The Shepherd's Crook Pt. 04

"Oh! That's so wonderful!" Gabriella exclaimed and began to cry.

"Are you okay?" Davis asked gently.

"So much better than okay. Sorry, Alex. I'm just so relieved. Thank you so much for calling me! And thank you for working so hard to get him back! We owe you so much!" Gabriella gushed.

Davis smiled at the happiness he heard in her voice. "Ben isn't just an asset we protect. He's a friend. We take care of our friends."

"Thank you! I have to tell the others!" she exclaimed. "When will he be back home?"

"Well, he's on board the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier at the moment, getting a little medical treatment. The carrier needs to get back to active duty in the Mediterranean. We'll get Ben to the mainland and on a plane for his flight home. I should mention that the ship Ben was on was carrying roughly two dozen children who'd been kidnapped for the sex trade. Ben made some extraordinary efforts to free them. There's also the little matter of Ben claiming salvage rights on the yacht. He's signed it over to the captain of the Truman for them to deal with the weapons and drugs on it."

Gabriella's voice was glowing with love. "Ben makes extraordinary efforts for those who truly need it. He's a good man. Let me know which country you'll get him to, and I'll arrange to get one of Dennis Thomasson's jets to that location to fly him home."

Davis nodded. "That sounds like an excellent plan, as long as Evelyn and Liliya are on the jet as well."

"I'll make sure of it!" Gabriella said.

"I'll speak to you soon," the General said.

"Thank you, Alex. Talk to you soon!" The line went dead. He expected he'd get a busy tone if he tried dialing her back.

Smiling, he signed off on the official mission statement as a success. His lieutenant would complete the documentation as the situation room team was reassigned.

He knew the POTUS was looking for some good news, so he would give it to him. The temporary mission Davis had assigned to the Truman not only recovered their brilliant inventor but also recovered two dozen stolen surface-to-air missiles, captured four tonnes of hashish, and rescued a dozen people forced to be sex workers aboard the yacht. Best of all, it also rescued twenty-six abducted children who'd been destined for the sex slave trade.

The ship was a treasure trove of information on Kaan's business deals and partners as well. The former communications officer was proving to be very helpful with that.

Davis also knew that the President's son, Theo, would be graduating from West Point, so the General had news a father of such a son would welcome. He'd be able to tell the POTUS that their brilliant inventor just invented a new body armor design that exceeds all current standards. Armor that was tested in a live fire scenario the very night the inventor was abducted by a rogue CIA agent.

He frowned as he recalled the report stating that Stephanie Russo was in the wind. She hadn't stuck around to be collected from the resort as ordered. That also meant she wouldn't have heard that only one of her three operatives made it off Kaan's ship alive.

Harold Gibson was likely killed the first night he was aboard. The guests and his cover story girlfriend, Nguyêt, were told he went back with the supply ship. Phan Thi Nguyêt was alive as she adapted to the new situation and her cover held, but Harper Lane died at the hand of Kaan after being tortured for a month. Ben's statement indicated she'd fatally stabbed Kaan before he shot her.

The General saw the preliminary report on Kaan Sadik and knew Ben was omitting his contribution to Kaan's demise. The man might have eventually died of the wounds he incurred before Ben caught him in the torture room, but what happened there would remain a sealed record.

He shook his head, knowing he'd have done the same to Kaan if he'd been in Ben's situation.

He glanced at the clock and saw it was time. He reached for his phone as he was looking forward to this call, like the one he'd made to Gabriella.

With her lovely smiling face in his thoughts, he picked up his phone again.

-=-

Ed was sitting at the breakfast table with his family when his cell rang. As it was a rule not to use a cell phone at the table, he immediately got to his feet and moved to the other side of the kitchen to answer. He'd been on edge since he helped Ben's security people identify the spy on the General's team.

He'd been able to fill Grace and the others in on Ben's abduction, and his entire family was on pins and needles, waiting to hear if they found him.

"Hello!" he said as he held it to his ear. He looked back at the table, and everyone was watching him.

"Ed? This is Evelyn. They found Ben. He's okay."

Ed sagged against the countertop. "Oh, that's great news!" He saw smiles appear on faces around the table.

"An aircraft carrier found them and has taken them aboard," the Sergeant said.

"Them?" Ed asked.

