Forget Me Never by Sable Hunter (spicy books to read .TXT) 📕

“The Major,” venom dripped from his voice as he spoke the word, “has given us our next assignment and I want you to listen carefully.”  Patrick turned away from his friend.

“Sir. . .”

“Do not interrupt again, Soldier.”

“Sir, yes sir, Captain.” Hawke grew nervous. His friend must have something terribly worrisome in mind to be so cold and distant. He wondered what he saw on the horizon that captivated him so.

Jayco and Hawke listened as their Captain, and friend, relayed their orders to them without an ounce of warmth. What could he be so worried about?  They had stormed hundreds of buildings. Usually, Hawke, the darkest-skinned member of the team, splintered first for reconnaissance, Jayco then flanked and took out targets marked by Hawke and finally Patrick bursts in with guns a-blazing to clear the area. This time, Patrick had ordered the men to cover him and let him enter first, alone.

“The doctor had been feeding us information on the terrorists for months. The Major told us he is locked in a cell beneath the ground of the prison known as ‘the pit.’ Our orders are to infiltrate the prison with as few casualties as possible, preferably undetected, retrieve the good doctor and escort him personally back to the Land of the Free. I will be going in alone, Men. Keep me covered. Find your cover, install your silencers and ensure my safe entrance. Give me ten minutes, if I don’t come out, you are to return to your post in Kabul and await further instruction. Those are your orders. Have I made myself perfectly clear?”

“Sir, yes Sir,” the men exclaimed in unison.

For the first time since being deployed to Afghanistan, Patrick did not feel safe. He was flawlessly trained, impeccably skilled and his body had been finely tuned to handle whatever a battle might throw at him. However, this time his enemy had more power over him than any combatant. His enemy hid under the guise of an American Major and Patrick did not know what Lucas had planned for him.

Patrick could feel things sometimes. He wouldn’t say he was exactly psychic or anything.  Maybe, he just had good intuition. But sometimes, he just had a little more insight than other folks did.  The face Those d seen in the well was Savannah, indeed. The nightmare he had dreamed about his parents had come true.  And now, recalling the “top secret” mission passed to him by the Major, a feeling of dread and danger swamped his senses.  Something was terribly, terribly wrong.  He was about to walk into The Pit – willingly, and that was enough, but it wasn’t the worst to come – he could just feel it.

The Pit was infamous.  For years, most of the western world thought that it was legend.  Unfortunately, it wasn’t.  Once you were put in this hell-hole, rarely did the unfortunate prisoner ever see the light of day again.  The Pit sneaks up on you. Its gates are made of rock, the same color of the sand whirling in the wind around them. For his men, finding vantage to cover him will be easy. The sand rolls into hills and dunes for miles. Patrick is the one who will be walking into the valley of death.

“Go, Men. Get into position. Keep me covered until I enter the fortress and then let the timer begin. Remember, ten minutes and you leave.”

“Sir, yes Sir.” The men wanted to say something else, ask him what’s wrong, beg him to stay, accompany him into the prison, but their orders are solid.

“And Fellas, Jayco, Hawke, it has been a pleasure to serve with you.” With a salute, Patrick marched away.

Reality slowed down to a crawl as Patrick neared the gates. There were no sounds, no visuals, no sign that there were any living things in the prison at all, not even a prisoner. The thought crossed Patrick’s mind to go back. Everything screamed trap.  However, if the doctor died, or gave any information while under “pressure,” it would be Patrick’s fault and the Stockade would keep him farther from Savannah than the War did.  Besides, he couldn’t handle the death of an innocent man on his conscience.

The courtyard held nothing. There were no guards or cameras. The wind danced around the prison and the eeriness of its song chilled Patrick to the bone. Patrick’s eyes glazed over, a military trick to detect motion. He lost detail as his approached the door. There was no lock. Was he expected here?

The door squeaked easily open and revealed an empty room. Patrick took a deep breath. No ambush. He was too paranoid. This would be a good story to tell Sav. . .

As he thought, he took a step forward and heard, “click.” First he saw a white light, and then he heard a wailing whistle.  And when the blast hit, it was like being swept away by the winds of hell.  Patrick had one thought – Savannah – but he didn’t have time to scream.

“PATRICK!” Hawke bellowed when he saw the explosion. Was this a trap? Faulty intel? The building still stood but smoke billowed out of the door Patrick had just entered. He dropped his rifle and began to run to The Pit. Jaycograbbed him around his shoulders and held him.

“No, Hawke. It might not be safe.”

“Fuck safe, Jake, that’s our fucking captain in there! And our friend!”

At that moment, a hissing voice erupted from their walkie-talkies. “Eyes in the sky saw an explosion. Please advise. Over.”

“There was an explosion in the pit, Patri – err, the Captain was inside. No sign of him, Sir. Over.” Jayco wanted no trouble.

“You two report back to Kabul for debriefing. Stay safe. We don’t want any more casualties. Over.”

“More casualties?!?!” Hawke burst, “How do you know Patrick is dead?!!?”

“Don’t question me, Lieutenant. The explosion looked bad from up here. For the safety of you and the men, and to keep me from slapping your maggot-ass with a section 8, you get