Stranded (A Samantha Starr Thriller, Book 4) Read online

  They replied simultaneously, “It’s just a graze.”

  My eyes filled with water and my lips quivered. “B-but he’s bleeding.”

  Ross set me down and said to Bryce, “She gets really upset if one of us is injured. Best let her make a fuss or she’ll never stop blubbering.” He kissed my forehead and handed me a handkerchief.

  I unbuttoned Bryce’s shirt and pulled it down. A bullet had grazed his left shoulder, leaving a bloody groove. I blotted the wound gently with the folded handkerchief and looked up at him. “Does it hurt a lot?”

  “I didn’t even notice it until you pointed it out.” He stroked my cheek. “Relax, Sam, it’s nothing.”

  I sighed and hugged him. “I’m really sorry you got shot. Thanks for saving me.”

  He smiled. “I couldn’t have done it without you.” He nodded at Ross. “Your girlfriend is one hell of a warrior. I’d go into battle with her at my side any day.”

  Ross pulled me into his arms. “Lately, she’s had more combat experience than most soldiers. We need to figure out a way to put a stop to that.” He hugged me and kissed the nape of my neck, sending shivers down my spine. The good kind.

  I looked up at Ross. “Do you know if Carlene and the rest of Bryce’s team are all right?”

  “They’re fine. When Sweetwater’s men realized you weren’t there, they left without firing a shot.” He nodded at Bryce. “That was a good plan.”

  “Actually, the whole thing was Sam’s idea. I was worried about taking her away from my team, but it all turned out okay, thanks to you chaps.” He shook hands with some of the men.

  Ross glanced around at all the dead mercenaries. “Sam, the body count around you keeps getting higher. We need to stop Sweetwater, permanently.”

  “I wish I could’ve shot the bastard at Duxford. I’m sick and tired of him targeting me, and I hate having to kill people. I want this to end.” My hands were shaking.

  “The DSF told me MI5 has been trying to find a legal way to stop him,” Ross said.

  Bryce had been listening. “There’s another option. If you need volunteers for a black ops mission to make him disappear, I’m up for it.”

  “Thanks. I’ll look into it, but first we have to deal with this mess.” Ross waved at the twenty-four bodies. He pulled out his cell and called General Barnes.

  After a mostly one-sided conversation with the Director of Special Forces, Ross pocketed his cell. “The other teams will head back to base. My team will escort you and Bryce back to his team and Carlene. Then we’ll all go to Credenhill for the debrief.”

  A Super Lynx took us back to Duxford, and Bryce’s team met us on the ramp.

  I glanced from Carlene to Kyle. The poor guy looked like Carlene had put him through the ringer. His hair was tussled and he had on my flight suit but was unable to zip it up over his broad chest. “Looks like those two were in a different kind of combat.”

  Kyle said to Bryce, “Next time, send me into battle and you stay with the hellcat.”

  Carlene shrugged innocently and grinned.

  Bryce and I took a few minutes to wash up in the restrooms, and then Kyle and I swapped clothes. His uniform was dirty with a smidgen of blood, and my flight suit smelled like Carlene’s perfume.

  We boarded two Super Lynx helicopters with the teams and flew to the SAS headquarters in Credenhill.

  After a tedious debriefing, I said my goodbyes to Carlene, Bryce, and his team. Then Ross and I flew back to Scotland where he lived in a castle built by his ancestors.

  We snuggled up in front of a roaring fire in his study, and he lit a fire inside me that slowly built into a blazing inferno. Afterward, we sipped merlot, and I nibbled on chocolate truffles. My man knew everything I needed to calm my jangled nerves.

  “Has anyone called my mom or Duncan? I don’t want them to hear about us on TV and worry.” I pulled out my cell.

  “I thought it best to wait until I had you back in Scotland. Call her now.” Ross kissed the top of my head.

  My mother was staying with her boyfriend, Laird Duncan MacLeod, at his huge castle near Craigervie. Wedding bells were definitely in their future. Mom had been a widow for five years when she met Duncan, the spitting image of a Highland chieftain on the cover of one of her steamy medieval romance novels. He was perfect for her, and Ross was perfect for me.

