Chapter 26:
Christian woke up to find Ana sitting on the edge of the bed pulling on black boots. His eyes scanned over her body. She was dressed in complete black with her hair pulled back in a tight ponytail. As always, he was in awe of her. Even her back was beautiful! She turned slightly when she heard him sigh.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you so soon." She softly whispered. She climbed up into the bed and settled next to him.
"I thought you would be wearing those cammies." He said with low chuckle. Christian was trying to fight his nervousness. He knew that she could get hurt. He didn't want to think about this. It would drive him crazy knowing that he had no control over this situation. He kissed the top of her head and inhaled her fresh essence.
"I can't wear cammies when walking out of Escala." She hugged him. She didn't want this moment to end. She wanted to stay in bed with Christian for the rest of her life. "I know this is hard for you…being out of control. I didn't want this. I begged Uncle Charlie to leave this with Dad, but when the Senator got involved…"
"I understand." He pulled Ana on top of him so he could look into her beautiful eyes. "Baby, I hate the fact that I can't do shit to help you. I hate not being in control, but you are in control and I trust you. I trust you with my business, my office issues, and most importantly, with my heart." He stretched forward and kissed the end of her sweet upturned nose. "We will be okay, baby."
Ana nodded. She rolled off him and sat next to him. "I have three things I need to say to you, baby. First and most importantly, I love you more than I have ever loved anyone in my life. I will love you for the rest of my life, until my dying breath, and even beyond. I will love you for eternity. Second, I can't wear any jewelry when on mission. I need you to take this ring off my finger and promise to put it back on when I get back." She offered her left hand to him. He frowned but gently slid his engagement ring off her finger. He grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips. He kissed the place where her ring would sit, then gently sucked on it. He turned her palm toward him and repeated the kiss.
"My ring is still there but in form of a kiss."
"Oh Christian." She breathed. She leaned forward and kissed him softly on the lips.
"The third thing, when I get back and you put that ring back on my finger, I want to get married as soon as possible. I don't want to wait."
Her declaration made Christian's heart race wildly in excitement. He wanted the same thing. He didn't want to wait anymore either. "I thought you might want a big wedding."
She shook her head. "No, I don't need a big lavish wedding. I just need you. We can get married here at Escala for all I care with my Dad and your parents. I don't want a wedding, Christian, I want a marriage." Christian cupped her face gently with his large hands. They stared into each other's eyes getting lost in their love for each other.
"Kiss me, baby." His voice was deep and full of emotion. He pulled her close and their lips meshed. His tongue gained entrance into her mouth to taste her sweetness. Their tongues danced together trying to become a part of each other. "I will always love you, Ana."
"I have to go." She whispered. He could see that she didn't want to leave him, but duty called. "It's time."
"I'll walk you down." He pulled back the sheet to reveal his gray sleeping pants that fit snug about his hips.
"No, just to the service elevator. You can't be seen until it's time for you to go to work. Appearances have to be kept." She stood up and gave him room to swing his long legs out of bed. He stood up and pulled her close. "Christian, I will come home, I promise."
"I know." He whispered. They walked quietly from their bedroom, down the hallway and into the great room. He held her close with his arm about her waist as they made their way to the service elevator. "Will you be able to call me?"
"I will try." She looked down not wanting to show the tears that were building up in her eyes. He forced her chin up with one strong finger. "Forgive me." She whispered.
"For what, baby ?"
"For what I might have to do today." Her blue eyes pleaded with him for absolution.
"There's nothing to forgive baby. You have a job to do and you have to do it." He rubbed her shoulders. Christian leaned forward and kissed her tears away then captured her mouth once again. They kissed until they heard someone clearing their voice. They looked up to see Taylor standing before them with his hands folded behind his back. "Be careful, baby. Come back to me."
"I will." She promised. She kissed him one last time as the doors opened. "Stay close to Luke."
"You sound like me now." Christian laughed. He watched her step into the elevator with Taylor beside her. He looked at his head security with hard eyes. "You keep her safe, Taylor."
"I will, sir." Jason replied with a nod.
