Whispers in the Dark (KGI #4)(8)

His brothers didn’t look any happier.

Sam Kelly hunched over the table where the map lay. On it were thumbtacks noting all the places where KGI had already gone in search of Nathan. Garrett stood next to his brother and Ethan was on the other side, his hand curled around his nape as he stared down in frustration.

They were tired. Their resources stretched thin. They’d already spent so much time away from their family. Their wives. Sam’s daughter. Nathan’s disappearance had taken a toll on them all, and yet no one was going to give up until he was found and brought home.

“This is bullshit,” Donovan continued. “You can’t tell me they’re doing everything to find him.”

Sam held up his hand then let it fall to the table again. Donovan went silent but still simmered with fury. He turned away and paced toward the window that overlooked the Kelly compound.

Construction in varying stages was going on all over the grounds. In the distance, the plot of land he’d picked out for his own house stood, still unblemished and thick with trees. How the hell could he think about a damn house when his brother was still missing?

How could any of them think of anything else?

Everything had come to a halt in the Kelly family. Garrett and Sarah weren’t marrying until they had news of Nathan one way or another. There was little cause for celebration when their family wasn’t whole.

The KGI teams had gone in search of Nathan four times already, the first two without permission by Uncle Sam. Not that they gave a flying f**k. Resnick had dragged his heels, not wanting any part of a potentially sticky situation between a private rescue operation and any U.S.-sanctioned rescue operation, not to mention the fallout when KGI kicked the shit out of whoever held their brother.

By the time official permission had been given, KGI was already staging their third mission to the Middle East. It hadn’t surprised any of them that while Uncle Sam was willing to not kick their asses over it, they sure as hell weren’t giving official support either.

“You’re on your own,” Resnick had grimly stated.

Yeah, what else was new?

Not that Donovan thought Resnick was a total ass**le. His hands were tied. It wasn’t like in the past when the government had a personal stake in supporting one of KGI’s missions. There was no CIA most wanted this time. No criminal or threat to national security. Just a brother Donovan had no intention of relying on others to mount a rescue for.

Joe was still laid up and casted and he was one pissed-off motherf*cker that his twin was out there and he couldn’t go after him. He wasn’t even officially out of the army yet, so whether he was good to go or not, Uncle Sam still had a tight leash on his ass.

It didn’t mean he was shy about busting the rest of his brothers’ balls over going in to get Nathan out.

If they only knew where the f**k to find him.

“Van, get me the latest satellite imagery. Maybe we’ll get lucky and see movement,” Garrett said.

Donovan turned to the computer they called Hoss and leaned over to call up the map. They’d only been back a few days. They couldn’t remain in Afghanistan indefinitely. It was too risky. They had to get in and out and make their recon stealthy. But he was itching to go back. He hadn’t wanted to leave. Nathan was there. Somewhere. And he needed them.

He printed the map so they could compare it to the last captured image and started to walk away when he saw the new email alert in the lower-left-hand corner.

He clicked to pop up the message, frowning when he saw the recipient. It wasn’t anyone he was familiar with and it was one of those obviously fake Hotmail addresses that usually meant SPAM.

Then his gaze dropped to the message and he froze.

Nathan said to talk to Joe. He’s not far from last coordinate. Said to tell you Korengel Valley. He needs your help. He won’t last much longer.

That was it? Dear God. Donovan stared in helpless fury at the vaguely worded message. Ask Joe? Like they hadn’t already grilled their brother mercilessly? Like Joe hadn’t told them everything he knew?

“Son of a bitch!”

Was this how Ethan felt when he’d received information about his wife, Rachel? How the f**k was he supposed to take something like this seriously? How could he not? Especially when the information about Rachel had led them right to her?

“What’s up, Van?” Sam demanded.

Donovan slowly turned around to face his brothers. “You have to see this.”

NATHAN lay in the dark, willing himself to rest, but every muscle in his body was tense. Pain had crept back in hours past, but he’d remained silent, not wanting to say her name. He hadn’t allowed himself to even think it.

It was agony because he wanted her there in his mind. He wanted the reassurance of another human being. He ached for the comfort only she could give him. But he didn’t want her to take his pain. He didn’t want her to suffer again.

And so he lay there and endured both physical and mental anguish.

His thoughts were consumed with escape, revenge, hatred, hopelessness, but mostly escape. He closed his eyes and imagined himself back home with his brothers having beer on the lake. Ma’s home cooking. His dad’s steady presence. Rachel’s sweet smile. Even Rusty’s smart mouth.

Would he ever see them again?

He couldn’t bear to think of the pain his family was going through. They’d already endured so much with Rachel’s captivity and then his mother’s abduction. How much more could they take?