Chapter 5

I knew I was right when Catherine appeared, nodding her agreement. I sighed, I hated being right most of the time, especially in situations like this.

She even suggested an attack that would have fewer people killed. I thought about it was a good plan though, I was afraid it would put us in more danger.

I considered everything before I had us move out at sunset. I was hoping that we would actually succeed again, getting men back was always good.

The tall, sandy blonde woman looked around as she walked out of the hospital. Her last episode had done more than give her a major headache. She’d had memories for the first in a long time.

There was an accident that she was in, two people were killed, though she couldn’t recall their names. She remembered that she had a brother, a brother she hadn’t seen in many years.

All she knew, he was as tall as her, had the same sandy blonde hair and his name was John. Anything more than that, caused her head to hurt.

It suddenly hit her the man that was in the picture that had been moved, that was her brother. It had to be why else was there a picture of all of them together?

Damnit! She was almost there, for so long she had nothing and now just a tidbit? No, she had to push to get more, she had to.

The woman went back to her home, trying to barely touch on the new memories that she had gained. She had seen the records about the accident though a lot of the terminology was unknown to her.

About the only thing that she knew was she had retrograde amnesia. They had said it should start to return after a year. That had been a number of years ago, and she was just now starting to get a little back.

She finally made it with a slight headache though nowhere as bad as before. They had warned her not to push trying to get her memories back. They were afraid that she might have a very bad seizure.

She laid down trying to relax, thinking that it might help. She was so close she had to get them back. A dull throbbing started behind her eyes, what had happened?

My squad moved out as soon as the light faded. I had counted almost twenty prisoners in cages out in the sun-drenched areas. I felt the mood of all my men change the closer we got to the camp.

I had several men scout around the camp as well as I had. Those that we had met were obviously a part of this place. I saw that there were a lot of empty tents, yeah they had quite a few missing.

They had a few moving around the camp on guard duty, they were eliminated quickly and quietly. Though a good number of them were gone, they still held an advantage.

I finally saw that the outer guards were done, I then decided we needed to get this done. We had taken at least half the camp, making things more manageable.

We then moved in, taking almost the rest when a man appeared, shouting a warning. The few that were left started to grab guns and a short firefight ensued. I looked at the bodies feeling fortunate, none of my men were killed.

I had all the prisoners released, counting eighteen. Then there were more than twenty of the enemy we took. Shit I thought this was going to be hell getting all of them back.

So, I started us back as slowly as I could, I felt we were still far in the enemy territory to use the radio yet. I tried to keep us moving, though with the prisoners it was slow-going.

I estimated we made four clicks that night (0.6214 miles = 1 click). I cursed as I had hoped to get further. I had us settle in as the sun was starting to rise.

I could see that we needed to get another ten clicks before we’d have a chance. I was afraid that the camp we had left would be discovered soon then, we’d have real trouble. I was half right Catherine had managed to get more food and water to me for them.

We were actually ten clicks away when I radioed we were returning with our men. “How many this time? Came the commander’s voice.

“We got eighteen, though we have prisoners. Not that easy when they almost outnumber us,” I told him.

“I have a small convoy on its way eta bout twenty. You gonna need air support?” He asked.

“At the moment no, though I am afraid that the camp will be missed. I can almost feel them coming sir,” I told him.

“Got a rush on them still gonna be about another ten,” he said, then several shots rang out from the last sand dune. Damnit, I had thought we were further away.

“Got to go sir,” I said as I started to fire. My eyes went wide as the first four shots scored a hit.

I smiled as I saw Catherine smiling beside me. I nodded as I fired again, hitting another three.

They had stopped their front advance, so I warned the rest of the squad that they were trying to surround us. A few minutes later, I heard the engines of a jet as they approached us.

I listened closer as they definitely didn’t sound like ours. At least at first they didn’t, then I swore I was hearing several F-18 Hornets.

Less than a minute later, four mig-29’s flew past us. The thing was, they seemed to be running as four Hornets were hot on their tail. Well they were, ‘til two went down after they were hit by missiles.

Another four appeared firing missiles at the spot where I had seen the insurgents. A few minutes later, several trucks came over the sand dune behind us.

I thought of seeing if any of the ones that attacked us were still alive. I decided we needed to get our men back as some weren’t in that great shape. Plus, I was worried about those of the enemy we had captured.

We loaded up as fast as possible, then bugged out as fast as we could go. I sighed, then I heard a giggle beside me. “I told you master I will not let anything happen to you,” Catherine said with a huge smile.

I nodded to her as I smiled back, trying to not be appearing to be smiling and talking to thin air.

We made it back to the base the men offloaded and taken to the infirmary. Now I had to go talk to the commander, I wasn’t sure that we had enough to arrest the captain. When I walked in, I was confused when the Captain in question was there also.

“I heard you got another eighteen, plus you took almost thirty of the enemy. With the three spies gone, we should have more of an advantage over the enemy, keep up the good work. I need your report on my desk in an hour, dismissed Captains,” we saluted then left.

I looked at the traitorous Captain as he walked away. Damnit, I still didn’t feel I had enough on the man. I looked at Catherine as I walked toward my squad’s hut.

I had to get that damn report done, though for the moment there wasn’t much that I could do. At least I didn’t ‘til I got to my desk and saw the few files that Catherine made appear.

I finished the after-action report in record time then panned through the files. I sighed this was good though the Captain could deny most of it. At least ‘til I got to the last file.

My eyes opened wide as I saw that the Captain had been selling weapons and information to the enemy. I sighed, this was good, though would it stick? This asshole was tricky, covering his ass better than most I had ever seen.

I looked at Catherine, asking her if there was anything else we could get on him.

Catherine smiled,” of course master,” she said as several more files appeared. My eyes got larger as I went through them. Each was more incriminating than the one before.

Back in the city that I and Catherine had been in, things were starting to go downhill for six of the eight. They started to notice that well over half their money was gone without a trace.

Many of th plans they had were canceled as they were suddenly in debt for billions. The CEO of Entrant Inc. was by far in the worst shape. The money from the new investor had vanished not only from his accounts but five others.

They were doing as extensive a search as their hackers could. A few hours later, it was discovered that the two not affected had a sudden huge influx of money. The thing about it was the amounts were what was missing.

The six were mobilizing their own hit squads when all six were suddenly accosted. Not only the FBI and the CIA, there were also several military squads assisting.

They were shocked that they were being arrested, they thought they were protected. Then they heard that several senators were suspended for criminal activity.

The last two of the eight thought that they were free from all this. They thought, ‘til they were leaving for the day when they were stopped by several Treasury agents.

Catherine let me know what was going on with the eight that were responsible for the death of so many military. A small smile came to my face as I thought at least now they should have a better chance.

I had just sent the report with my aid when the hut disappeared. I was once again within the halls that I had been before, what the hell had I done again?

I was suddenly back in a large room with all of what were they a council? I think that was what they were. Once again, I was looking at twelve stern-faced men.

“Why am I back here? I thought that I was doing as you wished,” I told them.

“We were told that you should be advised that an evil Jinn is hunting Catherine and you. He wishes to take Catherine as his own, he can not kill you as that will incur the wrath of the great Jinn,”, the council leader said.

“It is said that the only power that he can not fight is love. If you can harness this, then he can not touch you,” Catherine’s father said.

I just looked at them as if they had lost their mind’s, Love? What in the hell were they expecting that I would fall in love with Catherine? I wish it was that simple. I hadn’t felt anything like love in a very long time.

I thought about what I was feeling for Catherine. Love, no I didn’t think so. Damnit, I felt I was screwed now. I knew that Catherine felt something for me. I sighed, yeah I was screwed.