Evelyn's voice had a smile in it. "The arms dealer's yacht Ben was taken to had a dozen people working as sex slaves, and more than two dozen abducted children destined for the slave trade. Ben freed them. We're flying to Europe to pick Ben up and bring him home."

Ed grinned. "I'm sure he'll be glad to be home."

"Thanks again for all your help, Ed. I know Ben will want to thank you personally when he gets here," she said.

"Oh! That's all right. All I did was pass along a message he sent to me," Ed said humbly.

"No, Ed. Without that message, we might have lost Ben forever. None of us will forget how critical your help was in catching the double agent and saving Ben. You're our hero!" Evelyn insisted.

Ed was speechless. He was a hero?

"Listen, we have to go, but I just wanted to let you know we have him. Talk to you later!" she said and hung up.

Ed put his cell back in his pocket as he walked back to the table. He plunked himself back in his chair, thinking on Evelyn's words.

"Good news?" Rachel prompted.

Ed nodded. "They found Ben. An aircraft carrier picked him up, Ben and a bunch of people and children he rescued from slavery." He shook his head in dismay. "I don't understand. How can there still be a slave trade in this day and age?"

Grace placed her hand on his and gave him a sympathetic smile. "It seems terrible, but there are still people who refuse to accept civilized behavior because of their greed."

Zoe's face showed her surprise. "An aircraft carrier?"

Ed looked at her and nodded. "Ben invents things for the Army. Maybe the Navy too." He recalled Evelyn's words. "She said Ben will want to thank me personally when he returns. Maybe we can have a welcome back party?"

Rachel and Zoe grinned at each other. "That sounds like an excellent idea, Ed!" Rachel said.

Ed nodded with a smile. The idea of a party with Ben and his family sounded really fun. He hoped Ben's security issues were resolved by then so they could get everyone together.

Chapter 47

Ben was sitting in the officer's dining room on the Truman. They'd found him some clothes that fit his larger frame, and he was delighted they belonged to one of the crew in the engineering department. It was just a coverall with underwear, socks, and boots, but a big improvement from the guest wear on Kaan's yacht.

That vessel was currently being towed by one of the carrier's support ships, which caught up to join the party. That was easier than unloading it at sea. With all those guns bristling from the ships surrounding the yacht, no one was likely to try to steal it back.

All the passengers from the yacht spent a night on cots in a quickly set up triage bay. It wasn't the most comfortable night, especially for someone Ben's size. The next day was spent in small rooms giving endless statements about what happened on the ship.

When dinner hour rolled around, Ben heard they were approaching their destination, where he'd be able to go ashore to catch a flight home. He still didn't know what country that would be.

He was invited to dine with the captain and his senior officers, who were peppering him with questions regarding the ship's capture. "Their ability to gang up on me was greatly reduced by the tight corridors under the deck level. The fire ax I found was a much more effective weapon than their stun sticks and had better reach than the knives," Ben explained.

"But you took no prisoners!" one of the officers protested.

Ben stared at him incredulously. "How the hell was I supposed to take prisoners when I was one man against ten who were trying to kill me?"

The other officers chided the man for his question as the captain smirked at him.

"Benson has a very firm grip on his sense of law and order," Garrick said to Ben with a smile.

"Perhaps he should try a paintball game against ten opponents to grasp the concept of survival," Ben suggested with a light growl, and the others laughed.

Garrick nodded and gave Ben a frank look. "When you aren't struggling to survive group attacks, what do you do to keep busy?"

Ben smiled and nodded. "I'm a mechanical engineer. I invent solutions to resolve engineering issues. I understand this vessel is powered by a nuclear engine. One of my first inventions was a valve used in nuclear power plants to increase safety and efficiency. I've been working on solutions for the army at the moment. I fixed an overheating issue with their M420 Assault Rifle. Then I designed a lighter but stronger backpack, and from that, I invented a new body armor that's lighter but can stop armor-piercing bullets."

The table was silent as the officers stared at him.

Garrick was smiling in satisfaction. "It makes sense to me now why the General was so insistent we get you back in one piece."

Ben smiled. "He's been very supportive. Some idiots in Russia tried to kidnap me and put my family in danger. Once I got home, I built the Spa, and the General rotates teams of soldiers, SEAL teams, and Special forces through it to protect my neighborhood. In return, I work on engineering issues for the Army."

