The SEAL’s Surprise Twin (Special Forces: Operation Alpha) Read online

  The SEAL’s Surprise Twin

  Special Forces: Operation Alpha

  Rachel McNeely

  Contents

  Foreword

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Epilogue

  Books by Rachel McNeely

  About the Author

  More Special Forces: Operation Alpha World Books

  Books by Susan Stoker

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.

  © 2018 ACES PRESS, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  No part of this work may be used, stored, reproduced or transmitted without written permission from the publisher except for brief quotations for review purposes as permitted by law.

  This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, please purchase your own copy.

  Dear Readers,

  Welcome to the Special Forces: Operation Alpha Fan-Fiction world!

  If you are new to this amazing world, in a nutshell the author wrote a story using one or more of my characters in it. Sometimes that character has a major role in the story, and other times they are only mentioned briefly. This is perfectly legal and allowable because they are going through Aces Press to publish the story.

  This book is entirely the work of the author who wrote it. While I might have assisted with brainstorming and other ideas about which of my characters to use, I didn’t have any part in the process or writing or editing the story.

  I’m proud and excited that so many authors loved my characters enough that they wanted to write them into their own story. Thank you for supporting them, and me!

  READ ON!

  Xoxo

  Susan Stoker

  To my dear friend, Kay. I have been blessed to have your friendship for thirty-seven years. I always remember how we met through a mutual friend, and we hit it off from the start. You have been such a support to me through good times and bad. I will never forget the fun and the laughter.

  Thanks to:

  My editor: Raina Toomey, for showing me how to how to make my story better.

  Cover Artist: Pat Dengate, for all your patience with me until we find just the right cover.

  To Susan Stoker, who made it possible to get this book and my others published. Thank you so much.

  Thanks to Amy Hrutkay for all your assistance in helping me get all the pieces together for my books. Your smile and kindness come through your emails.

  About the Book

  Dr. Anais Kenly and her twin sister Anya are on the run, forced to flee their comfortable lives in North Carolina and go to ground all the way to across the country in California. So why, when it’s so important to stay under the radar, do they keep jumping from the frying pan into the fire?

  Chief Petty Officer Kijika “Shadow” Gibson can’t believe his eyes when he sees the news footage of the two pretty women freed from a bank hostage situation. Despite his best efforts, the determined bachelor hasn’t stopped thinking about gentle Anais since meeting the twins during a top secret mission with his SEAL team. And now, here she is again. Of all the luck.

  Anais and Anya are used to looking out for each other, but they’re no match for the killer on their trail. When the bullets start flying, Anais knows Shadow is exactly the warrior they need to keep them safe. Even if it means opening her fragile heart to a man determined to keep his safely locked away.

  Prologue

  “Anais, sit down,” Anya said to her twin. “Do you remember the man who came for a session and I had worried about what he said?”

  Anais nodded. “Did you go to the police?”

  “Yes. But the police detective said I didn’t have enough evidence to prove my patient was a dangerous man. I told him that as a psychologist, I thought what my patient told me made him a danger to others.

  “He said he’d look into it and get back with me. After three days, I called him back. Apparently, my patient happens to be a friend of this detective and he’d assured the police detective that I was overreacting.”

  “Did you show the detective the bullet hole in your car window?”

  “Yes, but he said they’d never find the person since the car went by so fast, and I didn’t get the license number.”

  “I can’t believe he didn’t think it might be your patient who shot at you in the car.”

  “Too many people get mad and shoot at each other nowadays. There must be some evidence, but it wasn’t Steen’s car anyway. I’ve watched out my window after a session, and I saw the car he drove several times.”

  “What are we going to do?” Anais asked.

  “I hate that I’ve put you in danger, too. If my patient picked a spot to attack from a distance, I don’t think he could tell us apart.

  “We have to talk to Mom, and then we’ll move somewhere far off until the police or someone takes care of this guy.”

  “That seems rather drastic,” Anais said.

  “Do you have a better idea?”

  “No.”

  “Then let’s talk with Mom. She won’t be happy and will want to hire bodyguards for us.”

  “Why not try that first?”

  “Because I reported him, and he’ll want to see me pay. He’s a scary man and will stop at nothing to get rid of me. I know his secret.”

  “You must tell me what he said that frightened you. I need to know why we’re making this drastic move.”

  Anya paced their living room. She stopped and turned to her twin sister. “You can’t tell anyone.”

  “I understand it’s hard to break a patient’s privacy. But he’s made it necessary.”

  “In his last session, he said he dreamed of choking women while having sex, only he added at the end, that it wouldn’t happen again. He quickly corrected himself and said he’d never actually do it.

