Special Forces: Operation Alpha
Counterstrike Book 3

By
Cara Carnes

Law and order is in her blood and she bleeds blue…

FBI Agent Victoria Blevins has devoted her career to upholding the law and never shies away from a challenge. When her latest assignment leaves her wounded, on the run, and alone in a foreign country while investigating a potential leak in the Diaz cartel task force, she puts her trust in one man who can keep her alive—even if he cuts corners and the law. He may not shade within the lines, but he’s dedicated and true…

Billionaire Milo Davenport walked away from his Delta team and founded Counterstrike to help domestic violence victims who needed help fighting people like his own brutal father. A caretaker of an elaborate underground network, he’s vowed to safeguard its existence from everyone, especially governmental authorities like the FBI. But when the one woman he wants most is in danger, he’ll do anything to protect her—even if she’s someone he has no business trusting.

Figuring out who betrayed her is simple. Navigating the secrets between them is a mission neither of them are prepared for but both will do anything to accomplish.

Another witness is dead and the Agent in Charge wants the name and location of Victoria’s witness. She can’t give up this woman and her child no matter what. Victoria trusts no one as she takes her files and crosses the parking lot to her car. She has a biometric safe in the trunk and as she secures the files she pulls her weapon. She’s being watched. She sends the email regarding her investigation to Milo and the Arsenal, takes out her attackers but has been darted, the drug is starting through her system, meant to get answers not kill. She knows she’s in trouble and calls Milo who patches in Edge.

This is a favorite scene.

It wasn’t a lot of time, but Milo knew the woman worked impossible situations all the time.

Hang on, Tory. I’m coming.

His cell rang. He clicked answer after the first ring when he saw Victoria’s name flash across the screen. “Victoria?”

“Milo.” Her low, slow voice cast dread in his gut. “Someone attacked, hit me with a dart. I got away, but I’m…”

“Victoria, where are you?”

“Driving.”

“Pull over. I’m adding Edge to this call. We’ll find a safe place for you to hunker down until I can get down there. Hold on, baby.” He clicked the add button on the screen and patched Edge in without waiting for a response.

His pulse quickened. The vehicle accelerated as Chatter gripped the steering wheel tighter. “Edge. Victoria’s on the call. Someone attacked. She got away, but she was darted.”

“Victoria?” Edge asked. “Are you being followed?”

“I think so. I see headlights. He may not have been alone.”

It’d been years since he’d been in Colombia, but he knew the area around the embassy well. Narrow, windy roads and steep drop offs were a hazard— one an injured, drugged woman shouldn’t be driving, especially if someone was chasing her.

“He?” Milo asked, hating the fear in her voice.

“She sent an image,” Mary, aka the Edge, answered. “He’s a local thug for hire, works mostly with the Diaz cartel from what HERA has pulled.

“Great,” Victoria muttered. “I can’t drive faster. They’re gaining on me.”

“You can’t remain in that vehicle. I have satellite images of the area you’re in pulled up. Speed up so that when you pass the next curve, they can’t see you. Can you do that?”

“Okay. I’m not going to be awake much longer. Get Teresa secure if they take me. I won’t talk. Just keep her safe.”

“That’s not happening,” Milo growled. “They aren’t touching you. Tell me you have a plan, Edge.”

Horrors he’d witnessed while in Delta ricocheted in his brain, each one an unwanted yet potential scenario Victoria could find herself in if she was captured. How many people had he recovered while in the service?

He couldn’t let her endure any of that. There had to be a solution, some way to keep her safe until he could get down there.

“It’s not good, but it’s all we can do for now. Victoria, when you come to the next curve, I need you to jump from the car and let it drive over the cliff.”

Was she serious? What the hell? Milo stifled the rage rumbling through him.

“You’ll need to hide in the overgrown vegetation you find there until they leave.”

“That’s not a plan, it’s suicide,” Milo clipped.

“She’s drugged. If we’re lucky, they’ll assume she passed out and went over the cliff. We’ll be even luckier if the car explodes when it impacts with the ground. Either way, they won’t hang around. I activated the embassy’s alarms and put the van’s information into their system. They’ll be hunting for it.”

Milo didn’t question how the woman had managed all that remotely. He’d learned long ago to never ask questions because the answers were so far above his technical know-how, he never understood them anyway.

Silence descended, followed quickly by pained moans and rustling. Dread clawed his insides as he listened, hoping to hear Victoria’s voice. Heavy breathing and grunts filled the vehicle.

“Airport,” Milo said, glaring over at Chatter, who thankfully offered no argument. “Get the pilot ready. We’re going now. Victoria?”

“I’m here. I’m here.” She repeated the statement several more times before silence descended. “I think I’m hidden. My left foot isn’t doing well.”

“You did good,” Edge said. “Stay still and quiet. I’ll let you know when the van pulls away. Patrol cars are almost there, so they should leave very soon.”

“I can’t trust locals. Or anyone,” Victoria said. “They can’t know I’m here. Someone set me up.”

“Milo is on his way to you. It’ll take a few hours, but he will be there. I’ve already diverted a team to your location. They’ll secure you until he arrives.”

“A team?” Victoria asked.

“They aren’t Arsenal. We didn’t have anyone in the location. I’m cutting some big corners here to get help to you.”

“Corner cutting is good,” Victoria whispered. “I’m sorry.”

“Sorry?” Edge asked.

“I’m sorry I dragged you and Milo into this. I didn’t know who I could trust. I knew he could help Teresa if I got her stateside.” Moans filled gaps between each word she spoke. What other injuries had the brave woman incurred falling out of a moving car after being drugged?

“Hang tight. We’ll get you safe. Then we’ll get some answers,” Edge said. “They’re at the cliff now. The car is on fire but hasn’t exploded. Stay quiet. I’ll let you know when they’re gone.”

Just because they left now didn’t mean she was safe. They’d likely circle back, after the authorities Edge had dispatched were gone. Son of a bitch.

Someone set me up.

They’d pay.

She’d trusted him to help. He wouldn’t fail her.

“Who are you sending, Edge?”

“A Delta team was a couple hours away, heading back to base. Their mission is done. Now they have another one,” Mary said.

“That’s more than a small corner cut.” It was more like a straight carving few could pull off. Milo knew The Arsenal had a huge network, though. Delta.

Milo didn’t know who was on the team but, as a former Delta, he knew they’d keep her safe. Hang on, Tory. I’m coming for you.
Cara Carnes. Avenging Victoria (Special Forces: Operation Alpha): Counterstrike, Book 3 (Kindle Locations 483-530). Aces Press, LLC.

From the moment the Delta Team Edge diverts reaches Tory, things start to heat up. Milo arrives soon after they have Tory secured and then they have to get her witness.

I love the way Edge and her crew managed to get the Delta team diverted and that it was the new Delta team was even more fun. A supercharged game of hide and seek ensues as they keep Tory and her witness safe and the investigation continues.

Plenty of suspense, intrigue, action and a romance that sizzles right from the start.

5 Contented Purrs for Cara!

Cara Carnes

Born in small-town Texas, Cara Carnes was a princess, a pirate, fashion model, actress, rock star and Jon Bon Jovi’s wife all before the age of 13. In reality, her fascination for enthralling worlds took seed somewhere amidst a somewhat dull day job and a wonderful life filled with family and friends. When she’s not cemented to her chair, Cara loves traveling, photography and reading.