Chapter 9

Aaron looked out the window as the vehicle he was riding in sped down the nearly empty streets of Cancun at oh-three-hundred. Aaron spotted a couple stumbling along, no doubt from a night of heavy drinking or drug use, but most of the tourists and locals had gone back to their hotels or homes. There was a man passed out on the street corner, and Aaron frowned. It wasn't exactly a safe spot to sleep for the night.

The city block was quiet, with street lights and signs from businesses lighting the way. His gloved hands gripped his rifle, and he adjusted his night-vision goggles. Upon reviewing blueprints of the building, the SEAL team assessed that the couple were being held in one of the bedrooms in the penthouse. Hopefully they were together, but if not, they'd clear each room to extract the hostages.

The vehicles slowed for a turn then sped up again, the city blocks quickly passing by. Wyatt glanced over at him, clicking his mic. "The CO just told me DEA is doing a deep-dive into Wilder's background," he said over the headsets. "We'll extract him as planned, but I don't know if he can be fully trusted."

Aaron clicked his mic, speaking to his team leader. "Understood. We'll keep an eye on him."

"That fucker must have brass balls to screw around with the cartel leader," Sawyer said.

"Maybe he got played, maybe he's playing us. Time will tell," Hudson bit out. "We'll keep him secured after the rescue."

Static crackled over the headsets. "Five minutes out."

Wyatt spoke again, giving his team final instructions as they neared the target. "As soon as we reach the penthouse on the eleventh floor, Aaron and Ryan will search the three southside bedrooms. Sawyer and I have the north—one bedroom and a large living space. Hudson and Austin, you've got the east. The open foyer on the west side is where we enter."

"Roger that."

"Roger."

The other men confirmed as well. Five minutes later, Aaron spotted the sign for the Paradise Vista Cancun on the next block. The nightclub and residences were in a high rise directly across the street from the large hotel, looming in the night. A lone police car was sitting on the corner, and Aaron's gaze narrowed. He clicked his mic, speaking to his teammates. "Let's hope the police don't tip off the cartel members," he said. "Nothing like running an op where the local cops are dirty."

"My men will keep watch," the Mexican commander said.

The convoy of vehicles pulled to an abrupt stop, and then Wyatt was barking out orders "We're a go. Move out!"

The vehicle doors opened, and the SEAL team and Mexican Special Forces were running toward the building. Aaron watched as several of them jogged to the back to secure the area, but then he and his teammates were moving in, rifles in hand. The lobby doors were unlocked, and they burst inside without needing to smash any glass.

His gaze landed on the front reception area desk, empty at this hour, then slid to the elevator bank. He pushed the button, watching as several of his teammates took the stairs as planned. Hoofing it up eleven floors would slow them down, but it made sense to split up. They'd most likely all have to come back down the stairwell with the hostages, otherwise they could end up trapped in the elevator if the power was cut.

The doors opened, and he stepped in with Ryan. It was absurd riding in the mirrored elevator dressed in fatigues, helmet and night-vision goggles on, rifles at the ready. Wyatt and Sawyer had boarded a second elevator, and Austin and Hudson were jogging up the stairs.

Aaron pressed number eleven, watching as it lit up. He was thankful it wasn't the type of elevator that required a keycard to reach the upper floors. While that was a major security flaw, it worked in their favor. He didn't even want to know why access wasn't restricted. Were multiple members of the cartel or public coming up here for drugs, sex, or worse?

"Shitty security," Ryan commented.

"No kidding. Makes it easier for us, however."

"The building perimeter is secure," one of the Mexican servicemembers said over the headsets. "We have men stationed downstairs, securing the lobby. Advise when you're on your way down with the packages."

"Roger that," Wyatt said.

The elevator dinged as the doors opened, and then Aaron and Ryan burst onto the top floor. Wyatt and Sawyer were right behind them. Aaron paused, signaling his teammates, then kicked in the front door to breach the residence as the other men aimed their weapons.

A woman shrieked as they rushed inside, and Sawyer quickly patted her down to ensure she wasn't armed, instructing her to remain near the door.

