Free Tom Clancy's Act of Valor by Dick Couch, George Galdorisi

okay, Lieutenant. Just come back to me with a decent head of hair.”
    “You know, Jackie, I not only love you, I’m very proud of you.”
    “Ditto, Boss,”
    “Any other orders?”
    “Yes. I want to look into your eyes when our first child is born.”
    “Honey, you know I’ll do my best.”
    Both were misty eyed and holding each other closely. He bent over and kissed her gently on the mouth. “I love you.”
    “And I love you.”
    They continued to hold each other for another long moment, then he took up his document case, turned, and walked away. Only after she had gently closed the door did tears flow, and once they started, there seemed to be no end to them.
    At the North Island terminal, there were the squad SEALs and the hastily configured support package that would accompany the squad. The aircraft, a newer C-130J, had arrived at noon the day before, so all of the gear was aboard and strapped down. Those like Engel who had said their good-byes at home were essentially already on deployment. For those whose families came to see them off, they were still multitasking—juggling their family and team responsibilities. Julia Nolan was there with all five kids and seemed surprisingly cheerful, but then she’d had far more practice at this than Jackie. Engel greeted each of the kids, then turned to Julia.
    “Ready to go, Roark?” she said as he hugged her.
    “As ready as I can be,” he replied.
    “Got a deal for you. You take care of Dave and I’ll look in on Jackie, okay?”
    He gave her a feigned look of surprise and a smile. “But isn’t it Dave’s job to look after me?” Then more seriously, “You got a deal, Julia, and thanks—I really appreciate it.”
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    Engel said hello to Mikey’s wife, who was dressed as if she were going to a garden party and crying as if she were at a funeral. Like himself, Sonny had also said his good-byes at home and was ready to launch. At this point, there was little else for Engel to do. The loading and the manifesting were Nolan’s responsibility, and he knew that all was well in hand. Senior Chief Miller had taken charge of their support package, and that, too, was done. He found the pilots standing off to one side and joined them. They looked on while the others completed their farewells.
    “Ready when you are, Lieutenant,” the pilot said.
    “Then let’s do it,” Engel announced. Nolan had kept an eye on Engel for the high sign, even as his family pressed closely about him. Engel had only to nod his head; his platoon chief would do the rest. Engel boarded the plane, stowed his case under his seat, and strapped himself in. Then he closed his eyes and thought of Jackie, totally detached from the commotion of the others clamoring aboard the aircraft. Twenty minutes later they were climbing out over the Pacific and turning south.
    *  *  *
     
    The compound was designed to blend into the dense foliage and surrounding mangrove, and it did just that. The few dilapidated buildings that were scattered over the five-acre compound were completely hidden by the vegetation. It would have looked like any other poor Costa Rican jungle enclave were it not for the eight-foot-high chain-link fence topped with barbed wire surrounding it, the two forty-five-foot wooden guard towers, and the armed men patrolling the area. The property was ten miles from the coast but at least an hour’s travel over the unimproved roads. There was standing water on one side of the compound and a brown, slow moving river that crawled past a quarter mile north. Any aircraft flying over would not know it was there, save for the two rut-filled dirt roads barely wide enough for one car to navigate, and they were but shadowy creases in the canopy. The small compound was protected by its remoteness as well as its security force.
    Several miles away, a small village provided a link to civilization and housed an additional security force. Like numerous small inland villages, there was a