  “But I don’t doubt from his expression that he enjoys the dreams, and if he hasn’t already, he’ll soon do the act.”

  Anais shivered. “I don’t understand why you like your work. It sounds scary and dangerous.”

  “This patient is the exception from my usual ones. I’ll call a friend who’s agreed to take over my other patients to let him know I’ve decided to leave right away. Go pack, and we’ll visit Mom before we hit the road.”

  “Will you tell her where we’re going?”

  “No, it’s too dangerous. After we’re settled, we’ll go across into Mexico and send her a letter.

  We will use our real last name only when necessary like applying for a job or getting our permits to carry a gun, but to regular people we’ll make up a different last name to use. Then if my patient does search for us it’ll make it more difficult for him to find us.”

  “I hate this,” Anais said.

  “I do, too. But I want us both to live.”

  Chapter 1

  Chief Petty Officer Kijika “Shadow” Gibson slipped thro
ugh the jungle ignoring the bugs buzzing around him. He used all the tactics his Cheyenne grandfather taught him when they hunted, so as not to alert the prey. Remembering his grandfather made him smile. The hunt was a bit more difficult with all the extra supplies he carried, but he’d learned how to compensate.

  As he moved closer to the gang’s hideout, he stopped and looked through his binoculars. Men roamed around the tents. Some sat by the fire swatting bugs and smoking. None looked like the man they’d come to take back home to face charges. Their reports said he’d left the States to meet with the local leader.

  The authorities hadn’t known who led the cartel until they’d captured several of his men. They identified him to receive shorter sentences. The team’s mission was to bring in the man who headed the drug cartel locally and his American boss.

  The American made a big mistake when he had two SEALs captured and executed. Every SEAL wanted this man brought back to America. Shadow and his team were determined to be successful.

  I’d like to shoot him, but in many ways, he’ll suffer more by facing a trial and going to jail. Killing him would be too easy.

  “See him yet?” Jackson, known as Bear to his men, asked Shadow through his earpiece.

  “Nope. I have a good view. I’ll let you know if he’s here.”

  “We’re going to start moving closer.”

  “Right.”

  Several hours went by before Shadow heard an engine. He moved his feet just a bit to be ready to bounce up when needed. The driver got out of the enclosed jeep and walked to the other side. A tall man stepped out, stretched and glanced around.

  Shadow crawled on his stomach closer to hear their conversation. Thankfully, they’d moved back around the jeep and opened the door for another occupant to get out.

  “You’re hidden well in this jungle. I doubt anyone will find you here,” the tall man commented to the driver. He turned to the attractive woman who’d joined them. “What do you think, darling? I doubt anyone will find our operation. See, we have nothing to fear.” He rubbed his fingers down her thin neck and across the diamond necklace. “You can still enjoy the little trinkets you get from me.”

  She moved against his side and kissed his cheek. “You are such a darling.”

  A local woman came out of a tent on the left side. The tall man told his pampered woman, “Go with her, dear. I have business to attend to, and then we’ll return to civilization.”

  His wife or paramour, Shadow wasn’t sure which, cheerfully followed the other woman.

  Still smiling pleasantly, he said to the driver, “She has a busy mouth. After I leave, dispose of her.”

  The man grinned. “Our boss may want to toy with her first.”

  “Whatever. I need that woman to disappear off the face of the Earth.”

  “Won’t anyone miss her?”

  “No. I only play with women with no strings, so when I’m tired of them I can see they’re gone. This trip gave me the opportunity to take care of two problems at once.”

  “Come this way. The boss is anxious to see you.”

  Shadow spoke very softly into his mic. “We have more trouble. Move up.”

  “We’re a short distance behind you. Be there in a few minutes.”

  His men held back as Bear moved up beside Shadow. “What’s up?”

  “He brought a woman with him. He wants her disposed of, as he told the other man.”

  “Damn. It’s going to be difficult to get all three out alive.”

  “I have an idea she knows too much about his business. She’ll be a valuable witness in court.”

  “Where is she?”

  “In the hut right in front of the jeep. He just went into the second hut on the right side.”

  “Stay here. I’ll move back and explain to the rest of the team. We’ll split up and half go left and the other right.”

  Shadow nodded. “I’ll start moving toward the back of the tent on the right. When you or whoever enters from the front, I’ll cut the back and come in. It’ll help confuse them, and we’ll have a better chance at getting them out alive.”

  Bear nodded and said, “Heath will be coming in from the front.”

  “Good.” Shadow bellied forward into position. He noted several of the men had dozed off in the humid, hot air with their guns cradled in their arms. Dumb asses think they’ve got it made.