Ana gave him a sad smile and mouthed "I love you" as the elevator doors slowly closed.
xxXXxx
Not a word was spoken as the team was transported from Escala in a service van to a small airfield where two "Yankees", also known as UH1Y Hueys waited for the team. They were led into a hanger where they could change quickly into cammies, including Taylor. Ana went to the Lieutenant and handed him a hair tie. He knew she wanted her hair braided. He quickly plaited her thick hair and bound it to keep it from her eyes. He turned her around and pulled tight on the straps that held her body armour tight. She smiled up at him. "Ahhh, Lieutenant, you do care."
"Just got to keep the boss alive." He said lowly. He nodded toward Taylor who was checking and rechecking his side arm. "Why is he here?"
"He is a former Marine and we can use another boot on the ground." She looked over to the man who she did admire. "Besides, him here keeps Christian out of the way."
"Oh yeah, I forgot how protective your fiancé is." Marks shrugged. "Of course, I find that fuckin funny since you are more than capable of taking care of yourself."
"It gives him a piece of mind." Ana gave him a smack on his arm. "Let's get this shit going. I would like to be back in Seattle for supper tonight."
"Dream on, Cap'n."
Taylor was not the kind of man who was not surprised by much in life. He had witnessed some wacked out shit as a Marine and as head of security for Grey he had been on the sidelines for some sick shit but when he saw Ana take the pilot's seat of the "Yankee" and start through the preflight procedures he nearly fainted. There was nothing in her files about being a pilot. Who was this woman? He was in lost in his wonderment that he never noticed the take off.
Radio silence was kept between the two "Yankees" since all maneuvers were preplanned. Within moments, they were turning to the south and west and accelerating in speed. Meeting up with Ray in his office in the AM was scraped and they would continue to their destination. Time was not on their side and every minute was precious, since intelligence led them to believe that the cargo of humans would leave earlier than planned.
"ETA 22 minutes." Ana said through the headsets. "We will be landing in a predetermined area north of the city to make contact with the F.B.I., ATF, and Homeland agents. Roll through the plan…maintain radio silence."
Taylor only nodded while the rest of the team acknowledged her announcement. The excitement of being on mission made his heart race. He knew next to nothing about what is to happen, but he trusted Ana and her team. Like a good soldier, he would follow orders and do what he is told. He understood that he was on the "need to know" program.
Once again, silence ruled as the "Yankees" landed in a remote area. The team went to work securing their gear and camouflaging their aircraft. Lieutenant Marks motioned to Ana when a dark all terrain vehicles approached. After their gear was loaded up, the teams were transported to their predetermined posts to set up surveillance and their sniper's nests. Communication was minimal. Taylor fell in behind Ana following her lead.
Team One consisted of Ana, Sgt. Tank Carrew, Cpl. Swanson, and Jason Taylor who were stationed on a gentle rise that faced the entrance road that led to a metal building. Scoping out the terrain, the team counted five armed guards, two drivers, two semi-trucks that were backed up to a concrete platform with the metal doors rolled open to spy into the building. Team Two that included Lt. David Marks, Sgt. Ricky Higgs, Cpl. Robert Smith and Cpl. Pamela Tiller were stationed behind the building. Besides providing coverage, they were in charge of thermal scanning of the building and reporting that information to the agents on the ground. ATF, F.B.I. and Homeland Security Agents were waiting on the main road for the signal for go forward. Ana smiled sideways at Taylor as she settled into her sniper pose on her stomach with her hat turned backwards. She wore amber colored glasses to protect her eyes and there was an earpiece in her left ear. Tank was fifty feet away going through the same set up as Cpl. Swanson sat behind them watching their back.
As predetermined, Team One was to take out the tires on the semi, take out anyone who had a firearm or attempted to escape. Team Two had the same orders to take out anyone armed and trying to escape and to keep scanning the building.
"I need verification of hostages." Ana whispered into the remote microphone that was attached to her collar.
"Thermal imaging has biological in the both trucks." Cpl. Tiller replied. "There are at least ten people in the building, moving about in different rooms and hallways. Ma'm, this is not a farm implement building."
"No shit." Ana said to herself. She signaled to Tank counting down. Five, four, three, two, one…. Rifle fire exploded taking out the front tires of both trucks, then the guards began to drop. Taylor knew that Ana brought down at least two men. "Bring 'em in, Cpl. Swanson."
"Check, Steele." A voice came through the earpiece.
"Check, Marks." She moved just a bit to scope through the opening and exposed windows. "We have five guards and two drivers down in forward positions. No movement from building."
"Check. We have six guards down, thermal is showing movement in the middle of the building."