"I've heard of the Spa!" one of the Lieutenant Commanders exclaimed. "Lieutenant Ashton's SEAL Platoon Five spent some time there, and he gave me the details. It's a state-of-the-art base but very posh!" He frowned. "Is it true you have a tower built onto your house that they used to zipline into a forest?"

Ben nodded. "Yes. I built the tower on the back of my home to contain a multilevel children's play zone for the kids from a neighborhood daycare to use in bad weather. I built a party deck on top for treetop-level relaxing. The SEAL team used it to do nighttime zipline drills into the forest. Just before I was abducted by the CIA, a special forces team used a zipline from there to take out a team of gunmen sneaking through the forest to attack my neighborhood. I'm very grateful to them! They also wore my new body armor over their usual armor, and it proved its effectiveness."

"Any chance you'd like to build a Spa on an aircraft carrier?" another officer chimed in, and the group laughed but looked at him eagerly.

Ben's eyes lit up. The sheer scale of this engineering marvel dazzled him. "I must admit, being on an aircraft carrier is an engineer's dream!"

That brought chuckles from the group.

"Seriously, I'm always looking for new puzzles to solve. If you have any technical issues you think could be improved, please send them my way! I'm not a weapon designer, contrary to my work on the assault rifle, which was just an efficiency improvement. Captain Kendricks from OASA(ALT) has been struggling to keep me occupied. I review civilian engineering boards looking for things to do as well," Ben explained.

"We'll get in touch with the captain if we have any issues you might be able to resolve for us," Garrick said with a smile.

Ben nodded. "Big or small, I love a good engineering puzzle!"

Garrick glanced at the clock, then smiled at Ben. "Ever been to Italy, Ben?"

He looked at the captain and shook his head. A memory flashed through his mind. It was Daniel's enthusiasm about their trip to Turin, Italy, while they were staying at Gabriella's cousin's B&B in Saint Pierre d'Albigny, France. This made his thoughts swing over to Stephanie Murino, and he was unsettled by how his heart jumped at the idea of how close she was now. He struggled to push that aside.

"No. Uh, I don't have a passport. Agent Russo was a little rushed when she stole me away from my home, so aside from my wallet, and thank you for retrieving it from Sadik's safe, by the way, I have no documentation."

"I understand that will be taken care of when we reach Naples. That's where we'll part ways. Your security team will take over from there," Garrick said.

Ben felt another surge of emotion rush through him at the thought of seeing Liliya and Evelyn. "Good, thanks!"

Another junior officer entered the room and addressed the captain before turning to Ben.

"One of our new passengers is refusing to eat. All he says is Ben," the Lieutenant said.

Ben looked at her in worry. "Is he ill?"

"Some malnutrition and dehydration, but we can deal with that if we can get his cooperation," she replied.

"Thank you for dinner. If I may be excused?" Ben said to the captain distractedly and received a bemused nod from the senior officer.

Ben followed the smiling lieutenant from the officer's dining room, and they headed to where the children were staying.

"Did you learn anything about his family or his name?" Ben asked.

She shook her head. "Not from him, but one of the older boys was awake when he was added to the cage. He heard one of Sadik's men tell Yavuz he killed the parents and took the boy from a home in Freeport when they were in Sierra Leone. It is highly likely he's an orphan, and based on his behavior, he may have witnessed the killing."

"Fuck!" Ben growled. "I'm feeling better about taking those bastards out with the fire ax."

She glanced back at him with wide eyes and brought him to a large room where the kids were eating and resting. Several sailors were sitting with them. Everyone turned their eyes toward Ben when he entered behind the lieutenant.

One little boy got to his feet and rushed toward him, but he was wobbly as he ran, so Ben moved forward and scooped him up into his arms. Little hands held Ben's face as he tipped his forward to touch foreheads.

Ben pulled back to speak to the boy. "What's this I hear about you not eating? I need you to eat and drink to be healthy. That way, you can grow big and strong like me!" Ben said to him gently.

Big eyes looked back at him seriously.

"Will you let my friends feed you?" Ben asked.

The little man's head nodded slowly, and Ben smiled and kissed the boy's forehead. "Thank you. Can you tell me your name?" He got a shake of his head for that.

"Do you remember it?" Ben asked and got another head shake. He wasn't sure what that meant.

"May I call you Leo? Named after a brave Lion?" Ben asked gently.

