Counter Strike: Agent's of STAR

By Patricia Bates

A woman with secrets. A man with honor. Can love survive?

 

Alex Caden a ghost, a blip on a screen. Kidnapped by an unknown foe, her rescue comes at the hands of an elite Navy SEAL team. But nothing is as it seems and danger lurks in the shadows. Now, hunted by those who want her silenced she's forced to rely on her rescuer.

Slade Lake has dedicated his life to keeping civilians safe. When he saves Alex, he knows as soon as he sees her that they're meant to be together.

With killers dogging their every step and secrets unfolding can they find love or will the enemies from the shadows destroy everything?

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: P B Publications
• Release date: Apr 17, 2022
• ISBN: 9781990536090

Book preview

Back Cover Copy

A woman with secrets. A man with honor. Can love survive?

Alex Caden a ghost, a blip on a screen. Kidnapped by an unknown foe, her rescue comes at the hands of an elite Navy SEAL team. But nothing is as it seems and danger lurks in the shadows. Now, hunted by those who want her silenced she's forced to rely on her rescuer.

Slade Lake has dedicated his life to keeping civilians safe. When he saves Alex, he knows as soon as he sees her that they’re meant to be together.

With killers dogging their every step and secrets unfolding can they find love or will the enemies from the shadows destroy everything?

Dedication

To you, my readers. Your support and your enjoyment means the world to me.

Chapter 1

ALEX SHIFTED HER PACK on her way down the stairs. Dodging the ice on the edges, she hummed Bach’s Third Symphony under her breath. Her boots crunched on ice with each hurried stride across the parking lot to the idling surplus Humvee.

The hairs on the back of her neck lifted. Heavy, insidious, the hatred that rolled over her sent shockwaves through her. Alex paused, and her breathing settled into a slow, easy rhythm.

Quick, assessing shifts of her eyes revealed nothing out of place in the parking lot. Cars sat beneath a blanket of snow. A rig sat running by the diner. Smoke curled upward from chimneys.

Her father’s stern lecture popped into her head. Your gut’ll tell you when something’s out of place, Alex. Pay attention to your instincts—could be the difference between getting home and bleeding out in some field. If I hadn’t listened to it, no tellin’ how many times I’d have been killed.

She reached beneath the heavy, blue parka to the holster she’d strapped on. Her fingers tightened around the butt of the SIG P226. Cold, textured steel glided beneath her flesh. Her thumb depressed the safety with a soft ping. She flexed her fingers, sliding her forefinger onto the trigger.

The sensation of eyes on her worsened. Layer by layer they seemed to delve deeper and deeper beneath her skin. Dad, my gut’s telling me to run like crazy, she whispered tightly.

With her empty hand she reached into her fatigue pocket and pulled out the spare truck key. She scanned the parking lot as she hurried toward the locked truck.

She eased the gun out, pressing it into the warmth of her thigh. Keeping one eye on the parking lot, she pressed the auto release for the lock. The soft click of the mechanism releasing coincided with the distinct sound of a rifle being fired. Agony lanced through the left side of her body as the bullet passed through to shatter the mirror mere feet away. Muscle memory pulled the trigger of her own weapon before it slid from her numb fingers to land beneath the running board of the truck.

Darkness swam, blanketing her vision. Warm, pulsing blood seeped through her clothes.

Her teeth chattered. Fire seared into her body. Cutting, slicing, shattering the muscle, the  tendons. Her chest burned for oxygen. Metalic, acrid, the taste of blood settled on her tongue. A whimper of pain escaped as she moved, her hands scrambling in the ice. Get up, Alex!

Struggling to draw in a deep breath, Alex stared at the slow, purposeful steps that stopped before her. Who the hell wears patent leather in the Arctic in November?  Twitching, the ground beneath her turning a brilliant shade of red, Alex let the darkness ease the pain in her body, welcoming the numbness and escape of unconsciousness.

Alex shivered. Her breath fogged before her with each exhale. Beyond the walls of her prison she could hear the boisterous fury of dogs. Men shouted. Horns blared. Around her, however, agonizing silence wrapped its tentacles around her in a maddening embrace. Pain and heat trailed along her shoulder, down her arm to her numb fingers.

Her body jerked and shook with each movement as she struggled to get herself into a sitting position. Vicious cold seeped through the thin layer of satin beneath her hip. Dad, could really use some help, she whispered, a faint hope he was there to help her out. She clenched her teeth together to stop the chattering.

Every muscle clenched at the sound of a key in the lock. The door swung open, casting the pale glow of light into the semi-darkness. The large, hulking figure that filled the door paused before stepping inside. Alex squinted against the light, her eyes burning after so long in the dark.

Alex shifted, her teeth chattering as she listened to him approach.

Out of shape. Smoker. Left leg, she whispered to herself. The fog of illness that swam in her head kept the fear at bay. Escape wasn’t an option—they’d seen to that. Even now the bottoms of her feet burned in agony from the electrical cord they’d used.

Her muscles ached, crackling with the tension that thrummed through them at the sudden sight of a second figure. Hey, leave the twit and come on. Hell’s breaking loose and you’re worryin’ bout gettin’ your dick wet. His voice held a rough, smoky note that hardened when the first man didn’t move fast enough. Now!

What the hell we gotta do now? The man’s voice took on an eerie whine that sent shards of disgust racing through her. Jesus, don’t the boss realize some of us got better things to do?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Get yer ass in gear, or he’ll have your balls.

Muttering several curses, the two men retreated from her cell. Alex heaved a sigh of  relief. Soon, the familiar howling of the dogs filled the darkness again. Leaning her head back against the wall, Alex shivered, from the cold or the poison racing through her veins she didn’t know, or care. All she wanted, no needed, was sleep.

Chapter 2

LIEUTENANT SLADE LAKE eyed the dial of his watch for the third time in as many minutes.

The faint sound of the plane’s engines faded as his three team members approached. Stars winked on the black velvet backdrop of the Arctic sky.

What’s the plan?

Target’s five K to the west. Orders are to get in, out, and head for the rendezvous by 0900 in two days. Intel puts the number of enemies at around thirty. Slade glanced to his right at his team’s Corpsman.

Four to one odds.

Briggs said it would take a little skill to get in undetected. We’re not to engage unless it’s absolutely necessary.

What’s so great about this target? Headquarters didn’t give us much to go on.

Slade shrugged. He’d wondered the same thing earlier, but the little he’d been told had given only the barest of details. Age, basic description, but nothing that jumped out to say

special. With a muttered curse, he gathered the strap of his rifle and stood. Why? You got a hot date? Slade shook his head.

With his team half a step behind him, Slade checked the compass and headed east.

Frozen lichen crunched beneath their feet, breaking the silence of night. Slade shivered beneath the thermal gear he wore. Give me the sweltering heat of Burma or Nigeria any day. It’s too cold for this shit.

Hunkered down behind several large, ice encrusted boulders, Slade held the night vision glasses to his eyes. Through the greenish glow, he surveyed the layout of the target.

The outer wall stood at least eight feet high, with two iron gates. Spotlights glowed in the darkness, spreading a blanket of white over the snow. Massive, opulent, the front peaks of a mansion broke the blue of the night sky. Armed guards paced the perimeter. The fancy weapons they carried sent a shaft of anger raging through him. Their intel was off and not by a hair. Nope, they’d completely underestimated the force they’d been sent against!

Damn it.

Them ain’t your typical weapons, boss. Pyke whistled. Looks to me like...

Military issues. Slade dropped behind the rock. "And the