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Deadly Obligations
Listened to what she thought was the explosion of hand grenades, and each
sound got louder by the second. A whirring noise filled the air, though she
didn't know what it was or where it originated from.
Abruptly, the air inside the cabin filled with smoke. Gunfire rattled up from
below.
Cathryn sucked in a deep breath. They were shooting up at the helicopter,
and Garrett was still dangling from the rope. Rivera was down on the ground.
She stared in horror as more men seemed to spread into the area from
everywhere, reminding her of the continuous movement of an ant colony.
Cathryn swung her gaze up as another US helicopter passed in front of the
open door less than a hundred feet away. It was of the type that was full of
armor and guns, named “Pave Low” or some such silly name. The electric
auto cannons in its doorways could put out thousands of rounds per minute
on any bastards below. Cathryn looked around the floor of the cabin. Four
of Escara’s men and a crew member lay dead, Bucky and the co-pilot were
wounded, and her girls were safely under the nav table.
The big machine gun swung precariously from side to side. She'd never
witnessed death this close before and the sight terrified her. She shook her
head and trembled, her stomach swayed in unison to the helicopter, churning
and rolling in protest.
“Hold this chopper steady. The Cap’n’s still hanging on,” Bucky yelled to the
front.
Curtis looked back through the open space, shouting to be heard above the
roar of the engines. “Sergeant, if he’s not on board inside of ten seconds,
then I’m outta here.” He turned his head back around, flinching as bullets
pinged off the glass.
“I wouldn't do that, sir!” Bucky hollered back.
Cathryn heard the sound of a gun bolt being drawn back, and turned to see
Kelso standing with a pistol to the head of the pilot.
Curtis jerked his head around, his amazed stare drawn to the loaded weapon
fixed on him. He licked his lips and let out a nervous laugh, then stuttered,
“I, I guess-ss I’ll w-wait.” He smiled weakly, relief flooding his features as
the gun lowered.
“Good idea, sir,” Bucky replied.
Cathryn was impressed. The loyalty of these men was phenomenal. Did her
husband really garner such devotion, such allegiance?
From the looks of the rough and tumble men with Special Ops, apparently
so. Everything about them spoke volumes for the way they felt about
Garrett, and it took her by surprise when she felt the swelling of pride in
their loyalty. Pride in the fact her husband commanded such respect from
men of this caliber.
Seconds seemed to tick by like hours.
Bucky leaned over the side of the helicopter again, extending his right arm
over the side. The wound in his shoulder spurted and formed a pool on the
deck with each bit of exertion.
Cathryn leaned out over the edge. Her heart lurched at the sight of Garrett,
now at the door, hanging on to his sergeant by nothing more than his
fingertips, suspended in midair. She wanted to turn away, to hide from the
terrifying sight, but something inside wouldn't let her. She sensed, rather
than saw, the Pave Lows, at least three, clearing the beach below of most of
the men.
Bucky shouted, his words incoherent against the loud whine of the engines.
“What?” Cathryn asked, leaning closer.
“Son of a bitch! I dropped him!” Bucky looked at Cathryn, a mixture of
horror and denial written on his face.
Cathryn didn't even hesitate. She scooted forward, panic racing through
every inch of her soul. She saw Garrett some twenty feet below on the sand,
still moving. “Go back down. Go down!” Her body leaned out over the edge,
and her balance shifted forward.
Bucky threw his arms around her waist. She pointed to the ground, trying to
get her point across. They had to go back down and get Garrett. He wasn't
hurt that bad, good Lord, they couldn't just leave him there!
Bucky shook his head. “He wouldn't want that.” His eyes told her all she
needed to know. “He’d want us to get the girls out of here.”
Cathryn screamed. She had to make him understand. “We've got to go back
down and get him.”
A voice came in over Bucky’s headset, Cathryn leaned in to hear.
“Two, this is One. Over.” Garrett’s voice was shaky, rushed.
Bucky held his hand to his ear, pushing the ear-piece in tighter. He waved
for the others to be quiet. “One, this is Two. We’re coming back down.
Over.”
Bucky set the mike on loudspeaker, allowing the entire helicopter to hear
the exchange.
Garrett’s voice came back over the airwaves. A disembodied croak, sounding
so close, yet, so far away. “Two, this is One. Negative. Get my girls out of
here. Evacuate the area immediately. Over.”
sound got louder by the second. A whirring noise filled the air, though she
didn't know what it was or where it originated from.
Abruptly, the air inside the cabin filled with smoke. Gunfire rattled up from
below.
Cathryn sucked in a deep breath. They were shooting up at the helicopter,
and Garrett was still dangling from the rope. Rivera was down on the ground.
She stared in horror as more men seemed to spread into the area from
everywhere, reminding her of the continuous movement of an ant colony.
Cathryn swung her gaze up as another US helicopter passed in front of the
open door less than a hundred feet away. It was of the type that was full of
armor and guns, named “Pave Low” or some such silly name. The electric
auto cannons in its doorways could put out thousands of rounds per minute
on any bastards below. Cathryn looked around the floor of the cabin. Four
of Escara’s men and a crew member lay dead, Bucky and the co-pilot were
wounded, and her girls were safely under the nav table.