  Ross’s castle was smaller than Duncan’s, but it had a moat and drawbridge. He was laird of the Sinclair clan, although he rarely used his title. He took pride in his rank as a captain in the UK’s elite Special Forces.

  I called Mom’s cell and hit the SPEAKER button. “Hi, Mom, I’m with Ross at his place, safe and sound, so disregard anything you might see on the nightly news or read in tomorrow’s paper.”

  “What happened?” Her voice cracked.

  “I was in a little dustup with Sweetwater’s mercenaries, but the SAS ruined their day.”

  “Tell Ross thank you for saving my only daughter, yet again.”

  “No worries, Loren. We’re working on a plan to end Sweetwater’s attacks,” Ross said.

  “Good. The sooner the better. That man is pure evil. And Ross, we want you both here for dinner before Sam flies back to the States.”

  “Count on it. We’ll see you soon.” Ross clicked END and pulled me close.

  Whenever I was in his arms, everything felt safe and good. If only that feeling could last when I returned home to Florida in two days and resumed my airline career.

  Three

  Palm Beach, Florida

  After having been away from the cockpit for the past six months, I completed mandatory re-qualification training in the B767 flight simulator. I just needed one sequence of passenger flights with a check captain before I could resume my regular flight schedule.

  My boss, Chief Pilot Jeff Rowlin, who was tall, blond, and Nordic-looking, was in the copilot’s seat. He’d observe my return to flying and sign me off after this multi-day trip.

  I eased the 767’s throttles forward and taxied to the active runway at Palm Beach International Airport.

  “Luxury 422, cleared for takeoff, runway 10 left,” the tower controller said.

  “Luxury 422 is cleared for takeoff, runway 10 left,” Jeff replied with a deep Texas twang as I pulled onto the runway and slid the throttles up to takeoff power.

  Jeff liked to maintain the hands-on proficiency of his pilots, so we started every flight sequence using manual controls up to cruise altitude and again during approach and landing. I eased back on the yoke, and we climbed into the sunny Florida sky, our charter flight destined for Hong Kong with an overnight stop first in San Francisco.

  My employer, Luxury International Airlines, was unique in the airline world. Our 767 jumbo jets were configured with one hundred fully-reclining seats, each covered in butter-soft leather and ensconced in large private cubicles with comprehensive individual entertainment centers and free in-flight phones.

  Gourmet food, premium alcoholic beverages, entertainment options, and posh bathrooms with showers were included in the ticket price. The intent was to be even more appealing than a typical private jet by offering an ultra-luxurious experience with one flight attendant for every ten passengers in the roomy atmosphere of a jumbo jet.

  After we leveled off at cruise altitude, Jeff said, “What’s the deal with your eyes?” He stared a moment. “Are those colored contacts?”

  “I’m not wearing contacts.” I sighed. “My eyes were affected by what happened to me in the Himalayas.”

  He raised a brow. “But how could your eyes change color?”

  “Impossible to explain.” And I don’t want anyone to know the truth.

  He chuckled. “I should know by now that abnormal is your norm. That reminds me, Max isn’t happy you returned to flying. He wants you on Leviathan, helping him deal with all the weird stuff underwater in Atlantis.”

  “Sorry, but your son and the Navy will have to wait. They have no right to screw with my airline career.” I glance
d down as we passed over portions of the southern states west of Florida. “Damn, I really missed flying.”

  “I’m happy to have you back, Sam. I hate breaking in new hires. We have a nice mix of seasoned pilots who all get along great.” He grinned. “Why mess with perfection?”

  I smiled, nodding. “I owe you and Lance free drinks for life after your stealth mission in that floatplane over Atlantis. Not many people could’ve pulled that off. You really saved my butt.” I reached over and patted his shoulder. “Thanks, Boss.”

  “We did what we could, but most of the credit should go to Ross. Now I understand why you chose a badass warrior for your boyfriend.” He chuckled. “Seems like he spends most of his time rescuing you.”

  “Yeah, well, I intend to avoid all that nonsense from now on. Usually the bad stuff happens when I’m not in an airliner.” I took a sip of bottled water and checked our course.

  “By the way, Lance will be our relief pilot for the long flight to Hong Kong,” Jeff said. “He’s meeting us in San Francisco.”

