Total pages in book: 136
Estimated words: 125037 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 625(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125037 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 625(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
“In what way?” Leila asked.
“The GhostWalkers have enemies, factions who would like to see them wiped out. There have been times when our teams have been set up. We’ve been stranded, without a way home from a very bad situation. We’ve been ambushed. We’ve had men from other countries infiltrate teams we were training, just to assassinate us. It’s necessary for our backup plans to have backup plans. We rely on ourselves. On one another’s teams. We can only trust one another, and we know that. I use information to keep our families safe as well as ensuring our teams come home alive and well.”
Diego kept the pathway open between Leila and him. He needed to know if she would stand with them, even if things took a bad turn and the general refused to cooperate. There was a child involved, and a mother’s instincts were strong. Right now, she felt Grace was safe and secure with Marcy Chariot, but if the general decided to play hardball and hold Grace hostage to get Leila to return, she could so easily cave.
As if reading his mind, Joe brought up the possibility. “I know you have to be worried that they’ll hide Grace from you to force you to return. Trap and Wyatt calculated the odds, and both believe that’s exactly what they’ll do. They’ll try to scare you into complying. Before we go into this meeting with the general, we have to know you’ll stand with us no matter what they say or do.”
Diego felt Leila’s swift intake of breath. She held her air trapped in her lungs until Diego could feel her burning with the need to breathe.
He wrapped his arms around her to lend her his strength. “We would never leave without Grace, Leila. Never. Before we enter the meeting, we’ll know exactly where she is, and if we have to take her from them, we’ll do it. Someone will be on her at all times, ready to take her back.”
Leila shook her head, nearly choking with the inability to take a breath. Diego couldn’t blame her. The thought of losing her daughter was too much.
“Just breathe, sweetheart. Take a breath. In and out. You know how,” he encouraged. “First, know they won’t hurt her. Commander Chariot’s wife is looking after her, and you’ve indicated to me that you don’t worry when Grace is with her. She isn’t going to allow anyone else with your daughter. She’ll most likely be feeling as protective as you always do. You have to trust your instincts. They’ve always indicated the woman is on your side.”
Leila drew in a shuddering breath and clung to him, her fingers digging into his arm. “You might not be able to get to her. They’ll hide her from us, and she’ll be guarded if the general is going to use her to get me to come back.”
Joe leaned toward her, forcing her gaze his way. “I swear to you, Leila, before we go into the meeting, we’ll know exactly where she is and have a plan to get her out if, at the end of the meeting, there is no resolution, or at least one not to our satisfaction.”
“You’ve already set up a meeting?” Diego asked.
“We have,” Ezekiel said. “We have the satellite in place, not just watching to see if the general sends more men to acquire you but to keep an eye on Grace. At the moment she is in Marcy and Phil Chariot’s home. They do have soldiers watching the place, presumably in case we show up to take Grace from them, but we know their exact locations and how many. There is no doubt in our minds we can take her back without bloodshed.”
Leila pressed her lips together. Diego, I want to agree. But what if I panic?
You won’t panic. When push comes to shove, there isn’t any backup in you. Especially when it comes to Grace. If you know there’s a solid plan in place, you’re going to carry out the orders, believing, like me, that we’ll get her back.
You believe they can do it? Even if General Pillar insists they will keep her?
I know we can get her back. Diego poured absolute confidence into his voice and into her mind. You have to decide whether or not you have faith in me. In the two of us and in our GhostWalker teams.
I haven’t been around the teams, Diego. You’re asking me to put my daughter’s life in their hands when I haven’t seen them in action.
Diego chose to take their conversation out of the privacy of telepathy. She needed to know he had complete confidence in his team members. “You’ve seen me in action. My teammates are every bit as capable, and some of them more so.”
She either believed him or she didn’t. He knew it was asking a lot when she really didn’t know him that well, but they’d run out of time. If she couldn’t give her word, they wouldn’t be taking her with them.