COPYRIGHT

Emerald Mission is a work of fiction. Countries, states and some cities are genuine. Universities and some establishments in Ireland are genuine, but events, and characters are from the author’s imagination and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, events or places, is purely coincidental.

Copyright © 2024 RB Bartels

All rights reserved, including right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.

ISBN: 978-1-960371-12-6

Warning: This book contains several scenes that include either kidnapping, torture, or murder. Sexually explicit content is suitable only for mature readers.

Many thanks to Reese Dante (reesedante.com) for the outstanding cover art. Cover content is for illustrative purposes only. Any person or persons depicted on the cover is a model.

AUTHOR NOTES

In Ireland, law enforcement duties are the responsibility of the “Garda.” Officially, they are called “An Garda Síochána” (pronounced: On GAR-dah Shee-oh-CAHN-nah), Irish for “The Guardians of the Peace.” An individual officer is a Garda, and multiple officers are Gardai or “The Guards.”

Samhain (pronounced sah-win) - According to Irish mythology, Samhain opened the doorways to the otherworld, allowing supernatural beings and the souls of the dead to come into our world; Samhain is a festival for the dead. The end of the harvest season, the beginning of winter (similar to Halloween).

Irish terms are used throughout. Examples: an apartment in Ireland is a flat. Horse races are run on a Racecourse. Anything done immediately is done straight away.

PART ONE

THE CALL

CHAPTER ONE

Wyl’s heart pounded at hearing his Marine rank on the answering machine message. Nobody addressed him as Major Sterling after he retired almost eighteen months ago. Not that a retired Marine wasn’t still a Marine, but the unstated underlying message troubled him. “Babe, can you come? I need you to listen to something.” Wyl squeezed his arms across his chest. They planned to take it easy after their return from San Francisco. This call sounded ominous.

“Coming.” Rod strolled from the kitchen. “What is it?” He pulled Wyl’s arms from his chest. “Bad news?”

Wyl kissed Rod’s hand before wrapping an arm around his shoulders. “Listen.” He pressed the button to repeat the playback and eyed Rod’s expressions.

“Major Sterling, this is General Steinburg at the Pentagon. Please contact me when you receive this.” He gave the number and disconnected.

“Why would a general at the Pentagon call you?” Rod said. “Did you win an award or something?”

“No award.” Wyl shook his head. “Award notification, if any, comes in a letter.”

Rod frowned. “Okay, what does this mean?”

“I’m not sure.” Wyl led Rod to their usual place on the couch in front of the massive stone fireplace. The leather creaked as they sat.

“The shortness of the message indicates it can’t be discussed over public phone lines, which makes me uneasy.” Wyl glanced up from his clasped hands. “Something came up, and somehow I’m involved.”

“What do you mean you’re involved?”

“If this were a routine call, contact would have come from the officer in charge, meaning they want me to train recruits or something. A call from any general bypasses ranks, which is unusual. But this call from General Steinburg bypasses everyone.” Wyl took his husband’s hand. “He’s the top guy in the armed services. For him to make direct contact with me means my skills are needed, and not for routine training.”

“But you retired.” Rod squeezed Wyl’s hand.

“Once a Marine, always a Marine. I can be called back into service at any time.”

“Is this something to do with your top security clearance or your experience with cryptology?”

“I think both.” Wyl gazed into Rod’s hazel eyes and stroked his cheek to wipe away the worry. “But we are together in this.”

“Yes, babe.” Rod leaned into Wyl. “I worry about running the ranch myself if you are called into active duty.”

He cupped Rod’s face and kissed him. The sensations gave Wyl strength; he needed Rod’s power to march through whatever lay ahead. “Let me call and find out.”

Wyl crossed the room and called the general. It rang twice.

“General Steinburg’s office, Corporal Duggins speaking.”

“General Steinburg, please. Major Sterling returning his call.”

“One moment, Major.”

Seconds later, the general's voice came on the line. “Major Sterling, thank you for returning my call.”

“General Steinburg, sir. I am honored. May I ask what prompted your call?” Wyl never interacted with a man of his rank. He hoped the usual military protocol still applied. He dealt with lower-ranking generals in the Marines, and was comfortable being frank with them in any discussion.

“I like your straightforward approach, Major. We need you and Dr. Bonner to come to Washington. I can’t go into detail on the phone. Can you both be here Monday?” The urgency in the general’s voice upped Wyl’s stress levels. This situation demanded his skills and his husband.

“Yes sir, general,” Wyl said. “And you want Dr. Bonner involved? He’s never served.”

“Yes, Major. What I have to share includes you both.”

Wyl glanced at Rod, noticing his worried gaze. “We are at your disposal, general.”

“Excellent. I’ll have my secretary book a suite at the Beacon for two nights beginning Sunday night. Contact Duggins with your flight information. I’ll have a car meet you and deliver you to the hotel, and a car to pick you and Dr. Bonner up at nine o’clock Monday morning. Details when you both visit my Pentagon office.”

"Understood, sir.”

“Until Monday, Major. Goodbye.” The general disconnected, and Wyl hung up. He went and sat next to Rod, reaching for his hands. Rod’s eyes met his. “Babe, we’re flying to Washington, DC Sunday.”

“We? You mentioned my name,” Rod said. “This must be important.”

“Yes. General Steinburg said you and Dr. Bonner, so both of us. I’m not sure why or how you are connected. But he mentioned Dr. Bonner without any prompting from me, so he is aware of our marriage.”

“I never served,” Rod said. “How would he connect us?”

“You mentioned teaching in the state prison system, right?”

Rod nodded. "My information is in a national database, including fingerprints. But how did my fingerprints connect me to you?”