  “Great—I haven’t seen him since we landed that top-secret 727 you-know-where.”

  He nodded. “Um, I guess you know he has a thing for you.”

  “Nah, Lance just loves women, especially blondes.” I twirled my long ponytail. “And he’s a chick magnet, so women fawn over him everywhere he goes.”

  “Yeah, but you don’t, so keep it that way, and respect his feelings. Don’t give him false hope.”

  I raised a hand. “Hey, no problem here. I really like Lance, but he knows I’m in love with Ross. And you guys won’t have to worry about me stumbling into danger again. From now on, I’ll be extra careful everywhere I go.”

  “And stay out of curio shops in Hong Kong.” He chuckled.

  “You don’t have to tell me twice. In fact, I’m seriously considering staying in my hotel room in Hong Kong so I don’t risk running into Dragon Master again.”

  “Oh, right, I forgot about him. Wasn’t he there when our military bombed the shit out of the enclave?” Jeff asked.

  “Nope, but he’s the one who pulled me into that mess.” I shook my head. “I definitely don’t want to see him again.”

  He blew out a sigh. “I sure am glad that crisis is over.”

  “You and me both.” I held up my water bottle like a toast. “Here’s to boring flights and dull overnights.”

  Jeff laughed. “I’ll second that.”

  San Francisco, California

  Jeff and I walked into the restaurant in our layover hotel, and I breathed in aromas of fresh-baked bread and sizzling steaks. Lance waved at us from across the dining room. We weaved our way through the linen-covered tables and joined him. He stood and pulled back my chair, always a gentleman.

  Lance Bowie was the epitome of tall, dark, and handsome with liquid-green eyes and a sexy Texas accent.

  I had to admit there was something special about Texas men—at least all the ones I’d met. They seemed to have a deep sense of honor and an easygoing attitude with tons of swagger. And Texas men had more than their share of tall genes. Jeff was at least six-four, and with his blond hair and blue eyes, he looked like a Viking. So did his son, Max. Fun guys, including Lance, but also the kind who would always have your back. I was fortunate to have friends like them.

  “Sam, it’s good to see you.” Lance’s face reddened. “Okay if I give you a hug?”

  “Of course.” I reached for him, wondering why he looked embarrassed. “Something wrong?”

  “Um, well, no, it’s just that a lot has happened since the last time I saw you.” Lance shot a glance at Jeff, then he gave me a quick hug and froze. “What the hell happened to your eyes?”

  I blew out a sigh. “Hard to explain, but I’m okay. Thanks for helping save my butt again.” I kissed his cheek and sat beside him. What was he hiding?

  “Anything for you, darlin’.” He glanced at Jeff again and mouthed, “WTF?”

  I wanted to take the attention off me. “Did you guys meet the triplets?”

  Lance blushed again, and his eyes filled with panic.

  Jeff said, “I never met them, but they spent some time on my son’s ship, and Lance met them in Key West when they were there with your brothers.”

  “My brothers were totally smitten with the redhead and the brunette for a while. They fooled me too.” I looked into Lance’s eyes. “What did you think when you met them?”

  He swallowed hard. “I couldn’t get used to how much they looked like you. It was bizarre. And they kept talking telepathically about us to each other. Then they’d giggle, and Mike would scold them about using telepathy.”

  “But did you like them?” I asked.

  Lance hesitated. “They seemed okay at first, and like you said, Mike and Matt were hot for Blaze and Luna.”

  “Everyone said Solraya looked exactly like me and was pretending to be me. I never saw her in person. Did you think she was me?”

  Lance turned crimson. “Yeah, at first, but so did your brothers. My first clue should’ve been when she didn’t ask to fly my newly acquired L-39 jet.”

  “Ooh, you bought an L-39?” I couldn’t hide my excitement.

  “She’s a real beauty and flies like a dream.” He grinned. “You’re welcome to fly her when we get back to Florida.”

  “Thanks, Lance, I’d love to.” I couldn’t help wondering what he wasn’t telling me about Solraya.

  A waiter appeared, handed us menus, and took drink orders.

  “So, what are you ordering for dinner, Lance?” I asked.

  “The porterhouse with sweet potatoes and green beans. The steaks here are always super tender.” He grinned.

