SEAL of Approval Read Online Free PDF Page B

wasn’t about to shed a tear in front of his commanding officer. If the Navy had decided his dog’s fate, there was nothing the C.O. could do.
    “If you need any time off, Chief Lines will look after it. I’ve already spoken to him.”
    Mike nodded grimly.
    “Son, as far as I am concerned that dog and you are both heroes. I wish there was more I could do.”
    Mike left the commander’s office fighting the urge to punch the walls and scream with rage. Instead, he decided to confront the vet who had condemned his best friend to death. If he could convince him he wasn’t dangerous, then maybe he could have the order revoked.
    “Where you going, bud?” TJ’s gravelly voice caught him by surprise.
    Glancing left he spotted the Chief, Rick and Ernie waiting for him.
    “They’re going to kill Axe,” said Mike.
    TJ nodded. “We know.”
    Mike noticed the men were carrying black equipment bags. “What’s going on?”
    Ernie gave his bag a pat. “We grabbed some gear for tonight’s job.”
    “What job?”
    TJ wrapped an arm around his shoulder. “Operation Lumberjack. We’re going to recover the Axe.”
    “We never leave a man behind, brother,” added Rick. “Compared to hunting cartel douche bags this’ll be a walk in the park.”
    “You do know he’s being held on a Marine base?”
    TJ chuckled. “Goddamn Taliban, Al-Qaida, Sinaloa, and Libyan bastards couldn’t stop me. What makes you think a pack of Jarheads are gonna do any better?”

 
    Chapter Four
     
    Car headlights swept the parking lot of the veterinary facility. A vehicle pulled into a driveway on the opposite side of the street. It was three in the morning; late for a serviceman to be out on a Tuesday night.
    Drunken singing carried on the night air. The driver helped her rather intoxicated Marine from the car up to the front door and they disappeared inside. A moment later the first-floor lights came on.
    Mike’s radio crackled as Ernie reported in. “Drunk leatherneck is home. We’re all clear.”
    “OK Rick, let’s do this,” whispered Mike from where they hid in the trees at the edge of the parking lot. A dozen feet away Ernie lay in a thicket, where he kept watch on the road to the clinic. TJ waited in a minivan, parked up the road ready to make the pickup.
    Rick led as they strolled casually from the trees, across the parking lot to the front door of the facility. Mike removed a lock-pick kit from his backpack. After inspecting the door, he chose the appropriate tool. Then, as he made to insert it, Rick slid a key into the lock.
    “Where the hell did you get that?”
    Rick flashed one of his signature smiles. “From Veronica.” He pushed open the door and they slipped inside.
    “Who the hell’s Veronica?” asked Mike as an alarm gave a warning beep. He spotted the panel and made his way toward it.
    “You know. The receptionist.”
    Mike stopped in his tracks. “You’ve been seeing the vet nurse? Bud, you talked to her for like three minutes.”
    He strolled nonchalantly across to the security panel and punched in a code. “Hey, what can I say? Ladies love the Rick.”
    The beeping stopped.
    “She gave you the code?”
    “Yeah, once I let her know how heartbroken you are about Axe. Told her you were weeping like a little girl. You should have seen it. Heart melted in about five seconds flat.”
    “Does TJ know about this?”
    “Of course he does. Gramps knows everything. Now let’s find that crazy mutt of yours and get the hell out of here.”
    Mike held up his hand. “Wait, so what happens when Axe is discovered missing and there’s no sign of a break in?”
    Rick winked. “I’ve got a plan for that.”
    They crept through the foyer, down a short corridor into the recovery room. Mike eased the door open. “Axe, it’s me buddy.” Using a flashlight he located the cage and opened it. The dog gave a single excited bark.
    Rick gave Axe a pat. “Hey bro.”
    Mike scooped the dog out of the cage and cradled him