Little eyes widened, and the hint of a smile showed on his lips. He nodded.

Ben didn't want to remind him of the trauma he'd gone through, but the thought of this little guy being alone made him a little ill. Maybe he could recall a relative. "Does your Uncle or Auntie visit you?"

His little face lit up momentarily. "Aunt Binta."

Ben's muscles relaxed as the boy did have a family after all. "Does she have children too?"

His smile was wider as he nodded, likely thinking of playing with his cousins.

"Okay, Leo. Please eat some food, drink, and get some rest. My friends will watch over you and the others. I'll check on you soon. Okay?"

Leo hugged Ben, tucking his head into Ben's neck, and Ben returned the hug. Then he set him on his feet, and the lieutenant took his hand to lead him over to a table to get him some food. He looked back at Ben and smiled his first real smile for Ben, who returned it.

He walked over to the side of the room where several sailors were working. "Excuse me? Are you the ones working on finding the parents of the children?"

They turned to face him and froze. Ben struggled to clear his stern expression, but it was a lost cause. "I just learned that little fellow there is an orphan. He does have an Aunt whose name is Binta. Maybe you can get more about her from Leo."

"His name is Leo? How did you get him to recall—"

"I didn't. He can't recall his name or his parents, who may have been murdered in front of him. I called him Leo so I could speak to him. He approved. I asked him about his uncle and aunt, and he does remember an Aunt Binta and her children, so I hope that helps you find his family.

The three sailors nodded and watched him leave.

When Ben reached the door, he looked back and saw Leo was happily eating. Ben's heart was twisting, but Gabriella's words came to him once more. He slipped outside, where another sailor was waiting for him. "Princess Zama would like to speak to you," the man said.

With a snort, Ben nodded. "I've been summoned."

The sailor nodded with a smile. "Seemed that way to me too."

"Lead on. Let's not keep the Princess waiting," Ben said and smiled back at Leo, who was chowing down on something in a bowl. The lieutenant at his side smiled at Ben.

Ben was led through the ship and up one level to a lounge where Zama and Yvonne were reading. They were wearing their own clothes as they'd been returned their luggage from the ship. They both looked up and burst into smiles. Zama leaped to her feet with a squeal and rushed over to hug Ben. He enjoyed that and returned it, but she moved in and kissed him when he began to pull back.

He gently pushed her back. "Slow down, Zama."

She grinned at him and gave him a shy smile.

"May I get a hug too?" Yvonne asked.

Ben gave her one, and she behaved and didn't try to kiss him.

"Where are the others? Lars, Lola, and Mara?" Ben asked.

"I heard they are detoxing in sickbay," Yvonne said. "I don't think Lola has much left of her mind. I don't know what she was taking, but she's more instinct than intellect now."

"What a waste," Ben said sadly.

"The kitchen crew and the companions are still being interviewed. I got to speak to Megan. Kaan didn't keep their documents, which probably means he killed those who completed their term of employment instead of freeing them as he promised," Zama said.

Ben's expression darkened, but he remembered how he'd made the man suffer for his crimes. It had to be enough that he was dead.

He looked Yvonne in the eye. "How went your interview?"

She nodded. "Fine. I'll catch a flight back to France when they bring us to Naples. I have a career to restore."

Ben smiled at her. "You go, girl!" Yvonne giggled. Ben nodded. "I have friends in Hollywood now. If you have trouble, let me know, and I'll reach out to them to see if, maybe, they can help." She gave him a wide smile at that news.

Then Ben turned his attention to Zama. "What about you? Have you thought about what you are going to do next?"

"I wish to be one of your wives," Zama insisted.

Yvonne burst into surprised laughter, then she suddenly stopped and gaped at Zama as she realized the young woman was serious. "Zama! You should find someone younger and be their only wife!"

Ben nodded as this matched his expectations for the young woman.

"I have chosen Ben as he is a superior mate!" the princess asserted.

"But I can't give you children," Ben insisted as his face heated up.

"There are many children in the world who deserve better lives. I wish to dedicate my life to improving their conditions. I do not need to bring one of my own into a world that cannot support these others."

Ben blinked in surprise at her. "That's... a very enlightened viewpoint, but you may change your mind, and I still won't be able to help you."

She gave him a gentle smile. "Ben, there are many ways for a modern woman to become pregnant should that suddenly become a personal priority, though I do not believe it will."