Page 9 of Dustin (Thunder Elites Special Ops #4)

(Dustin)

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“What’s up?” I ask Sam picking up his call.

It’s pretty early in the morning, and Madison’s not up yet.

“The General wants to talk to you,” he informs me.

A second later, I hear Madison’s dad’s voice.

“Agent Rowell. Well done. You successfully completed your mission. The tracking device you attached to Vierra’s phone gave us all the necessary information.

He’s not just helping the terrorists. He’s a functioning head of the terrorist arm in Portugal.

Both he and his wife. We have access to their calls, and vital information has been transferred to our server.

They won’t be able to use their influence and wealth to escape punishment. They're going down for sure.”

“I’m glad I could help,” I tell him.

“Yes. Good. How’s my daughter?” he questions.

“She’s fine,” I reply.

Apart from the fact that she went missing twice and almost got molested. Then I found out you tried to break us up, but we’re together now. And I love her, and I’m not letting her go no matter what.

I can’t say all that to him though.

I don’t despise him for what he did five years ago.

It was wrong and unfair, but he did what he thought was best for his daughter.

He loves her endlessly, and I get that. I’m going to have to earn his trust and show him that I can protect Madison.

I respect the man, and I’m going to work hard at it.

“All right then. You’re to return to the country immediately,” he orders.

I nod. “I got it.”

He hangs up while I turn back to Madison on the bed. She’s sleeping so peacefully, with her blonde hair fanned out on her pillow. I almost had a heart attack when she went missing.

In those moments of panic, I realized just how much I couldn’t lose her. I promised to tell her just how much I loved and cared about her as soon as I found her, and I did just that.

We had a long conversation before we fell asleep last night, and I’m more than comfortable with our relationship. She also threatened to chop my balls off if I ever smiled at Clara or any other woman again. I’m fine with putting my playboy ways behind me as long as I have her.

“Baby,” I say, kissing her softly on her lips to rouse her from her sleep.

“Hm?” she asks.

“Your dad just called.”

She sits up straight, and her expression turns wary.

“What did he want?”

“It’s good. He wanted to inform me that my mission was a success, and he asked me to return home immediately.”

Her eyes widen.

“Today? But I’ve barely packed. When's our flight?”

I stare at her.

“You’re going with me?”

“Of course, I’m going with you. You’re the reason I’m still here,” she states.

I smile.

“Okay then. I’ll book our flights.”

*****

We’re en route to the airport. We managed to get ready in time, and in less than 10 hours, we’ll be back in D.C.. We’re both in high spirits as I drive. Madison’s singing Justin Bieber at the top of her lungs.

“I’ve been thinking,” I start, immediately prompting Madison to stop singing. She stares at me expectantly, waiting for me to elaborate.

“You should move in with me when we get back to D.C.,” I suggest.

My eyes flicker to her for a second to gauge her reaction. There’s a smile on her face.

“Not happening, Dusty Bun,” she says, and I immediately deflate.

“What? Why?” I question in surprise.

“Because we just got back together. It doesn’t make sense to start living together so early on.”

“We were living together before you came here, to Portugal. It’ll be like picking up where we started.”

I can feel her hazel-colored eyes on me.

“We’ll discuss this later,” she says with a sigh.

I grin. That sounded like a yes to me.

I notice she’s continuously checking the rear-view mirror. She looks a little uncomfortable.

“What’s wrong?” I question.

“It’s just…that car keeps following us. I noticed a while back,” she informs me.

I look through the mirror and catch a glimpse of an ordinary-looking black car with tinted windows. She’s right. I remember seeing it a while back as well. My mind runs through the possibilities of who could be following us.

“Madison, grab my gun,” I tell her.

As she moves to grab it from the back seat, things go horribly wrong. Madison screams when our car runs off the road. The other car’s bumper hits mine aggressively, leaving me no choice but to stop and confront them, which turns out to be a big mistake.

I step out of the car, then hurriedly step back in when I spot the silver glint of a gun being pointed at us. I reach for my bag in the backseat and grab my gun.

“Madison, get down,” I tell her, my voice deathly calm.