"Keep scanning, relay information to ground agents." Ana used her scope to scout the area. Her eagle eyes scanned the building. There was no movement coming from the building and she could hear the ground agents moving in from the main road. She kept on scope, just in case someone opens fired on the approaching agents. Her attention went to a window and she caught a glimpse of shocking blonde hair. Elena! She so wanted to pull the trigger, but she was under orders to only take out those who were armed or avoiding arrest. As far as she could see, Elena was unarmed and not making a move to escape. "Fuck." Ana said aloud. She smiled at Taylor then went back to her reconnaissance. "So, Jason, how much have you reported back to Christian?"
Taylor's mouth fell open. She just blew away a couple of men and she was calmly asking him about his boss, her fiancé. "I…"
She chuckled lowly. "Why do you think I brought you? I knew you would keep him informed and it kept him out of harm's way." She gave him a wink. "I couldn't have him here." Taylor had to laugh at the way that she played him. The girl was intelligent. She sighed in relief as the ground forces arrived and spread out over the compound, checking the down bodies for life, securing the perimeter and then moving onto to the trucks.
"We have movement toward the back of the building." A voice said through her earpiece.
"Lay down a containment firing pattern." Ana replied back. In the distance, she could hear gunfire. "Shoot anyone who attempts to leave that building. I am moving down to the compound to search for the Varner kid."
"Cap'n, take backup." The voice said lowly.
"I will." Ana coded out and then threw a small stone to get Tank's attention. Through hand signals, she informed him that she was moving forward. He only nodded letting her know that he would provide cover. She turned and gave the same hand signals to Swanson who gave the thumbs up.
With Taylor behind her, Ana made her way toward the compound, giving her position to Lt. Marks and the leader of the ground force that she was about to join. Gunfire rang out once again from inside the building. By the time, Ana made it to the first semi-truck, Brewster Lincoln was declared dead, Jack Hyde was wounded severely and Elena Lincoln was in custody. ATF agents were starting their search of the building, while FBI agents unloaded the truck and attempted to get information on the victims. Ana walked through the women who were mostly young girls, full of fear and confusion. They were dressed in t-shirts and underwear. She overheard one agent say that one trailer contained twenty young girls and the other trailer had twelve late-teen girls and three little boys under the age of seven. She searched the faces of the girls looking for the fourteen-year-old daughter of Senator Varner. She quickly searched every face hoping to find a match to the face that burned in her memory. The FBI gave the clear for paramedics, ambulances, and the Montesano Police force to come forward. She goes to the other group of hostages to look for Gabrielle Varner. She is about to leave when a little boy takes hold of her leg. She looked down into the sweetest face that stared back at her with watery brown eyes.
"I want my Mama." He cried.
Ana bent down and took him into her arms. "We will find your Mama, sweetie. Listen no one will hurt you now. You are safe. All these people around us are here to help you and keep you safe." She gave him a little kiss on the cheek. "What's your name, honey?"
"Jesse."
"Where you hurt, Jesse?" She lowly asked. He shook his head but looked down not wanting to look her in the eyes. She understood completely. "I won't let anyone hurt you."
"Mama? Is she…" He shivered and Ana knew that he must have seen something horrible.
"I don't know honey." She could hear voices coming through her earpiece that the ATF team was moving slowly through the building, checking and rechecking rooms. She was about to ask Jesse another question when she learned that Elena had escaped her FBI agent and had gone back into the building. "Jesse, see this man?" He nodded when he looked behind to see Taylor. "He is a Marine, and he will make sure that you are kept safe. Will you go with him?"
"A Marine? My dad is a Marine." Jesse said wide-eyed and nodded. Ana handed him over to a shocked Taylor.
"Watch after him, Taylor…he's a Marine Brat." She didn't give him any more information. She jumped onto the platform, drew her side arm, and started into the building without backup. "Lt. Marks, I need thermal imaging on my position."
"Crap, Captain, you are in the building?" The Lieutenant exclaimed. "Damn it."
"Varner is not in the trucks and one suspect has escaped custody." She returned giving her explanation.
Lieutenant David Marks handed over command to Sgt. Ricky Higgs and ordered him to keep track of the Captain and give her all the information he could. Marks shook his head swearing that he would risk dishonorable discharge and beat the shit out of Anastasia Steele for breaking protocol. "Shit, her Dad will kill me!"