Hed joined the service fresh out of high school, eager to serve, sure he could make a difference. That choice had taken him the world over, had shown him mans highs and lows and had netted him a fistful of commendations. Trained first in linguistics, then in cryptology, hed put his skill with words and his talent with puzzles to good use.
Hed learned to fight. Hed developed strategic skills. Hed found himself.
But true credit for making him the man he was came down to his being a SEAL. A SEAL and, more to the point, a member of the elite group of SEALs that formed Poseidon.
Twelve men had come out of BUD/S together ten years back, and thanks to Admiral Cree, all twelve served among SEAL Team 7s various platoons. That meant they were able to continue training together, studying together, excelling together.
And when called up, to serve together. They were an elite force of warriors, all focused on one purpose: to be the best of the best. They trained longer, they pushed further, they fought harder than anyone else. They focused on strategy; they specialized in everything.
They were, Elijah knew, the reason he was the man he was, and they were the reason he was alive today. Theyd pulled him from the flaming bowels of hell, he admitted to himself as he and Lansky finished their breakfast.
I cookyou clean. Since I hate dishpan hands, I figure this works fine, the other man said with an easy smile at odds with his bloodshot eyes. As the sun rose, washing color into the jut of space deemed the kitchen, Elijah studied his roommate. Youd think Lanskyd been the one having the crap dreams from the drawn-out lines on his narrow face.
Works for me. Dont wanna do anything to hurt your pretty looks. Elijah gave him another once-over. The guy resembled one of those cherubs his mother had painted on little china dishes, only all grown up. Blond hair, blue eyes and a sweet-cheeked innocence combined with a body sculpted by military training were just a few of the many tools Lansky put to use in his never-ending quest to bag as many chicks as he could.
And speaking of...
I didnt figure Id see you this morning, Elijah said, dumping the pans into the sink with a squirt of soap before adding hot water. Thought you had plans last night thatd keep you in someone elses bed until reveille. What happened? You strike out?
I never strike out, my man. I simply move on.
Didnt look like hed moved on. Looked more like hed spent the night suffering, brooding and hating life.
But as members of Poseidon, Elijah and Lansky had worked enough missions together, and yeah, cruised enough bars, that he knew the other mans style. Lansky would give a friendhell, an enemythe shirt off his back if he needed it, but he didnt share diddly unless he wanted to. And the man hated giving up to the point where stubborn tiptoed toward stupidity.
Come to think of it, they probably had all those things in common.
Whats her name?
Lanskys scowl deepened as he refilled his own mug; the way the rich brown liquid sloshed against the white crockery made it clear this wasnt a breakfast conversation he wanted to have.
Her, who? Itd be a waste to limit myself to just one woman, Rembrandt. You know that.
Right.
That was Lanskys usual MO. Love em and leave em smiling was his motto. But if Elijah wasnt mistaken, that motto had taken a nosedive since the other man had met a sexy brunette a few months back. With the skill of a man who enjoyed beauty in all its forms, Elijah brought the face to mind. A lush brunette with the face of a Greek goddess and the body to match.
Although Lansky had gotten to know her a lot betteralong the lines of biblical knowingtheyd both met Andrianna Stamos months ago on a covert op run by Poseidon in search of a rogue SEAL. One whod dirtied the team, whod betrayed his country, whod jeopardized a critical mission. A man whod hidden treason behind a friendly smile and lied his way up the ranks about who he was, about what hed done, about everything from deserting his child to where hed hidden the riches reaped from treason.
They hadnt found Brandon Ramsey. Still didnt know if he was dead or alive. All they knew for sure was that hed stolen classified information under the guise of an explosion.
Elijah rubbed his fingers over the puckered scars discernible even through the fabric of his slacks and hid his grimace with his cup.
You ever had it hot for a woman who didnt want jack to do with you? Lansky asked with a shrug. You know, the kind of woman you cant shake from your mind?
The swallow of coffee turned to vinegar in Elijahs mouth.
Damn.
The memory of big brown eyes and the sexiest smile ever to curve a Cupids-bow mouth flashed through his mind. Just as quickly as that memory appeared, it was followed by those eyes filled with tears, brimming with accusation, and that mouth trembling as it said goodbye.