She doesn’t protest, immediately doing as I ask and crouching in the passenger seat. The first shot rings out from the car behind us. I open my car door, and after spotting my target, I fire a few shots of my own, dodging when he fires back.

It goes on for a few more minutes until I realize I should have been paying attention to Madison.

I hear the door open and her strangled scream.

By the time I turn around, she’s being carried towards the other car.

She’s kicking and struggling. I rush towards her, but it’s no use.

The other man fires more shots, and I have to retreat.

Madison’s forced into the car. And then they speed off.

I don’t think twice before starting our car and going after them.

My leg slams down on the accelerator as I speed behind them.

I try and fail to cut them off. They drive towards a deserted area of the city and finally stop in front of an abandoned warehouse.

It’s barely surprising to find none other than Alexis Vierra and his wife standing in front of a car, waiting for us.

“Put her in the car,” he barks to his two goons.

They carry a still struggling Madison. They’ve placed a gag on her mouth. They force her into their car before walking to stand in front of the Vierras with their guns raised. I step out of the car and walk towards them.

“What do you want?” I ask, my muscles tight. My fist is clenched around my gun.

“At first, I was angry because you knocked me unconscious in the hotel room. But then my sources informed me that the American government had gained some important information that could ruin me. I immediately thought of you and your suspicious girlfriend. I dug further and found out that you’re a special agent for the Americans.

I don’t know what you did and how you exposed me, but you’re not leaving here alive. ”

“We’ll take your girlfriend along with us. We hear she’s very important. Perhaps her father will be interested in negotiating for her life,” his wife states.

I scowl.

“That’s not fucking happening.”

“You don’t have a choice, my friend,” Vierra snarls. “Kill him,” he orders before stepping inside the car with his wife in tow.

Before his goons can aim, I’ve shot them both in the chest. Two well-aimed bullets and they fall to the ground dead. The Vierra’s faces widen. I advance on the car, but they speed away. I run back to my car and begin chasing them.

I dial Sam’s number.

“Madison’s been abducted by the Vierra’s.”

“You’re joking, right?”

“I really wish I fucking was. She’s in the back of their car, and I’m chasing it down right now.”

“What do you need?”

“Backup. There’s going to be one hell of a mess to clean up when I'm done.”

With that, I hang up and focus on getting to the black car in front of me. I manage to get right behind the car, and before I can think better of it, I run straight into the back.

It veers off the road and skids to a stop. I run out of my car and rush towards theirs with my heart in my throat.

Please, please, let her be okay.

The Vierra’s are both unconscious in the front seat. Then I check on Madison and see that she’s conscious. I wrench the door open and pull her out. There are tears in her eyes.

“It’s okay, it’s okay, baby. You’re safe now,” I assure her.

I remove the gag and the pull her into her arms.

“Thank you,” she whispers.

I pull away slightly to examine the extent of her injuries.

“I’m fine,” she assures me. “They’re not.”

She gestures at the Vierra’s. Alexis stirs in the front seat, but his wife seems in terrible condition. There's a cut on her head, and she’s lying still.

“Call an ambulance,” Madison says to me.

I do as she asks, heading to the car and grabbing my phone.

“I will, but we’re getting out of here. The mess isn't ours to resolve anymore.”

She nods, and after calling for help, she follows me into the car.

We drive off, and it isn't until I’m sure that we weren't followed that I stop the car.

“I’m tying you to the bed once we get home. You’re always getting mixed up in dangerous shit.”

“Not always my fault,” she tells me.

I grab her hand and intertwine our fingers.

“I’m so fucking glad you’re safe, baby. I love you.”

“I love you too,” she whispers softly. “What do we do now?” she questions.

“We’re going to head to the airport. Hopefully, we can still catch our flight.”

She nods in agreement. Just as I start the car, my phone rings.

I hear the firm worried voice of my team leader as soon as I pick up.

“What happened?” he asks.

I explain briefly.

“Madison’s okay now though. She’s with me, and we’re safe. We’re about to head to the airport now.”

“You can’t, Dustin. We just received new orders. All members are to head over to Portugal. Immediately.

“Understood,” I tell him before hanging up.

“What?” Madison asks.

“Sorry, baby. But it looks like we’re stuck here.”

She smiles.

“As long as we’re together.”