23. Patrick
Ariella’s eyes are wide with shock, and I can’t blame her. That was a lot of information to absorb in such a small amount of time. As soon as I extend my arms, she accepts the invitation and steps into my embrace. I pull her close to me and whisper, “It’s going to be okay,” repeatedly until I feel her breathing slow and her shoulders relax.
“I don’t understand why everyone is after Alex and me. I’d give up the royal life in a heartbeat if anyone dared to ask me what I wanted. I don’t care about poppy plants and power grabs, Patrick.
I have no desire to rule our country or for Alex to do it, either. I’d rather have him conquer public school in America while the three of us live in a four-bedroom house with a white picket fence. Is that so wrong?”
“Why a four-bedroom house?” I ask.
“Is that seriously what you got out of my rant?” she asks, laughing a little.
“Well, yeah. Why not a three-bedroom or five-bedroom house? Is it an arbitrary number, or is there a reason behind it?”
My dad slaps me on the back. “I know you’re smarter than that, Son. She’s implying she wants to make babies with you and have a family.” He heads off to help the rest of my team with their prepping, mumbling something about “raising a smart kid.”
“He’s not wrong, you know,” Ariella tells me. “I want at least two more kids with you and a chance for you to be there from the moment they’re born. I don’t want you to miss their first word or miss them taking their first step.”
“I approve! I want more grandbabies, especially if they are as wonderful as Alex!” Don yells from the other room.
“I second that,” shouts Charlie.
We both laugh, but I watch Ariella’s face fall. “I never meant for you to miss out on Alex’s firsts. I know I can’t change the past, but I can make sure I don’t make the same mistakes in the future.”
“You’re right. We can’t go back in time and have a do-over, but I’m on board with moving forward and living our best life together. I’m more than okay with having more kids and all that will entail.” I wink at her and enjoy watching her face flush, having the same thoughts as me.
“But Ari, I need you alive and safe to make that happen. I need you to promise me that the moment I tell you to take Alex with you to the panic room, you’ll do it without question.”
Ariella gently cups my cheek. “I’ll do whatever you need me to do, Patrick.”
“Wait here. I have something for you.” I grab a case from the safe and set it on the coffee table in the living room. It’s a handgun that’s been altered to handle a specific type of ammunition load out. I give her the belly band holster, the gun, and the nonlethal ammunition, explaining everything to her. “This weapon is to be used only when you are unsure if the person in front of you is a friend or foe.”
I’m super proud of Ariella as she runs through a function check of the gun without any assistance or prompting from me. When she holsters the weapon underneath her flowy top, she looks like a secret agent rather than a princess, and I can’t help but draw her close and kiss her as if her life depended on it. Right now, I feel like mine does, too.
My dad and the rest of the team walk back into the living room, catching us with our lips locked.
“How about waiting to make those two-point-five kids until we catch the bad guys?” Jerry asks, putting the camera feeds up on the screen.
Ignoring his comment, I ask, “Is there any activity?” I’m not one for waiting for the enemy to come to us. I prefer to be on the offensive and catch them off guard.
“No. It’s quiet—too quiet if you ask me,” he responds.
“I don’t like it. Sitting here and doing nothing feels wrong,” Jessie says, and I have to agree.
“Savannah, I need you outside where you can get eyes on our targets as they approach. Take the ATX with the Thor 4 thermal scope and add the suppressor for the nonlethal rounds. Have the Barret and standard ammo with you as a last resort. I want to capture them and get answers if we can.”
Jerry passes out all our communication devices. When he hands one to Savannah, he says, “I don’t know how long we will have comm capability. If there is a disruption, try to locate the source and take it out.”
She nods, puts in the earpiece, and grabs her weapon. We had been storing them in my father’s office since we didn’t want Alex around them without supervision.
“Ariella, it’s time to wake up Alex and head for the panic room,” I tell her. I can see that she wants to argue, but she doesn’t per her promise only minutes ago.
“I know what you’re thinking, Ari. You think there’s no reason to go down there since everything is quiet right now. But I don’t want to wait until things go nuclear before we get you to safety. Too many things can go wrong,” I explain.
“I understand.” She kisses my cheek before heading upstairs to wake Alex and my mom.
I face my dad, Jerry, and Jessie and say, “My gut says something is going down tonight. I don’t know what, but…”
Beep! Beep! Beep!
“We have a perimeter breach,” Jerry says, pulling up the feed. “It’s in Bravo four, the same place Jordain’s men breached the first time.”
Beep! Beep! Beep!