  “I think I’ll go for the ribeye with the Caesar salad. What about you, Jeff?”

  “The New York strip, nice and lean. Better get your red meat before Hong Kong. Steak prices there are insane.” Jeff shook his head.

  “Yeah, especially since I’ll probably just order room service so I can avoid trouble on our layover.” I nodded at Jeff.

  “That’s ridiculous! You don’t have to stay in the hotel. You can hang out with us. We’ll keep you out of trouble.” Lance glanced at Jeff. “Right?”

  “That didn’t work out so well last time you two were in Hong Kong.” Jeff arched his brow. “Weren’t you with her when she met Dragon Master? Remember he gave her that artifact? Then the shootout? Months of chaos?”

  “Yeah, but the bad guys are dead now, so no worries.” Lance patted my hand. “Sam will be fine.”

  I shrugged. “Dragon Master might still be in Hong Kong.”

  “The old guy with the Fu Manchu mustache? His masters are all dead, and he closed his curio shop right after he gave you the artifact. He’s probably long gone and happy to be free of the Atlanteans.” Lance took a swig of his beer. “Seriously, you should be safe now.”

  “I hope you’re right. I’m looking forward to a calm, normal life for a change.”

  Jeff laughed. “There’s never been anything normal about your life.”

  “Yeah, there’s a good reason your brothers nicknamed you Danger Magnet.” Lance chuckled. “But seriously, you should be okay in Hong Kong, unless…” He let his last word hang in the air.

  “Unless what?” I didn’t like the worried look in his eyes.

  Almost in a whisper, Lance asked, “Uh, the Chinese don’t know about that Himalayan enclave, right?”

  “How would they know that?”

  He leaned closer. “A couple of weeks ago, you told me on the phone that the Chinese army came after you on the Nepal border where the rescue team landed their paragliders. Could they have recognized you?”

  I thought for a second. “I was wearing a long golden robe, which probably attracted their attention, and my face and hair were uncovered. But even if their soldiers got a good look at me, they didn’t survive the flood.”

  Jeff leaned forward and asked in a low voice, “Any chance they might’ve taken your picture and sent it to their leaders bef
ore they got swept away?”

  I looked up, remembering. “I suppose it’s possible, but they were rushing to climb up to us right before all that water came roaring in.”

  Jeff said after a moment, “Maybe you flying to Hong Kong is a bad idea. China might have your name on a watch list.”

  “Why would they even care if I’d been in the enclave?”

  He looked around and whispered, “They’re suspicious about the bombing near their border. Our government doesn’t want China to know the truth because of the connection to the underwater city. They might think you have the answers, so keep a low profile.”

  “Like I said, I’ll hunker down in my hotel room.” I sat back. “I brought my Kindle loaded with novels by my favorite authors: Nancy Cohen, Dallas Gorham, Don Stratton, Fred Lichtenberg, Ray Flynt, and George A. Bernstein.”

  Jeff pulled out his cell. “I’ll ask Max to have the DIA verify you’re not on China’s radar before we launch for Hong Kong. Better safe than sorry.” He hit speed dial for Max’s cell and selected SPEAKER.

  Judging by the many pictures Jeff had shown me, Max looked so much like him that he could’ve been his clone. But instead of following his father’s path on Navy fighter jets and airliners, Max had focused his energy on covert missions and commanding a five-hundred-foot Navy ship. The USS Leviathan was an espionage/research vessel equipped with missiles, deck cannons, mini attack submarines, a research sub, a diving bell, a SEAL team, Hardsuits, and a long list of unusual equipment.

  “Hey, Dad, what’s up?” Max said.

  “I’m in San Francisco with Sam and Lance, and I have you on speaker. Sorry we didn’t think of this sooner. We’re fixin’ to take a charter flight to Hong Kong tomorrow night, and I’d like you to have DIA check if it’s safe for Sam to go to China. You know, in case those soldiers in the Himalayas identified her to their superiors.”

  “I have a better idea: Replace her now and send her to my ship. I’ll keep her safe, and she can help me deal with this Atlantis nightmare. I’ll have a Seahawk waiting for her in Key West.” Max paused. “Scratch that, I’ll arrange for a military jet to fly her straight from SFO to the Key West Naval Air Station.”