I've got to dedicate this chapter to my two greatest friends, who always seem to find the holes in the storyline and share so much of their time and sound advice with me. Once Again I thank Todger65 for his editing work.
*****
I'm in a hole and I can't get out.
As a matter of fact I gave up trying three days ago, at least I'm fairly certain it has been three days now. My movement before then had been sketchy at best, every time they moved me I had a hood over my head, sometimes I was moved in the daytime other times it was so cold I just assumed I was moved at night.
The beatings started this morning, no questions no yelling anything just a damn good kicking. I assumed they stopped when I lost consciousness, when I woke I looked and for a moment thought about having a heart attack.
"You're dead."
She nodded, then smiled and nodded again before moving her legs outwards and resting her hands on her lap.
"And you're in a whole world of shit."
*******
Shelby placed the phone back on its cradle, her hand went to the buzzer and her secretary answered.
"Mary can you find out where Tessa Burnett is please."
"Yes ma'am."
Her hands went to her face and she rubbed the skin, small particles of makeup clung to her palms. Not that she noticed, even as her hands came away she just looked at the cabinet across the room her mind still going over the phone call she had received.
Mary came into her office her pad in her hands, "At the moment Tessa is in room seven giving a lecture."
Shelby nodded, "Can you buzz over to Donald and ask him to take her place, Tessa is to report here immediately."
Mary nodded and left. Shelby phoned her boss.
"We have a problem I need a meeting in ten minutes with the board."
"I've just heard myself, I will get everyone here oh and I've already got Bingham doubling up on the security of the other two assets out there. Fuck this is going to get messy."
"I owe it to Tessa to tell her, she can't hear this from anyone else it would tear her apart."
"I agree, send her home afterwards. I will send Lauren with her to make sure she gets there, this is going to make a heck of a lot of people nervous."
Twenty minutes later Mary knocked and then opened the door to Shelby's office, Tessa smiled and thanked her. Mary had no sooner sat down again than she heard a scream, fear gripped her and she flew out of her seat and quickly opened the door. Tessa was on her knees rocking back and forth as Shelby held onto her doing her best to comfort her.
*******
I was once again dragged out of my cell, they offered me a seat. It was pointless because the kicking into unconsciousness came seconds later. It was more difficult to keep up with time now, it was dark when I woke and then I rolled onto my back and wished that I hadn't.
"Oooh, now that has gotta hurt."
"Nah, had worse done to me in a game of touch football."
Carol giggled, "Now that's the spirit."
I coughed and tasted blood.
"No, that's what you are, remember."
Carol sat down next to me, "I've never really left you, you know. Even after all these years. The flowers are always beautiful by the way."
Again I heard her giggle. "You need to stop telling me your sorry, I've counted you know, seventy-two times up to today when you want to say it yet again."
It was my turn to giggle; it was short lived since my chest hurt too much to do so for too long. It was then the dark came back with a vengeance and sleep took me.
*******
At first Tessa refused to leave the Departments grounds, Lauren stayed with her for the evening and eventually both left in the early hours. To Tessa it was important that Em knew and like Shelby it was her choice to sit and tell her, Steven Chadwick phoned her as they were about to leave. Shelby had phoned him and gave him the news about Aiden, he told Tessa that his own people had made arrangements for them to return quickly to the island.
Both found Amelia at home, her hands around a cup of coffee tears in her eyes. Tessa rushed to Em, poor Amelia barely had a chance to get out of her seat as both clung to each other for any form of comfort and support.
*******
The board meeting yielded even more information; Shelby sat and listened as her boss read from a sheet of paper.
"It cost them dear folks, so far the count is forty - seven Afghans dead, all six members of Bingham securities, five Marines and seven security staff, all dead, the list of wounded is twenty-six so far. Two are critical so we're waiting on information of those."
"They knew Aiden was there?"
"Oh yes, the attack was centered on the north eastern side of the compound. They knew where to find him."
Every person sat at that table looked at each other, none said it but all knew they had a leak. The mood turned somber, Shelby stood and told those at the table that at the moment the satellite footage was being streamed onto one of the servers and that they could all look at it at the end of the meeting.
The satellite pictures confirmed that although the whole compound was under attack, most of it was simply a diversion and to keep more of the security team away from the main assault when it began. When the assault went in on the north east section it was both swift and brutal. The Afghans used a bulldozer to tear up the fence; they placed men on the dozer to protect the driver as the blade of the dozer pushed the anti-personnel mines out of the way and creating a path for those behind.
When one went down and fell off the bulldozer another simply took his place, the bulldozer rolling over the remains until it reached the fence and proceeded to tear a great hole in it. They flooded in after that overwhelming everything in their path, the solders in the compound regrouped and pressed home the air advantage when the Apache helicopters got there but Aiden was already in their hands by then.
The picture of his body slumped over the shoulder of a man that would not look out of place in any defensive line in the NFL was only shown to a select few, the arrow formation of the Afghans in front killing anything in their path as they made their escape was etched into the memories of everyone who watched the video stream.
Soon the board meeting broke up with all agreeing to stay local, should they be needed then they could return at a moments notice. Shelby returned to her office. It was way past Mary's leaving time yet she was still sat at her desk, hoping for any news. Shelby could give her none, although she did promise to phone her at home if there was any news. Finally relenting Mary went home.
Shelby heard the knock, when she looked up her boss stood in the doorway. Mitchell Carter formed the Department over twenty years ago; he had been its guiding light all those years and yet today he seemed to have aged. His confident step had left him, the dark circles under his eyes worried all those who sat and listened to him not an hour ago at the board meeting.
"I've just got off the phone with the President; he understands the ethos behind the asset program. If we fuck up and don't get Aiden back it will all collapse. He's given us full cooperation with all arms of the service and if we get any grief whatsoever then I give him a call regardless of the time."
Shelby nodded her head in agreement.
"I know I'm stepping slightly out of protocol on this but I need permission to tell his sisters."
