitting on the river even if I were blindfolded.”
“Must be because you’re a SEAL too, right? From that tattoo?” Surya asked. She slowly took a step closer. “So, you took the prisoners from the terrorists. What’s up with that? I thought you and they were buddies.”
Mark waved his weapon and pointed it to the right. “That’s close enough. You can sit down right there.” He angled his face toward the front of the boat. “How much further to the island, Jackson?”
“Fifteen to twenty minutes, depending on conditions.”
“Good. We’ll meet the rocket deadline.”
Surya frowned. “Island? You’re heading to where they have the rocket? But isn’t that defeating your purpose then?”
