“Riley is strong,” Baby said.
That, Riley had no doubt about.
“Finn and Zac are on their way. Wyatt and Gavin are already putting together a plan since they’ve studied Sayed the most. You’re going to get her back.”
The second vehicle with more of the Linear guys pulled up a few minutes later. They were all talking on the phone also. Riley racked his brain, trying to figure out who he knew in Egypt who could do something…anything.
“Kendrick says the flight plan for that jet was Cairo.” Zac ended the call and turned to Riley. “That’s probably good news.”
But the tightness of the other man’s mouth told them all it wasn’t that good of news.
“I’ll keep it together.” He was going to have to. If he wanted to be a part of this rescue mission, he was going to have to lock down his fear. “Tell me what you’re thinking.”
Zac shrugged. “He hasn’t killed her outright. Maybe because he wants to torture her and toy with you. Maybe he hopes to make some sort of trade, you for her, or maybe some sick combination of both. The fact she’s alive is what we’re going to concentrate on.”
“What about going public?” Gavin asked. “We’ve got proof he was in Oak Creek. We could get Andre and his cousin to talk about the fact that they were held by Sayed. It could shift tide in our favor.”
Wyatt shook his head. “I think all that would do is force Sayed to kill Riley and get rid of the body. We should only go public as a last resort.”
“We have to do something. I can’t just wait and do nothing.” Riley’s whisper was hoarse.
Zac nodded. “You are going to do something. You’re going to use what you have to your advantage, something Sayed doesn’t know about: us.”
Riley shook his head. “Unless you have some jet pack that can get me onto that plane, I’m not sure Linear Tactical is going to do much good.”
“Sayed thinks you’re alone, and that, at best, it will take you a while to get anything organized. Finn is on his way with the gear and weapons we’ll need to infiltrate. Dorian should be here soon too.”
“Gavin and I are already familiar with Sayed’s compound,” Wyatt added. “I’m sure Kendrick and Neo will stop fighting long enough to give us other pertinent information.”
“What about transportation?” Riley looked toward the airport. “I have finances to charter a flight, but it’ll take a while to get it organized. Time we don’t have.”
Baby held up his phone. “Cade just offered his assistance in any way we needed—including the jet he had waiting to take him and Peyton on their honeymoon.”
Riley shook his head. “I hardly even know Cade. Why would he do that?”
Baby shrugged. “His wife and your woman are best friends. Like I said, family.”
Less than an hour later, they were in the air on their way to Egypt. Looking around him, it was easy to see why the guys of Linear Tactical had been so effective as Special Forces soldiers.
They were like a well-oiled machine.
Zac, Gavin, and Wyatt pored over the electronic plans Kendrick had sent, discussing different infiltration points and their pros and cons.
Dorian, who Riley hadn’t seen in more than a year, had arrived with a petite woman in tow, ready to help. Dorian introduced her as his wife, Ray.
Riley hadn’t even known Ghost had a wife.
Ray and Dorian were in the back with Finn, sorting out weapons and gear.
The help didn’t stop there. Back in Oak Creek, Baby was making calls on behalf of Linear Tactical, reaching out to military and government contacts they had. Linear had done a lot of favors for a lot of people over the years, and if they had to cash them all in now, they would.
Lyn, Gavin’s sister, and her fiancé, Heath, were busy translating anything and everything Kendrick and Neo could provide concerning Sayed, since they were both fluent in Arabic and Lyn was an expert in Egyptian culture.
Riley just wished he had a job, something to keep his mind off Wildfire.
When his phone buzzed in his pocket a few minutes later, it almost startled him. It was an unknown number.
Zac looked up. “Kendrick worked his magic so you can receive calls on your phone.”
“It’s an unknown number.”
“It could be Sayed,” Gavin said. “It would be about the right amount of time. You’ve got to play it cool, Phoenix. Our biggest advantage is that he doesn’t know you’re so close behind him.”
Riley nodded. He hit the receive button. “Hello. Who is this?”
“It’s Sayed. I thought you’d be expecting my call.”
Riley swallowed the string of curses he wanted to throw in Sayed’s direction. Everybody on the Linear Tactical team had a job. He did too. It was time to do it. “Sorry, Sayed. I don’t have time to talk about motocross racing right now. My girlfriend is missing.”
Wyatt and Zac both nodded.
Silence rang out from the other end of the line and Riley was worried for a moment he’d played it the wrong way. “Did you not receive my note?” Sayed said.
“We got a note, but it was hard to make out the signature and a drink got spilled on it. That was you? What the hell, Sayed? What’s going on?”
“You took from me. And now I take from you. It’s that simple.”
“Dude. Are you pissed because you lost that race? Jesus, man. I thought better of you.”
“I know what you did.” Sayed’s voice was cold. “You were a front. You distracted me so that others could slip in and take what was mine.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking ab—”
A sob rang out on the other end. Wildfire’s sob.
“Your woman seems so strong. It’s a shame you care so little about her well-being. She bleeds such a pretty red.”
“Goddammit, Sayed!”
Wyatt got right up in Riley’s face, mouthing for him to stay calm.
Staying calm while someone hurt Wildfire might be beyond what he was capable of.
“Do you still want to say you had nothing to do with the departure of my previous guests?” Sayed asked.
“No. Fine. Whatever. I admit it. Somebody paid me some money to distract you. But I didn’t know they were stealing from you. And she has nothing to do with it. If you’ve got a problem with me, take it out on me.”
“See? Now we are talking like reasonable men. I will trade Miss Wilde for you.”
Riley didn’t hesitate. “Done. Name the time and place, and I’ll be there. Is she still in Wyoming? Are you in Wyoming? I’ll drive wherever you want.”
The Linear guys were nodding. Wyatt circled his finger in the air, telling him to continue that line of conversation.
“Riley—no!” Wildfire’s voice called out. “He’s going to kill you. We’re already on a plane—”
The sickening sound of flesh hitting flesh filled the cabin before Wildfire cried out once again.
“Don’t you touch her, Sayed! I’ve agreed to meet you. Leave her alone.”
Wildfire, be quiet, baby. Don’t be your brave self.
“Like I said, she’s strong. And she’s right, we are no longer in your beautiful Wyoming mountains.”