Ever Hayes - Redemption

“Sir, that’s not necessary. I’ll—”

“Bullshit Captain, necessary or not, you took great risks to come here, for whatever purpose. Were I not in this state, you would have effectively rescued me. You would—” A coughing fit cut his words short. He buried his face in a towel he held. It cut the noise but appeared to increase his pain.

“Daddy, you need to rest.”

“Ava, I’ll have plenty of time to rest soon enough.” He took her hand with both of his. “I just need a few private moments with the captain here first.”

She nodded and backed away toward Kellen.

“What can I do for you, sir?” I asked.

“How well do you know that other captain?”

“Other captain? You mean Baker, sir?”

“Yes, the one you were fighting with on the conference call.”

“Sir, I’m sorry about—”

“Never mind that.” He coughed again. “There’s no need for apology.”

“Sir, yes, sir.” I thought about the best way to answer. “I don’t know Captain Baker well at all. I know he was in a rush to get here and prove himself.”

“The selfish prick proved himself a traitor, that’s what—” Another coughing fit interrupted him. This time he closed his eyes and slammed his head back against the wall.

I winced and glanced sideways at Ava, the concern evident on her face. I knew what he was doing though—redirecting pain. “Sir, he’s a Navy SEAL. Perhaps he—”

I had forgotten about the other soldier lying in the darkness until he interrupted me. “He shouldn’t be. And I can’t believe you’re defending him.”

Valid point . “You were with him?” I asked the SEAL, kneeling beside him.

The man coughed. “Yes.” Another cough. “You could say that.”

He sounds as bad as the general . Broken ribs and punctured lungs must be Qi Jia’s calling card. “So what happened?”

There was more coughing but no response. I felt someone standing behind me. Looking up, I saw Ava had come back over.

“The first plane was shot down,” she began. “Unfortunately, Baker was on the second one and flew them too close to here. When they landed, there were troops waiting for them. Baker sent his guys out to fight, and most of his men were killed. When he saw there was no way they’d make it out of there alive, he surrendered. It was Baker and two of his men against two or three hundred soldiers. Tyler here was shot four times. He should be dead.”

“I am dead,” he whispered coarsely.

“Tyler.” She looked at him pleadingly. “Please.” Then she turned back to me. “Anyway, Baker told them your sister and an African were coming, which they apparently already knew. They told Baker you were coming too, to let them into the Cheyenne Mountain bunker. Some Libyan officer was there with a gun to Baker’s head and Baker sold out—telling them they didn’t need you if they had him. He told them he could get them in. All he wanted was their guarantee they wouldn’t kill him and his two remaining men.”

“And Tyler?”

“No, sir, I wasn’t part of that deal.”

“But why would he give up on you?” Tyler was still one of his SEALs .

“It’s a long story, Captain. Let’s just say we weren’t always on the same page. In any case, I guess they figured I was hurt badly enough. I’d die soon anyway.” He coughed again. “But why they didn’t just put a bullet in my head, I’ll never know.”

“Sergeant, how do you feel about what your captain did?” General Niles asked.

“General, sir, no offense, but if I had a gun I’d have put him down. He is a disgrace to SEALs, a disgrace to our country, and a disgrace to humanity in general.”

No one here was going to argue. I wanted Baker dead just for Keena.

“I take it you’re talking about my dad,” a quiet voice spoke from the darkness. Flynn stepped out into the dim light.

The SEAL tried to sit up. I knelt beside him at first to keep him down, but he insisted on standing. I shook my head but extended my hand to help him. The sergeant took my arm, pulling himself all the way up to his feet. He took two steps toward Flynn. I kept a hold on his arm, unsure what he was doing. He extended his hand to Flynn. “Cassandra, right?” He was barely able to put the two words together from the excruciating pain.

She gently took his hand. “Flynn.”

“Sure. Flynn—Sergeant Tyler Sheffield. I am so—”

He was too weak to stay upright. I caught him as he started to fall. Flynn helped me ease him down to the ground.

“Thank you.” He continued. “So sorry about your brother. So… very… sorry.”

She nodded. “Thank you.”

“I never thought he’d shoot him—never in a million years. His own son… Especially when he didn’t have to. We were leaving.”

“Wait.” Ava was putting the pieces together. “That American in there who is helping everyone is your father? And he shot your brother?”

Tyler jumped back in before Flynn could correct Ava. “Sorry, not him literally. He ordered his men to do it.”

“Holy shit.”

“Tell me about it.” Flynn nodded.

“I thought he might shoot the other girl,” Tyler agreed. “Maybe her, but not your brot—”

“You mean me?” Hayley spoke up, stepping forward. “You thought he’d shoot me?”

The sergeant forced a pained laugh. “Yeah, I guess so.” He looked back at me. “So this is your sister?”

I nodded.

“Hang on,” Ava cut in. “You’re telling me Captain Baker shot his own son and was trying to kill you?” She pointed at Hayley. “Why? Why is none of this making any sense to me? Mr. G.I. Joe? Mr. American hero?”

Flynn snorted. “Hero?”

I looked at Hayley and could see a small smile on her face as well. It was as ridiculous as it sounded. “He’s no hero,” she whispered.

“Truthfully, sir,” the sergeant muttered. “Had he known that was your sister, he’d have killed her. Well before she killed Brock.”

Hayley nodded. “True.”

“You killed Brock?” I glanced at Hayley.

“He had it coming.”

That was cold coming from my little sister. Wow!

“Still don’t understand.” Ava was shaking her head. “Aren’t we all on the same side?”

“Hardly,” Flynn muttered.

Tyler was looking at Hayley now. “So who was the African you were traveling with?”

“My brother,” Eddie growled from the darkness.

In a flash, Kellen drew his sidearm and pointed it toward the sound of the voice.

Just as quickly, Hayley, Flynn, and I stepped in front of Kellen.

“Who the hell is that?”

“Kellen, put down your gun. You don’t need that here.” I motioned with my hand for him to lower his weapon.

He stood his ground.

I heard the general cough, and then he said, “Kellen, put down your damn gun or I’ll shoot you myself.”

“But, sir.” He slowly lowered the gun.

“Kellen, you gave me your word you would follow the captain’s orders as if they were my own.” General Niles was wheezing now. “Did you not?”

“Sir…yes, sir.”

“Now.” General Niles turned his gaze to me. “Who is this non-American you’re protecting? And why exactly are you protecting him?”

“His name is Eddie. He was a major in Qi Jia’s military until he found out they attacked America first. He saved my sister’s life and then saved all of our lives again later. Twice even.”

“Do you realize the risk you took bringing him into this tunnel? This man could have—he could—”

“Yes, sir, I did understand the risks—and I do. But I trust this man implicitly.”