Free Special Forces: Operation Alpha: Awakening Aubrey (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Jack 'Em Up Book 7) by Shauna Allen

list has an original steering box in perfect condition. He’ll hold it until the end of the day. I’ll call Fletch then head out—”
    “I’ll go,” I piped up, rolling out from under the car a little too fast.
    Blake’s dark eyes were speculative as he studied me. Yeah, yeah, I was normally happiest under the hood with grease under my nails, but I needed something to do to occupy myself until this funk passed.
    I held out my hand for the truck keys. “Seriously. I’ll do it. There’s not much for me to do here until we get the box anyway, right?”
    Over his shoulder, Micah said, “Let her go, dude. You can stay and help me with the MIG machine.”
    “Fine. One sec.” He shifted toward the doors, his gaze locked on the storm clouds, as he dialed and lifted his cell back to his ear. “Hey, Fletch. Sorry to bother you at work, but I need to run something by you.”
    I listened as he explained about the steering box then they hung up and he faced me. “All right. Fletch is hitting up the ATM. Drive to base and meet him by the PX. He’ll give you the cash then you can run to the junkyard.” He handed me a scrap of paper. “Here’s the address. A guy named Norm said he’d hold the box, but I don’t want to risk losing it, so get there as fast as you can.”
    I grabbed the paper and keys. “No problem.”
    “You know where you’re going?” Blake called behind me.
    I smirked over my shoulder. “I know how to use the GPS. Besides, you can’t miss the base in this town. Down the highway a couple exits and turn right.”
    He nodded and watched me drive away.
    I rolled down the window, enjoying the cool breeze that rolled off the clouds and cranked up the radio to sing along with Aerosmith. I was right. The base was super easy to find. We already had a base pass, so the guard waved me on after I showed him my ID.
    Following the signs to the PX, I wondered which one of these buildings Jude was in. What was he doing? Was he thinking of me?
    “Ugh.” Disgusted with myself, I hit the gas and drove on.
    A few blocks later, I found the shopping center and pulled in, my eyes searching for Fletch’s truck. The ATM stood in front of the building, but no big, scary-looking guys were hanging around with wads of cash. I parked and eyed the front door, my fingers drumming the steering wheel.
    I checked the time on my phone and sighed as my stomach rumbled. Glancing around again, I locked the truck and loped inside to buy a snack.
    Rushing through the now sprinkling rain, the AC hit me smack in the face. I brushed curls from my eyes and took two steps inside then faltered in the eerie silence. All around me, people littered the floor, lying on their stomachs, their eyes bugged with fear.
    One of the men on the ground shook his head at me in a quiet plea to not speak. I glanced around, but saw nothing.
    Then, as if he materialized from thin air, a bulky guy in Army fatigues strode into view, an older woman with a bleeding cut to her head in tow. His steps slowed once he spotted me, but he said nothing as he unceremoniously dumped the woman to the ground. “Stay.”
    I couldn’t process this. He was a good guy, right? But the detached emptiness of his eyes told another story. My legs trembled as he approached, the assault rifle in his hand held with practiced ease.
    “Who are you?” he demanded, his voice stern and clipped like I’d imagine a drill sergeant to be.
    “I, uh . . . Aubrey.”
    Something dropped from a shelf and rattled down the aisle behind us, making him whip around in paranoia. He flipped back, his expression now a scary mix of fury and fear. “Get on the ground. Don’t move or I will kill you.”
    I sunk to my knees then rolled to my stomach just like everyone else. I inched closer to the man who’d tried to warn me. “What’s going on?” I whispered.
    He shot a quick glance over his shoulder then looked back at me, careful to keep his head low. “He just walked in here like this was a