Defending Sophie
Defending Sophie (Special Forces: Operation Alpha)
GHOST Book One
PJ Fiala
Contents
Foreword
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Sneak Peek
Afterword
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Books by Susan Stoker
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.
© 2019 ACES PRESS, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
No part of this work may be used, stored, reproduced or transmitted without written permission from the publisher except for brief quotations for review purposes as permitted by law.
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A big thank you to Becky McGraw from Cover Me Photography and Design for this amazing cover.
Dear Readers,
Welcome to the Special Forces: Operation Alpha Fan-Fiction world!
If you are new to this amazing world, in a nutshell the author wrote a story using one or more of my characters in it. Sometimes that character has a major role in the story, and other times they are only mentioned briefly. This is perfectly legal and allowable because they are going through Aces Press to publish the story.
This book is entirely the work of the author who wrote it. While I might have assisted with brainstorming and other ideas about which of my characters to use, I didn’t have any part in the process or writing or editing the story.
I’m proud and excited that so many authors loved my characters enough that they wanted to write them into their own story. Thank you for supporting them, and me!
READ ON!
Xoxo
Susan Stoker
Dedication
I’ve had so many wonderful people come into my life and I want you all to know how much I appreciate it. From each and every reader who takes the time out of their days to read my stories and leave reviews, thank you.
My beautiful, smart and fun Road Queens, who play games with me, post fun memes, keep the conversation rolling and help me create these captivating characters, places, businesses and more. Thank you ladies for your ideas, support and love. The following characters and places were created by:
Shaina Fiala named Sophie Turner and also helped me out with military information.
Melissa Hultz created Sophie’s MOS (Communications Specialist.)
Amy Higgison and Emma Sim named Kate Ryan.
Emma Sim named and Tate Turner.
Gigi Boyd named the baker, Gigi.
Teresa Russ named Canyon Creek.
Kathy Sheehan Copeland named Pine Lake.
Terra Oenning named Reed Killian.
Kristi Hombs Kopydlowski named Thomas James Taylor.
Georgine Wood chose Thomas Taylor’s profession as a boat maker.
Debra Packer named Gaige’s Aunt Beverly Taylor.
Yvonne T. Cruz named Windsor Heights.
Jennie Lee Ersari named Gaige’s parents Elaine and Robert
Vickers.
Janeen Wagner Phillips named Candace Phillips the coroner.
Terri Merkel and Melissa Hultz named Casper and chose his real name, which I’ll divulge in a later book.
Kimberly Slorf Veihl named Gavin Andrews, GHOST’s pilot.
April Shindlebower Brown named Carlee Brown.
Carol Stout named Gayle Stout.
Sarah Brogni helped me out with the drugs used in this
book.
A special thank you to Marijane Diodati, my amazing editor!
Last but not least, my family for the love and sacrifices they have made and continue to make to help me achieve this dream, especially my husband and best friend, Gene. Words can never express how much you mean to me.
To our veterans and current serving members of our armed forces, police and fire departments, thank you ladies and gentlemen for your hard work and sacrifices; it’s with gratitude and thankfulness that I mention you in this forward.
About the book
Accused of murder and on the run, Sophie must turn to the one man she could never have.
Investigating her friend’s suspicious death, Sophie’s only source of information turns up dead - and she’s the prime suspect. Forced into hiding, she turns to her brother’s best friend to help keep her alive, clear her name, and find the killer before she becomes the next victim.
Gaige has longed for Sophie for years, and he'd do anything to keep her safe, but details of the investigation aren’t adding up. Mounting doubts have him questioning her story, even as his heart insists she's telling the truth. The only thing he knows for sure is he'll do anything to prove her innocence, but will it cost him his career?
Chapter 1
Looking over her shoulder, Sophie exited the little gas station just outside of Riverton, California through the back of the store and opened the package that held a burner phone. Pulling Gaige Vicker's phone number from her front jean pocket, written on a crumpled piece of a discarded newspaper she'd dug out of the dumpster at her apartment complex, she quickly tapped the numbers into the phone. She regretted having to dismantle and toss her brand new cell phone, but she knew they'd be able to track her with it and she just couldn't take the chance.