The vicious, cutting pain hit all the harder because it was unexpected. He knew exactly how it felt to have a woman rip his heart out of his chest and crush it to dust while he watched, helpless on the sidelines. Recovery in the burn ward was easier, and it hurt a hell of a lot less.
Elijah dumped what was left of his coffee in the sink. Looked like the scars on his leg werent the only ones being poked at this morning.
Yeah. I know what its like. Rejection is fucked, my friend. Rejection when the hearts involved? Fucked beyond words. Wanting to put it from his mind, he started on another dish.
Pretty much the worst, Lansky muttered, his tone making it clear he was looking for assurance that he was wrong. But Elijah didnt have any to give him. Not when it came to heartache and women.
Im pretty sure Id rather take on a dirty bomb and a cell of urban terrorists single-handed than give a woman my heart again, Elijah confessed, naming two of the threats the team hated most. Urban environments usually meant higher collateral damage, bigger rebuilding costs and, worse, playing nice with locals. I figure theres a better chance of beating the terrorists. Women? Thats a no-win game.
That is not a comfort, Lansky said with a bitter laugh, holding out his empty cup for Elijah to add to KP.
Even at the best of times, relationships are never easy, Elijah shot back. He didnt know if it mattered if the relationship had lasted two weeks, two years or two decades. The other party ending it sucked hard.
Good thing were not in the business of easy, he added as he stacked the dishes in the cupboard, hoping to make up for the dismal morning pep talk.
So why do we play?
Best game in town.
True that, Lansky agreed, grabbing his cap from the closet before tossing Elijah his own.
They both gave one last, automatic look around before stepping outside. They lived on base in the apartment, and while an inspection might be unlikely, it could still happen. But it was habit more than concern that had both men tidying on their way out the door.
Even as he welcomed the cool air of a Southern California morning, Elijahs gut tightened. Excitement, he figured. Hed been on inactive duty for way too long. This was his first day back in the trenches, his first op since the mission gone wrong.
He was ready, he vowed, ignoring the twinge in his thigh as they made their way down the stairs.
More than ready, dammit.
He was ready, he vowed, ignoring the twinge in his thigh as they made their way down the stairs.
More than ready, dammit.
As if reading his mind, Lansky slid a glance sideways and asked, You looking forward to getting back to it?
Yep. Nothing like a few hours of ass-breaking PT, target shooting and some dive practice to let me know Im alive. He grinned.
You know, most guys go for kinky sex as proof of life. Gotta wonder at one whos looking forward to physical training, whichll consist of a crapload of push-ups, pull-ups and sit-ups, followed by a sweaty run and ice-cold swim.
Did all that yesterday, and every day last week, Elijah said with a shrug. At Lanskys look, he admitted, I had to make sure I could.
Of course you could. Youre a SEAL, man. More than that, youre Poseidon.
The men who served as SEALs were diverse, their reasons and motivations as varied as they were. But their goal, as one, was to be the best and to serve their country, the Navy, their team.
Poseidon, on the other hand, was a group of twelve men whose numbers and names never varied. Their team was built on years of trust. The men knew one another inside out, knew what made the others tick, how each mans tick meshed with their own. Their goal was bigger than to simply be the best. Their goal was stronger than one mans hopes. They trained beyond what the others did; they studied further than the rest. Every man on the Poseidon team held multiple ratingsincluding Special Ops Combat Mediceach qualified to handle everything from EODs to aviation to intelligence.
They did it because they knew thats what itd take to achieve their mission of absolute cohesion. They did it because their leader asked them to.
Just remember... We are Poseidon, king of the sea. Better than best is what we be. We rule by day, we rule by night. We kick every ass thats in our sight.
My favorite cadence. By the time I was done with the workouts, I was grunting it, Elijah confessed with a laugh as they continued toward a series of low-slung buildings. There were more bodies here, uniforms crisp and faces fresh as the base made ready for the day.
Hed missed this, Elijah realized. The never-changing change that was life on a military base.
You know you could have tapped me to work out with you. I dont mind the extra PT, and theres no reason you had to go it alone.
Just like that. Chest burning with words he couldnt say, Elijahs laugh faded. I appreciate it, man.
