Then they retire to Ronnie’s room for evening of soft touches intermingled with passion. The next morning brings a couple of workouts, one for the body and the other for the soul, followed by breakfast, and Ryker leaving with one of the CIA teams to work the city in search of Dr. Baker.
Ronnie continues to spend her days in the infirmary, reading to the Marines injured by the bomb blast during her second kidnapping attempt, weeping quietly when the second mortally wounded Marine finally succumbs to his injuries and dies.
Before these men put their lives on the line for her she didn’t think much of the military and was furious when she found out their research was being funded by DARPA. But she looks at the men and women of the service completely differently now. They are not the cold-blooded war mongers she once thought they were.
These are honorable men and women, willing to fight and die so others don’t have to. Each man in this room is here because they put their life on the line… for her.
Ronnie checks the time. Ryker should be back soon. She has just enough time to finish this chapter before he returns. It wouldn’t be nice to leave the Marines hanging, wondering how Mitch Rapp is going to escape certain death this time.
***
“Petty Officer Evan, are you clear on this mission?” Mr. Spreck asks at the end of his debrief.
“Yes sir,” Ryker answers as his heart sinks. The word has come down… if he can’t extract Dr. Julian Baker he is to make sure he is of no further use to his captors.
“You’re supposed to be the best, but I have to be able to trust you on this. I know you and Veronica Baker are seeing each other. Can I trust you to carry out your mission and not let your personal feelings get in the way?” Spreck asks as Colonel Hargraves looks on silently.
“You can depend on me, sir.”
Spreck looks at Ryker critically, trying to gauge the truth of the statement. “Can I? Look, I don’t blame you for fucking her. She is a serious honey and I would fuck her myself. But to me she would just be another piece of ass. How about you? Is she just a piece of ass to you?”
Ryker says nothing at first, not rising to the bait. “Sir, my relationship with Dr. Baker will in no way affect my mission.” He knows he didn’t answer the question, but fuck ‘em. Ryker watches as Spreck and Hargraves look at one another.
“You can do what needs to be done?” Hargraves asks.
“I can, sir.”
“What do you think? He’s your man,” Spreck asks Hargraves.
“He’s the best we’ve got. He’ll do what is necessary,” Hargraves says.
Spreck looks at Ryker intently once again. “Be ready to go on ten minutes’ notice. That means keeping your dick out of Veronica Baker.” Spreck stares at Ryker again then rises from his seat and silently exits the room.
Ryker doesn’t relax his parade rest, waiting to see if Hargraves is going to give him a ration of shit too. He was ready to leave and meet Ronnie for dinner when that asshole Spreck dropped this bomb on him. Hargraves continues to sit, watching him, until he rises and steps around the table.
“Evans… I went to bat for you with Spreck, but he’s right. Nothing in this place happens without Spreck and me knowing about it. Nothing. You’re getting in way too deep with Dr. Baker. You haven’t slept in your room in the last four days. This is more than just you getting some pussy.”
“Sir. Dr. Baker and I…” Ryker begins.
“Evans,” Hargraves interrupts. “Save the bullshit for someone that cares. The only thing I care about—the only thing— is that you do your job. This mission is to fucking important for you to be distracted. I meant it when I told Spreck that you are the best we’ve got, but if you are not one-hundred percent you need to tell me so I can find someone that is.”
“I can handle it sir.”
“Let me explain a
Ronnie continues to spend her days in the infirmary, reading to the Marines injured by the bomb blast during her second kidnapping attempt, weeping quietly when the second mortally wounded Marine finally succumbs to his injuries and dies.
Before these men put their lives on the line for her she didn’t think much of the military and was furious when she found out their research was being funded by DARPA. But she looks at the men and women of the service completely differently now. They are not the cold-blooded war mongers she once thought they were.
These are honorable men and women, willing to fight and die so others don’t have to. Each man in this room is here because they put their life on the line… for her.
Ronnie checks the time. Ryker should be back soon. She has just enough time to finish this chapter before he returns. It wouldn’t be nice to leave the Marines hanging, wondering how Mitch Rapp is going to escape certain death this time.
***
“Petty Officer Evan, are you clear on this mission?” Mr. Spreck asks at the end of his debrief.
“Yes sir,” Ryker answers as his heart sinks. The word has come down… if he can’t extract Dr. Julian Baker he is to make sure he is of no further use to his captors.
“You’re supposed to be the best, but I have to be able to trust you on this. I know you and Veronica Baker are seeing each other. Can I trust you to carry out your mission and not let your personal feelings get in the way?” Spreck asks as Colonel Hargraves looks on silently.
“You can depend on me, sir.”
Spreck looks at Ryker critically, trying to gauge the truth of the statement. “Can I? Look, I don’t blame you for fucking her. She is a serious honey and I would fuck her myself. But to me she would just be another piece of ass. How about you? Is she just a piece of ass to you?”
Ryker says nothing at first, not rising to the bait. “Sir, my relationship with Dr. Baker will in no way affect my mission.” He knows he didn’t answer the question, but fuck ‘em. Ryker watches as Spreck and Hargraves look at one another.
“You can do what needs to be done?” Hargraves asks.
“I can, sir.”
“What do you think? He’s your man,” Spreck asks Hargraves.
“He’s the best we’ve got. He’ll do what is necessary,” Hargraves says.
Spreck looks at Ryker intently once again. “Be ready to go on ten minutes’ notice. That means keeping your dick out of Veronica Baker.” Spreck stares at Ryker again then rises from his seat and silently exits the room.
Ryker doesn’t relax his parade rest, waiting to see if Hargraves is going to give him a ration of shit too. He was ready to leave and meet Ronnie for dinner when that asshole Spreck dropped this bomb on him. Hargraves continues to sit, watching him, until he rises and steps around the table.
“Evans… I went to bat for you with Spreck, but he’s right. Nothing in this place happens without Spreck and me knowing about it. Nothing. You’re getting in way too deep with Dr. Baker. You haven’t slept in your room in the last four days. This is more than just you getting some pussy.”
“Sir. Dr. Baker and I…” Ryker begins.
“Evans,” Hargraves interrupts. “Save the bullshit for someone that cares. The only thing I care about—the only thing— is that you do your job. This mission is to fucking important for you to be distracted. I meant it when I told Spreck that you are the best we’ve got, but if you are not one-hundred percent you need to tell me so I can find someone that is.”
“I can handle it sir.”
“Let me explain a
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