Page 7

CHAPTER 7

“ W hat?” Echo gasped, her breath catching as she jumped from the sudden weight of a hand on her shoulder. The warmth of it burned through the damp fabric of her shirt, startling her out of the haze of sleep. She twisted around to find Bandit grinning down at her, his expression a mixture of amusement and patience.

“Cap, Ranger, and Ace are doing recon at the camp,” he said softly, his voice a soothing rumble in the otherwise silent jungle. “I let you sleep as long as I could, but we better take a look at those blisters.”

She groaned, shifting in the hammock. The nylon material crinkled beneath her weight as she tried to sit up, her movements awkward and clumsy. “Here or on the ground?” she muttered, blinking against the muted light filtering through the canopy.

“I’m not a trapeze artist,” Bandit replied with a smirk. “The ground works better for me. Here, take my hand, and I’ll help you out of that human-sized condom.”

A laugh burst from Echo’s lips, and she slapped a hand over her mouth to stifle it. Her eyes sparkled with humor as she whispered, “You did not just say that.”

“Sorry,” Bandit said, though his grin suggested he wasn’t sorry at all. “That’s what we call them.”

He steadied her as she climbed down, his grip firm yet careful. Echo winced the moment her feet touched the ground, the sharp sting of raw skin and broken blisters shooting up her legs. The new boots, still stiff and damp from sweat and river water, had rubbed her feet mercilessly. The blisters had undoubtedly multiplied, but she gritted her teeth and kept moving. It wasn’t just pride—she wasn’t about to complain when her employer was the reason they were all in the sweltering, relentless jungle.

Bandit gestured to a large, moss-covered rock. “Sit there. I’ll grab my bag.”

“Thanks,” she murmured, hobbling toward the rock. The rough surface was cool against her hands as she hoisted herself up, settling into a position that offered some relief. She’d barely unlaced her first boot when Bandit returned, crouching in front of her with an efficiency born of experience.

“Let me do this,” he said, his tone kind but firm. “I’ve patched up more blisters than I can count.”

“Thanks,” Echo replied, leaning back slightly. She winced as he carefully peeled the boot away, the damp leather sticking to her sock. When he lifted the edge of the sock, his lips pressed into a thin line.

After a moment, he said, “Okay, I’m going to have to soak these socks off. I don’t want to pull on the blisters and make them worse.”

“Whatever it takes,” Echo said, determination masking the pain.

“As long as it takes,” Bandit and Rip said simultaneously over the comms, their voices low and resolute.

Echo blinked at Bandit, her brow furrowing. “Uh … okay?”

Rip’s voice came through the earpiece, quieter but laced with pride. “Sorry, that’s Guardian’s motto. Whatever it takes, as long as it takes. It means something to each of us. We’re a team, and nothing stops us.”

“Oh,” Echo said, nodding slowly as she watched Bandit work. “Well, that makes sense.”

Bandit gently removed the socks that were matted to her skin. The blisters underneath were red, raw, and angry, and they burned as cool air kissed the broken skin.

“This isn’t too bad,” Bandit said, calm and reassuring. “I’ve treated a lot worse. I’ll get you comfortable.”

Echo bent forward, peering at her mangled feet. “This isn’t bad?” she asked incredulously.

Bandit chuckled softly. “Not at all. We’ll keep an eye on it—clean it, bandage it, and ensure there’s no infection. The jungle loves to breed infection.”

“How long have you been working in this part of the world?” Echo asked, wincing as he dabbed antiseptic on her skin.

Rip’s snort came through the comms. “Forever.”

Bandit grinned as he continued working. “Our team’s been together for six years. We’ve mostly operated in this region. Each of us speaks at least one local language to help with missions. Cap speaks the most. No overlap, though—we all bring something different to the table.”

“Do you ever go back to the States?”

“Sure,” Rip answered. “Every three months or so, depending on missions. We get downtime, training, and updates.”

Echo watched Bandit’s steady hands as he worked, marveling at the near-pain-free way he treated her blisters. “Are any of you married?”