Then, because he could see Lansky was just as uncomfortable as he at the sentiment in the air, he shrugged. Wouldnt have mattered if I did, though. You were on leave last week and nowhere to be seen. Whatd you do? Fall off the face of the earth? Torres said he tried to reach you a couple of times to no avail.
Something flashed over Lanskys facea different kind of discomfortbefore the guy offered his own shrug. I had things to do, my friend.
Female things?
Always. With that and a shake of his head to indicate he didnt want to talk about it, Lansky changed the subject. Hell of a long break between missions. You looking forward to getting back in the game?
Ready and able. To serve, and to prove himself.
Elijah had never been big on caring what other people thought about him. Hed lived his life pretty much on his terms. They were easygoing, go-with-the-flow terms that fit with the credo his father had handed down.
If he lived life to the fullest, he could live with his regrets. If he listened to his heart, he could overcome any doubts. If he walked the honest line, he could always hold his head high.
He had to admit, hed racked up a few regrets in his thirty years. Hed lived through pain, heartbreak and a loss he didnt expect to ever recover from. Hed listened to his heart, and, yeah, it had ended up crushed like a week-old cookie left in someones pocket. But had no doubt that hed done his best.
He knew a few peopleCIA, Naval Investigation, even other SEALswondered if Brandon Ramsey had tried to blow Elijah to hell in a clean-sweep effort to eliminate his cohorts. But the people who mattered knew better.
At least that was what he told himself.
Hed taken a hit and hed gone down in the line of duty. But now he was back in shape. He was back on duty. And, dammit, hed get his reputation back on track.
He wanted to believe that.
He needed to believe that.
But it wasnt easy. Not when he had to take a slower pace than the usual double-time to cross the base. Not when he saw the looks cast his way. The speculation in peoples eyes. Without comment, Lansky matched his steps, chatting instead about random crap like box scores and the hot blonde working the PX. When they stepped into the sparse briefing room five minutes later, Elijah breathed the familiar in deeply.
Shoving both hands into the front pockets of his digies, he ignored the sudden tightness across his shoulders, the raw feeling in his gut.
It was time to report for duty.
There was no room for any of that other crap.
CHAPTER TWO
YOU BOYS ARE LATE.
Neither Elijah nor Lansky bothered checking the time. They knew it was T minus five. If they were late, Savino would already be there. And instead of milling about the room, the men would be in their seats.
Captain Milt Jarrett was the military version of a worrywart, though. It was his job to keep them on track, to keep things tidy andsomething beyond Elijahs kento keep their missions on budget.
My fault. I was whining about heartbreak, Lansky said, pulling a face. You know how that is, right, Jarrett? The way I hear it, every woman youve been with has dumped you.
Jarrett laughed along with the rest of the room. Lansky just grinned. Since the ribbing had put him at ease, Elijah started to pull his hands from his pockets and noticed a slip of paper in one. Weird. He hadnt been in uniform in months. He pulled it out to see what hed left there thatd made it through laundry detail while Jarrett returned fire.
The way I heard it, Lansky, you dont have a heart to break. Bummer, that. The rest of you, if youve finished gossiping and arent planning to do each others nails, maybe we can get down to business, Captain Jarrett called as he strode to the front of the room. He had an equal-opportunity scowl, spreading it among everyone whether theyd been late or not, were simply standing or already seated at their desks.
The men still on their feet began moving at a leisurely pace toward the remaining empty seats. Nobody rushed. Jarrett had asshole tendencies that rubbed most of the team wrong. The only thing saving the guy was his rank and the fact that he was a brilliant strategist.
Elijah noted that his accustomed seat to the right front of the podium was available. Whether by design or luck, he didnt know, but he made his way over, sinking gratefully into the questionable comfort of the wooden chair. As Lansky started chatting with Diego Torres, another teammate, Elijah unfolded the paper to see whatd been left in his pocket. Scrawled in black ink over the torn corner of college-ruled notepaper was a handwritten note.
A real friend listens until he hears the truth.
Shit.
What was with this morning and painful reminders? If Elijah was a man who believed in omensand he constantly told himself that he definitely was nothed be having some serious worries.