  The rest of the team moved slowly into place. Shadow knew what to look for and still barely saw the movement of the bushes. Once they were in the clearing, they quickly shot the sleeping men. Before the others got over the surprise, the SEALs charged into the tents.

  Ripping the back of his assigned tent open with his knife, Shadow jumped in and grabbed the American as Heath did the same to the local man. Each threw a black headpiece over the prisoner’s heads and backed out with them into the brush as the gang ran in the front.

  Shadow quickly tied the men’s hands and directed them to run with him and Heath.

  “Take off this mask,” the American demanded. “You don’t understand. This gang was holding me as a prisoner.”

  “That’s hard to believe. You greeted your jailers in a very friendly manner. I saw it all. Shut up and run for your life,” Shadow said.

  He tried to resist. Shadow knocked him out. “Damn it. I ought to leave you behind to rot in this jungle.” He threw the man’s limp body over his shoulder and headed for the boats the SEALs had hidden upriver. Heath followed behind with his prisoner.

  Shadow knew the others would destroy the camp and march to the river to rendezvous with them.

  Darkness was falling when they reached their destination. Shadow threw his prisoner down beside the rubber Zodiac and Heath told his to sit. Gordy, who stayed behind to protect the boats, jumped out to help load the prisoners.

  “The others won’t be far behind. They had to rescue a paramour of his.” Shadow nodded toward the man he’d carried through the jungle. “He’d tired of her. She didn’t suspect he planned to leave her there. I’m certain she’ll sing like a bird when she gets stateside.”

  “Good work. I hope the others aren’t far behind. We need to join the motorboats before daybreak.”

  The man awoke and started demanding to be released. “Shut up,” Gordy said. When the prisoner started to speak again, Shadow bound his mouth to quiet him. “Don’t give me any more trouble. Our government wants you back in one piece, but I’d just as soon kill you if I have to.”

  The local was stoic except for a frown of warning for his boss.

  The American struggled with his ropes for a while, but finally gave up. There’s was no moon. Good in some ways, but it made it harder to see where to walk. Still, Shadow knew his team would use their GPS and arrive shortly.

  When they came through the trees with several other prisoners, Shadow smiled. “It took you long enough,” he teased.

  The men’s painted faces appeared weird in the silvery moonlight. “It’s good there aren’t any other natives around. They’d swear you were bad ghosts come to get them,” Gordy said.

  “Let’s get these guys and the woman on board and get out of here before the rest of the group comes after us,” Bear said.

  When the rubber boats landed on the back of the motorboats, the SEALs took a deep breath and pulled the boat and their prisoners further onto the fast-moving vessel.

  “I demand to know why you’ve treated me this way and where I’m going,” the tall American said.

  “You’ll be handed over to the authorities when we get stateside. It’s up to them what happens to you afterwards.” Bear turned to the woman who’d been in the jeep with him. Bruises and swelling was clear on her face beneath tear-streaked makeup. “I think she’ll be happy to tell the judge and jury about all your crooked deals.

  “We also know you ordered two SEALs executed, and your partner here did the dirty work. We’re taking you both home to face what you’ve done.”

  Bear looked across at the local leader of the gang. “Your gover
nment and ours reached an agreement for you to be brought to America to face trial for the killing of our SEALs. I’m sure your American friend here will try to put it all on you. I’d suggest you cooperate. The jury may go easier on you than him.”

  “I had nothing to do with those Seals’ deaths. I’m innocent.”

  “No, you aren’t,” the woman spoke up. “I heard you telling someone to execute the prisoners. I didn’t know they were Navy SEALs,” the woman said. “I wanted out then, but I knew if I didn’t pretend I cared for you, you’d kill me.”

  He gave her a hate-filled stare. “I planned to get some money out of selling you overseas.”

  Her face went white, and she sat with her head down on her knees. The rest of the trip home went smoothly.

  Shadow sucked in a breath of fresh air when he arrived back in San Diego and drove to his house and into his garage. He threw his dirty clothes bag in the laundry room. He’d shower, lay on his couch in front of the television and relax with a bourbon and coke.

  The cool, clean water cascaded over his body, reviving him somewhat. After dressing in shorts and a t-shirt, he ambled into his living room and flipped on the television. The six o’clock news was on. Too tired to cook, he reached for the phone and ordered a large pizza with everything. Then he went to his bar and fixed a drink.

  His attention was drawn to the television when a male reporter said excitedly, “The police negotiated the release of the hostages about two hours ago. After they were safe, the SWAT team rushed in the bank and arrested the men who’d been holding them. They took the would-be-robbers to the police station where the people who’d been held captive are giving their statements.”