I stare at the picture Jerry put up on the screen. “That’s Charlie four. They’re coming in from the east, and it looks like they’re using the service road to access the woods on that side. Jessie, as soon as Alex and Ariella get down here, I need you to escort them to the panic room ASAP.
Once you’re back, we’ll go dark. Have your night vision devices on and ready,” I say.
Beep! Beep! Beep!
“Radio check!” I say over comms. I need to make sure everyone’s device is functioning.
“Alpha Three is in position. There are lights off in the distance, heading in our direction. I do not have a visual at this distance,” Savannah says.
“Alpha One, I have you loud and clear. Let me know when you have targets acquired.” I shake out my hands, the adrenaline coursing through my veins. I’ve always loved missions and action, but this is the first time I have so much at stake. I’m calm and composed on the outside but a total mess on the inside.
“Alpha Two, check,” Jessie says, standing beside me. She cycles her weapon, ensuring she has a round in the chamber. I do the same.
“Alpha Four, check.” Jerry gives me a thumbs-up.
“Papa Bear, check.”
My mom comes down the stairs with Ariella and Alex behind her. My dad walks over and gives them both an earpiece. Mom fiddles with her device but eventually gets it situated. Then, she helps Ariella do the same.
“Mama Bear is ready for a fight,” she says, putting up her dukes.
“Am I supposed to say something?” Ariella asks. I chuckle because no one told her that she has to practically whisper.
“You’re fine, Ari. You just need to talk softly. The devices are designed so that others around you can’t hear what you’re saying.”
She barely speaks, but her voice comes through clear. “Like this?”
“Perfect. Now, let’s get you two secured.”
Jessie puts on her ballistic helmet with the NVDs attached but flipped in the “up” position. “Let’s get this party started,” she says once she’s ready. Alex’s eyes are like saucers, but it’s curiosity I see in them rather than fear.
“Alex. You and your mom are going to a very safe place, but I need you to do me a big favor. Can you take care of your mom for me while you’re there?”
He puffs out his chest. “I’ll be brave like you, Daddy. I’ll take real good care of Mommy.”
I pull both of them into a family hug. “As soon as it’s safe, I’ll come for you. I love you both.” I kiss Alex on the head and my wife on the lips.
“I love you, too. Come back to me, Patrick,” she says before following Jessie out of the room.
I smile but don’t say anything. I won’t make her a promise that I can’t guarantee I’ll be able to keep. Just because our primary ammunition is nonlethal doesn’t mean our intruders use the same.
As soon as Alex and Ari are gone, the rest of us don our helmets. I shouldn’t be surprised that my parents have their own. My dad was a Navy Seal, after all.
“Lights are approximately a half a click away, moving slowly. Do you have them on camera, Jerry?” Savannah asks.
Jerry does, and we watch nine men in a staggered line cautiously move through the woods.
“There are nine of them. Based on their point of entry, I’m going to make a logical guess that they’re Jordain’s men. They’re all wearing camouflage and have night vision capability. Use your thermal scope to monitor them and keep us updated,” he tells her.
“Roger,” Savannah acknowledges.
Beep! Beep! Beep!
Jerry relays the information. “Perimeter breach in sectors Delta three and Delta four. Standby for video.”
Unlike the men coming from the North, these guys are wearing all black and balaclavas. My parents stand next to me, looking at the screen. My dad huffs, “Looks like all the players are here tonight. Are those Julietta’s men?”
I cross my arms. “I believe so. I count eight of them. Jerry, can you confirm?”
“There are eight, and they’re using their rifle scopes to see, which means they most likely have night vision capability as well, though not as effective as Jordain’s men. How do you want to handle this, Pat?”
“With Alex and Ari in the panic room, I want to head these guys off. Savannah, are you in a position that you can move freely if your muzzle flash is detected?” I ask. The ATX shouldn’t have a muzzle flash with the type of ammo she’ll be using. However, if she has to switch to the Barret, there will be no hiding it.
“I do. I also have excellent concealment from their NVDs. Wait! Jordain’s men just turned off their flashlights and went tactical. I still have them on thermal, and they should be in range within two minutes,” she says.
“Do you have a good visual on Julietta’s men coming toward our position from the South?”
“Affirmative, but Jordain’s men are closer. Do you want me to engage them when they arrive behind the paddocks? I’ll have a clear shot.”
“Yes,” I tell her. If we were using standard ammunition, I would wait for them to engage, but since we’re not, there is no reason to let it get to that point.
Jessie returns and gives me a thumbs up, and I breathe a little easier, knowing that my loved ones are now officially safely tucked away.
“It’s time to go lights out. Dad, can you throw the breaker?”
“Sure, Son.” Except he doesn’t get the chance because our enemy did it for us.