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| Powered by Platinum Coast Systems, SUITE Magazine, and Evan Scott. All images and material ©2006 |
Deadly Obligations
She felt, more than heard, the explosion on the outside of the aircraft. Heard
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. Poor 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 she remembered from her open house days at Fort Bragg,
named “Pave Low” or some such silly name. The electric auto cannons in its
doorways could put out thousands of rounds per minute on the bastards on
the ground. 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.
Cathryn had never witnessed death this close before. The sight alone was
terrifying. She shook her head and trembled, unsure if she could hold her
stomach down or not.
The big machine swung precariously from side to side, scaring the living hell
out of her. 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 Stevens hollered back.
Cathryn heard the sound of a metal 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.
Licking his lips, he let out a nervous laugh, swallowed hard, and 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 these rough and tumble men of Special Ops, apparently
so. Everything about them spoke volumes for the way they felt about
Garrett, and it took her by surprise that she felt pride in their loyalty. Pride
in the fact that her husband commanded such respect from men of this
caliber.
Seconds ticked by like hours.
Bucky leaned over the side of the helicopter again, extending his right arm
over the side. The wound in his shoulder formed a pool on the deck with each
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 from the door 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 into Bucky.
“Son of a bitch! I dropped him!” Bucky looked at Cathryn, a mixture of
horror and denial written all over his face.
Cathryn didn't even hesitate. She scooted forward, panic racing through
every inch of her soul. Seeing Garrett some twenty feet below on the sand,
still moving. “Go back down. Go down!” Her body leaned out over the edge,
she felt her balance shift 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!
“He wouldn't want that.” Bucky shook his head, his eyes telling 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.”
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. Poor 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 she remembered from her open house days at Fort Bragg,
named “Pave Low” or some such silly name. The electric auto cannons in its
doorways could put out thousands of rounds per minute on the bastards on
the ground. 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.
Cathryn had never witnessed death this close before. The sight alone was
terrifying. She shook her head and trembled, unsure if she could hold her
stomach down or not.
The big machine swung precariously from side to side, scaring the living hell
out of her. 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 Stevens hollered back.
Cathryn heard the sound of a metal 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.
Licking his lips, he let out a nervous laugh, swallowed hard, and 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 these rough and tumble men of Special Ops, apparently
so. Everything about them spoke volumes for the way they felt about
Garrett, and it took her by surprise that she felt pride in their loyalty. Pride
in the fact that her husband commanded such respect from men of this
caliber.
Seconds ticked by like hours.
Bucky leaned over the side of the helicopter again, extending his right arm
over the side. The wound in his shoulder formed a pool on the deck with each
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 from the door 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 into Bucky.
“Son of a bitch! I dropped him!” Bucky looked at Cathryn, a mixture of
horror and denial written all over his face.
Cathryn didn't even hesitate. She scooted forward, panic racing through
every inch of her soul. Seeing Garrett some twenty feet below on the sand,
still moving. “Go back down. Go down!” Her body leaned out over the edge,
she felt her balance shift 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!
“He wouldn't want that.” Bucky shook his head, his eyes telling 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
depicts beautifully the
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
depicts beautifully the
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...
| "Heart pumping action from beginning to end . Move over Rambo, there's a new badboy on the block." |
"...does a wonderful job of
describing the many
difficulties thrust on the men
and women who protect our
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
describing the many
difficulties thrust on the men
and women who protect our
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