"We've breached the penthouse," Wyatt said as he clicked his mic. "Beginning our search."

A gunshot came from the right, causing the men to duck, and then Ryan was returning fire, taking out an armed man rushing at them.

"One tango down," Wyatt said calmly as the man fell to the ground with a large thud, blood pooling around his head. The woman in the foyer began screaming, Sawyer trying to calm her down.

"Roger that," Austin said over the headsets, huffing as he ran up the stairs.

"This is Hudson. The stairwell is clear. We're almost to the eleventh floor," he grunted out. "Over."

Wyatt lifted his arm, circling his finger in the air. "Search the rooms!"

Aaron and Ryan jogged to the south side of the large penthouse, rifles aimed, the space looking grainy through Aaron's night-vision-goggles. Wyatt had jumped over the dead body and moved to the north, leaving Sawyer in the front with the woman. If she didn't stop screaming, more armed men would no doubt arrive shortly. The men needed to find the hostages and move out.

A gunshot sounded, followed by return fire. "SITREP!" Wyatt yelled over the headsets.

"Another tango down," Sawyer said. "I'm still in the foyer. Over."

Aaron and Ryan reached the far hallway, slowing their steps. The first bedroom door was closed, and Aaron signaled his teammate. Ryan kicked open the door as the men burst inside, their rifles aimed as they swept the room. There was a neatly made bed with no personal belongings around. Aaron yanked open the closet door, but it was empty. The attached bathroom showed no signs of anyone being there either.

"First room is clear," Ryan said into his mic.

"Let's move!" Aaron called out.

The second bedroom had the door wide open and was as empty as the first. "The second bedroom is empty," Aaron said into his comms unit. "The bed is unmade and looks like someone recently slept there."

"Or fucked there," Sawyer said.

Aaron bit back a curse. His teammate wasn't wrong. The cartel members could be bringing women up to the penthouse for sex and drugs. Maybe no one lived here at all, they just used it as needed.

Hudson's voice came over the headsets. "We're in the penthouse near Sawyer. Commencing search of the east side. Over." Aaron heard thumping as the men jogged down the hallway to their section, and he exchanged a look with Ryan as they approached the closed door of the third bedroom.

"Let's hope we get lucky," Ryan said under his breath.

Aaron nodded, and then Ryan kicked it in, the men bursting inside. A woman screamed as they entered with their weapons drawn, and then Aaron noticed she was bound and shaking, wearing only a bikini, a gag hanging around her neck. "Kim Burgess?" he confirmed, rushing toward her.

"Ye-yes," she whimpered, trembling.

Ryan was already opening the closet and bathroom doors, clearing the rest of the room.

Aaron knelt down in front of the hostage, pulling his K-Bar knife free to cut the ropes that bound her. "Kim, we're American Special Forces sent here to rescue you. Let's get you out of these bindings, because we need to move out. Are you able to walk?"

"I think so," she said as he carefully sliced the rope wrapped around her wrists. Her skin was red and raw, and Aaron moved to the bindings at her ankles to completely free her.

Ryan was already yanking a blanket off the bed, moving over to help cover her with it. Aaron hated to think what she'd been through while in captivity. Had they assaulted her? She wasn't visibly bruised or bleeding, but he knew that didn't mean shit. She could have internal injuries or other trauma.

"We've only located you," Aaron said with a frown. "Is your fiancé Eric Wilder here? Our understanding was that you were being held together."

"They took him," she said, softly crying. "He was alive, but they dragged him out of here earlier. I've been alone for hours."

Ryan cursed, clicking his mic to update the team. Hudson spoke next. "The rooms on the east side are clear. No tangos or hostages."

"All clear here," Wyatt confirmed.

Adrenaline coursed through Aaron's veins as he helped the woman to stand, anger rolling through him. She wobbled on her feet as he guided her toward the door, Ryan taking point in case one of the cartel members appeared. "We've got another problem," Aaron updated the team. "Eric Wilder is missing."