“Nope,” Bandit replied, glancing up briefly. “Most women wouldn’t appreciate a husband who’s only home four months out of the year. Ace has a steady girlfriend who’s okay with it, but she dates when he’s not around.”

“Yeah,” Echo said with a grimace. “I wouldn’t be happy with that arrangement.”

Bandit shrugged. “Most women aren’t. But we all have the option to leave the team and do something else within the organization if we want. Right now, this is where I want to be.”

“Damn glad to hear it.” Deacon’s voice cut through the comms, sharp and authoritative. “We’re on our way back.”

“Copy,” Rip replied.

“Where’s Rip?” Echo asked, looking around.

“Overwatch,” Bandit said, glancing up at the treetops. “He’s making sure no one’s in the area. That’s why Cap told him they’re on their way back. Friendly fire isn’t exactly a goal here.”

“As if I’d shoot without identifying the target,” Rip scoffed.

“There was that time in North Vietnam …” Ranger’s teasing drawl echoed through the comms.

Rip grumbled, “Yeah, well, you suck at making coffee.”

Echo smiled at the low rumble of laughter that followed. Bandit looked up and winked at her. “He does suck at making coffee.”

“I do,” Ranger agreed.

Rip’s tone turned serious. “I see you. Nothing on your six so far.”

“Copy,” Deacon acknowledged. Echo turned as the team entered the clearing. Deacon’s sharp gaze went straight to her, his frown deepening when he saw Bandit wrapping her feet. “Why didn’t you say something earlier?” he asked, his voice tight with frustration.

She narrowed her eyes. “Would you have stopped if it were your feet?”

“That’s not the point,” he said, dismissing her protest. “You’re part of this team now. Everyone here is an asset, but more than that—you’re family. We take care of our own. You shouldn’t have let it get this bad.”

Bandit worked quietly, his hands efficient and sure. Echo shrugged. “Well, it’s water under the bridge now. But I promise I won’t gut it out again.”

Deacon sighed, his hand rubbing the back of his neck as if trying to massage away the weight of leadership. His voice softened. “Sorry if I snapped.”

Echo grinned, her eyes bright despite the exhaustion etched into her features. “It’s okay, Sparky. You’re just passionate about your people. I get that.” She paused, tilting her head in thought. “What did you see at the camp? From the satellite images we could get, it didn’t seem as advanced as the last one.”

“Decoy and deception,” Ranger interjected, his voice a low rumble. “What’s visible is stone-age tech, basic and clunky. But the parts hidden under high-tech camo? That’s where the real stuff is.”

Echo glanced between Ranger and Deacon, the gears in her mind turning. “Do you think they’d bring the device here? There are no roads, no real access points. At least the last site had the Nam Ou River nearby.”

Deacon sat beside her on the rock, the heat of his presence contrasting with the cooler stone beneath her. Bandit worked quietly at her feet, his hands steady and methodical. “There are three overwatch positions triangulated for maximum coverage, each set to repel anyone approaching through the jungle. The underground facilities include one with multiple antennas, and two are satellite-based. There’s a helipad under the camo netting, and their electricity comes from hydro-generation powered by a nearby stream branching off the Nam Ou River.”

Echo frowned, her brow furrowing deeply. “I didn’t know hydropower could work on such a small scale.”

Deacon nodded, his gaze steady on hers. “They’ve got three turbines that can generate between fifteen hundred and two thousand watts each. It’s enough to keep their operations running.”

She drew a slow, steadying breath, her shoulders tensing. “So, how do we get in and retrieve the device? And how do we even know it’s there?” Her voice dropped, and she sighed. “You’re putting your lives in danger for people you don’t know.”

Deacon’s smile came slowly, warm and sure like the first light breaking through mist in the morning. “We do that for every mission. It’s what we do. We do what others can’t to protect the innocent. We’re the razor-sharp edge of the sword of justice.”