Throwing Gaige's number into a nearby garbage can so no one would connect them should she be captured, she quickly made her way across the quiet street and ducked between a large boxwood hedge and a wooden fence. Pressing her back to the warm wood, her eyes ever vigilant to her surroundings, she remained wary. Her heart was still pounding hard from her run through the woods. That bastard who was chasing her told her not to talk to another person about what she knew, her time was up. Swallowing the bile that threatened to rise at the thought of how close she'd come to dying today, she inhaled slowly. By the third ring her heart began racing. "Come on, pick up," She mumbled into the phone.
"Vickers." Her hand flew to cover
her mouth as a sob almost escaped. Ducking down further behind the hedge, she whispered, "Gaige? Oh, Gaige, it's Sophie. I'm in trouble and you're the only one who can help me."
Taking a deep breath to regain her composure, she held her breath as she waited for him to respond. "Sophie Turner?"
"Yes." She hated that she sounded so desperate, but she was. Glancing around to make sure no one was nearby, she swallowed before continuing. "Gaige, I'm in trouble. I need help. I'm all alone."
"What about your friend, Kate?" Closing her eyes to stay the tears that threatened to spill, she took another deep breath. "Kate's dead. I'm in trouble. Can you come?"
"Okay, Sophie, tell me what's going on."
"I can't, Gaige, I'm afraid they're following me and I have to make tracks. I'm scared to say too much on the phone. I'm just outside of Riverton. Call me on this burner phone number when you get here. 939-202-9786."
"Sophie, you need to tell me something. What are you up against? What kind of backup do I need?"
"I'm sorry." Fighting a sob, her voice cracked. "Can you come? Can you help me?"
She heard him exhale and knew she was asking a lot of him, but she had nowhere to turn. Whispering, “please,” she heard his voice change.
"I'll be there as soon as I can."
"Thank you." She broke down sobbing, but ended the call, nervous that she'd stayed put too long. Looking all around, she stepped from between the hedge and the fence heading south toward Canyon Creek. She could walk for hours, her Army training had conditioned her for that. Bonus that she wasn't carrying a ruck sack, so she was traveling light. She'd make better time that way.
Attacked from behind, strong arms wrapped themselves around her, she felt herself falling to the ground, face first and tried to twist to land on her attacker. Not quite managing, her right shoulder took the brunt of the fall but not before her attacker managed to reach around and punch her in the jaw once, bringing stars to her eyes. She heard her phone clatter to the ground and her eyes fell on it just in time to see it slide under a nearby trashcan with wheels. Shit.
Fighting passing out, she began kicking back at her attacker and heard him grunt when she managed a good solid kick to his shin. Taking the opportunity, she threw her head back and connected with his nose. Hearing the nasty crunch, she rolled away as he howled, scrambled to her feet, and took off running. The pain slicing through her shoulder hampered her pace, but she was determined to keep going. No way she'd allow them to kill her like they killed Kate. No way in hell. The bastards.
Setting her mind to hear the music she played in her head during their long and arduous runs in the Army, she steadied her pace and refused to look back. Reaching the nearby woods, she ducked in, and carefully watched the terrain as she navigated the downed branches and stumps of trees long ago fallen. Listening for anything behind her, she finally ventured a glance and saw that she wasn't being followed. At least not closely.
Slowing her pace to a fast walk, she looked up through the trees to see where the sun was in the sky. At 2:00 p.m., in California, the sun was just beginning its decent, toward the west, so she adjusted her direction and headed due south. The sun would still shine brightly for another five hours or so. She could realistically travel ten to twelve miles in that time. She'd done it more than once. But, she'd never been more determined than now to make time and distance.
She'd find a place to rest tonight, then she'd find a way to go back in the morning and retrieve her phone. That was the only place she had Gaige's number and it was the only way Gaige had to reach her. Hopefully, her attacker didn't see the phone slide to its landing place. If the grunt she'd heard from him was any indicator, he was in a fair amount of pain right now. But she wasn't going back there to look in case he had help. That would be tomorrow's task.
Chapter 2
Tapping the end call icon on his phone Gaige stared at it for a moment, trying to get his head around his vague conversation with Sophie. She was in trouble, but she couldn't tell him anything and would he fly over a thousand miles to come and help her? If it were anyone else he'd tell them to take a flying leap, but this was Sophie. The same Sophie he'd dreamed of on and off over the years. The same Sophie who was his best friend, Tate's sister. The same Sophie, who he'd longed for but who had never given him the time of day. So, he'd moved on. So had she. She’d married, then divorced. Now, here she was calling him.