The big machine gun swung precariously from side to side. She'd never
witnessed death this close before and the sight terrified her. She shook her
head and trembled, her stomach swayed in unison to the helicopter, churning
and rolling in protest.
“Hold this chopper steady. The Cap’n’s still hanging on,” Bucky yelled to the
front.
Curtis looked back through the open space, shouting to be heard above the
roar of the engines. “Sergeant, if he’s not on board inside of ten seconds,
then I’m outta here.” He turned his head back around, flinching as bullets
pinged off the glass.
“I wouldn't do that, sir!” Bucky hollered back.
Cathryn heard the sound of a gun bolt being drawn back, and turned to see
Kelso standing with a pistol to the head of the pilot.
Curtis jerked his head around, his amazed stare drawn to the loaded weapon
fixed on him. He licked his lips and let out a nervous laugh, then stuttered,
“I, I guess-ss I’ll w-wait.” He smiled weakly, relief flooding his features as
the gun lowered.
“Good idea, sir,” Bucky replied.
Cathryn was impressed. The loyalty of these men was phenomenal. Did her
husband really garner such devotion, such allegiance?
From the looks of the rough and tumble men with Special Ops, apparently
so. Everything about them spoke volumes for the way they felt about
Garrett, and it took her by surprise when she felt the swelling of pride in
their loyalty. Pride in the fact her husband commanded such respect from
men of this caliber.
Seconds seemed to tick by like hours.
Bucky leaned over the side of the helicopter again, extending his right arm
over the side. The wound in his shoulder spurted and formed a pool on the
deck with each bit of exertion.
Cathryn leaned out over the edge. Her heart lurched at the sight of Garrett,
now at the door, hanging on to his sergeant by nothing more than his
fingertips, suspended in midair. She wanted to turn away, to hide from the
terrifying sight, but something inside wouldn't let her. She sensed, rather
than saw, the Pave Lows, at least three, clearing the beach below of most of
the men.
Bucky shouted, his words incoherent against the loud whine of the engines.
“What?” Cathryn asked, leaning closer.
“Son of a bitch! I dropped him!” Bucky looked at Cathryn, a mixture of
horror and denial written on his face.
Cathryn didn't even hesitate. She scooted forward, panic racing through
every inch of her soul. She saw Garrett some twenty feet below on the sand,
still moving. “Go back down. Go down!” Her body leaned out over the edge,
and her balance shifted forward.
Bucky threw his arms around her waist. She pointed to the ground, trying to
get her point across. They had to go back down and get Garrett. He wasn't
hurt that bad, good Lord, they couldn't just leave him there!
Bucky shook his head. “He wouldn't want that.” His eyes told her all she
needed to know. “He’d want us to get the girls out of here.”
Cathryn screamed. She had to make him understand. “We've got to go back
down and get him.”
A voice came in over Bucky’s headset, Cathryn leaned in to hear.
“Two, this is One. Over.” Garrett’s voice was shaky, rushed.
Bucky held his hand to his ear, pushing the ear-piece in tighter. He waved
for the others to be quiet. “One, this is Two. We’re coming back down.
Over.”
Bucky set the mike on loudspeaker, allowing the entire helicopter to hear
the exchange.
Garrett’s voice came back over the airwaves. A disembodied croak, sounding
so close, yet, so far away. “Two, this is One. Negative. Get my girls out of
here. Evacuate the area immediately. Over.”
DEADLY OBLIGATIONS
challenges presented to
military wives. I've often
heard that if the Army wanted
their soldiers to have
spouses they would have
issued them. This story will
have readers
understanding exactly how
true that statement can be. "
~Romance Junkies, 5
Ribbons
challenges presented to
military wives. I've often
heard that if the Army wanted
their soldiers to have
spouses they would have
issued them. This story will
have readers
understanding exactly how
true that statement can be. "
~Romance Junkies, 5
Ribbons
Brazenly graphic and filled
with heart pounding action,
only Ms. McHatton, an
ex-Special Forces spouse,
could bring to life this
action-packed tale of danger
and daring with such ease.
~TG Leigh
with heart pounding action,
only Ms. McHatton, an
ex-Special Forces spouse,
could bring to life this
action-packed tale of danger
and daring with such ease.
~TG Leigh
Tamara McHatton
Deadly has never looked so good...
difficulties thrust on the men
country while they attempt to
live a normal home life at the
same time...those who love
a good military suspense
with a douse of reality
thrown in for good measure
are sure to enjoy this story."
~Tammy, Love Romances
country while they attempt to
live a normal home life at the
same time...those who love
a good military suspense
with a douse of reality
thrown in for good measure
are sure to enjoy this story."
~Tammy, Love Romances
| "Heart pumping action from beginning to end . Move over Rambo, there's a new badboy on the block." |
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