Echo stared at him, her chest tightening with an emotion she couldn’t quite name. Another piece of her heart drifted toward this impossibly real, incredibly steady man. Sitting next to him in the heart of the Laotian jungle, surrounded by the sounds of chirping insects and rustling leaves, she felt the weight of her feelings settle in. He wasn’t a dream. The aches, blisters, and bites were proof enough of that. But it could be the fact that they were thrown together after that fantastic night of sex, too. There was so much going on, her emotions felt like they were on a seesaw, and she had no idea which way was up.

She leaned into him, resting her head against his shoulder. The simple gesture felt like surrender, which terrified her. This man was becoming important—not just for her safety on the mission but in ways that made her worry. She wanted to talk to him. To see if she were insane, a borderline stalker, or maybe just wacked in the head for having thoughts like this, but with the team listening in, she chose instead to ask, “When do we go into the camp?”

“ We don’t,” Deacon replied, his voice firm. “You’ll stay here. The team will go in, secure it, and bring it back to you.”

Her head snapped up, eyes narrowing as she turned to face him. “What?”

Deacon raised a hand, cutting off her protest. “Before you get on your high horse, I’d do this with any asset, not just you. If you get hurt or killed during the infil or exfil, who’s going to access the information on the device? Not any of us.”

Echo blinked, the fight draining from her posture. She slumped back slightly, sighing. “Stop making sense.”

“Yeah, it sucks when he does that,” Ace added with a grunt of agreement, his dry tone drawing a faint smile from her.

Bandit straightened, wiping his hands on his pants. “Doctor’s orders: Stay off your feet as much as possible. I’ve padded the blisters with moleskin and covered the wounds. You’ll still be a little uncomfortable, but you’ll be able to move when you have to. Let me know if you need some painkillers.”

She shook her head firmly. “No unnecessary medications. Chemicals aren’t my thing.”

“See, Cap?” Ace said, standing up and stretching. “She fits right in here.” He nodded toward the jungle. “I’ll go relieve Rip so he can grab some food.”

“I’ll relieve you in a couple of hours,” Bandit called after him as Ace faded into the shadows. A raised hand was Ace’s only response.

Ranger approached, handing both Deacon and Echo MRE pouches. The familiar plastic crinkled in her hands as she tore it open. Settling back on the rock, she began preparing her meal alongside Deacon.

“You never answered me,” she said, her voice calm but persistent.

Deacon finished a bite of his cracker slathered in peanut butter. “About what?”

“How do we even know the device is there?” She spread her jalapeno cheese over her cracker, the processed smell surprisingly appetizing after the long day. The first bite tasted like heaven. Hunger made even the blandest food taste good.

“Gut feeling,” Deacon said, nodding toward the camp. “No helicopters under the netting, but there are empty fuel cans. That means a chopper fueled up there recently.”

She raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. “And?”

“If you couldn’t access the device and exhausted all obvious methods, what would your next move be?”

She frowned, mulling it over. “I’d get help. Find someone with expertise or a fresh perspective.”

Deacon nodded. “With a storm system rolling in tomorrow, when would you act?”

“Now, hence the missing helicopter,” she admitted, squeezing more cheese onto her cracker. “Okay, I see your point.”

Deacon’s expression darkened slightly. “Getting in and out without being noticed is going to be a bitch.”

“You can say that again,” Ace muttered, reappearing from the shadows.

Echo glanced up at the canopy and sighed dramatically. “He’s the curmudgeon among you, isn’t he?”

Ranger choked on his food as Bandit and Deacon laughed quietly. Even Ace admitted, “Yeah, I resemble that remark.”

Echo rested her head against Deacon’s shoulder again, her voice soft. “Please be careful. All of you.”

No one answered, but Deacon placed a warm hand on her thigh. “We don’t take unnecessary risks. No guns blazing. No high-noon cowboy stunts.”

She hummed in acknowledgment, though her worry lingered. The bond she was forming with this team, especially Deacon, was more than she’d expected. More than she was prepared for.