Shaking the melancholy thoughts from his mind, he pulled up the messenger on his computer and typed in a quick message.
To: GHOST Operatives
From: Gaige Vickers
I have a mission, short notice, and sadly no pay. It's personal. Anyone interested in a quick op, meet me in the conference room in thirty minutes.
Gaige
Closing the lid on his laptop, he stood, stretched and headed downstairs. The GHOST compound was enormous. It was also gorgeous. An old Southern mansion style home, completely renovated with their needs in mind. Any operative who wanted a room had one here, free of charge as long as they worked for GHOST. Some of them stayed here, and some of them, mainly the bounty hunters they'd hired on recently and Jax, their only female operative, lived off site. The other five of them lived here. Why not? It was convenient, they had meals prepared, their place was clean, they had their computer systems, gun range, garage space and so much more. They didn't even do their laundry, Mrs. James and her daughter, Kylie took care of all of their needs.
Waving his security badge in front of the elevator keypad, the doors opened with a swish. He stepped into the large space, pushed the button that said "Conf", and directed his thoughts to the limited information he had about this mission. What on earth could she be in so much trouble over? And who was after her? And why a burner phone? And how in the hell did Kate die? Kate had been Sophie's friend forever. Tate had a crush on Kate for as long as he could remember. He said he was waiting for her to grow up. How ironic they were both dead now. Tate in Afghanistan, and Kate? Well, that was a mystery he'd soon figure out.
Stepping off the elevator, and crossing the hallway, Gaige smiled when he walked into the conference room and there was his entire team.
Nodding, he stepped up to the head of the table, but he didn't sit. Nervous energy was beginning to flow the more he thought about this whole cryptic call.
"I can't tell you how proud I am that all of you would show up knowing this is completely pro bono."
Wyatt was the first to respond. "You said it was personal. You'd do the same for any of us."
He watched with pride as each of them nodded in agreement. Clearing his throat of the newly formed lump, he began.
"Sophie Turner is a friend. Actually, she's the sister of my best friend, Tate, who died ten years ago on a mission in Afghanistan. She just called me, scared and on the run, saying someone was trying to kill her but she couldn't tell me more, and that her best friend Kate is dead. I don’t know if the two are related. She's in the Army and stationed at the military base in Riverton. She said she's just outside of town and that I should call her phone, which is a burner, when I get there. So, I can't tell you anything about this mission except that I'd like one of you to come with me, to keep our profile on the ground small. I'd like a couple of you to be here on alert to come out should we need you and to monitor the computers and phone system for jobs while I'm gone. Also, there may be the need to run some intel for me, so, Axel, if you could do that, I'd appreciate it.
Axel nodded, his long dark hair still wet from the shower. "You got it."
“Wyatt, will you work with Axel, take shifts monitoring the phones and email for GHOST. I’ll check the emails as often as I can. Once we know what we’re up against out there, we’ll fill you in.”
Wyatt nodded. “No problem.”
"Hawk, I'd like you to come with me. I may need the muscle and you've had some time off recently. If you're up to it, that is."
Hawk had recently been shot on their last big mission, though he stated just this morning, that if h
e didn't get out in the field soon he was going to kill something he was so stir crazy. He was perfect for this job.
"I'm up." He was also a man of few words.
"Okay then. Thanks everyone. Hawk, wheels up in an hour. Wyatt, contact Gavin and tell him to get the plane ready." Not waiting for any further conversation, Gaige left the conference room, hurried to the elevator, and upstairs to pack his bag, grab his computer, and get his head on straight for this mission. Just hearing Sophie's voice caused such a riot in his mind and heart. She sounded scared. Genuinely scared and yet her voice also sounded so good. He remembered the little dark-haired beauty that had haunted many of his dreams over the past 24 plus years. Off and on, he'd remember her and wonder what could have been if he'd just had the guts to approach her. And, if he'd been sure he wouldn't piss off Tate. Their friendship had been the most important thing in the world to him. The only person he had, who he considered his brother. They'd done everything together since they met in Basic Training. They stationed together as much as they could. Gaige often found himself going home with Tate when they had leave. They had such a great relationship and so much fun when they were together. But, he also went back with Tate, hoping to see Sophie.