Irritation passed across Cal’s face. “It was a surveillance-only drone. By the time armed assets could be brought to bear, Haddad had retreated into a mountain cave complex.”

“But we have a rough location, right?” Axel asked eagerly. “Can we encircle the SOB and nail his ass?”

“That’s the idea,” Kettering replied.

Griffin’s pulse leaped. Finally. He and every other operator he knew had wanted a piece of Haddad for pretty much forever.

Kettering interrupted Griffin’s racing thoughts. “The Reapers have been called in as SMEs—that’s subject matter experts, ladies—to accompany the kill team. Our platoon has logged more time in pursuit of this particular target than any other active SEAL unit.”

“When do we leave?” Griffin asked eagerly. He would, with great pleasure, come off a stateside rotation months early if it meant a shot at Abu Haddad.

“Support team’s due here”—Kettering glanced down at his watch—“in about twenty minutes. Kenny, Jojo, Sam. You’ll be going with them. It’ll be a direct flight, air refueling en route, to Bagram Air Base. You’ll deploy by chopper to a forward location, where you’ll receive a final briefing and then head out on the hunt with members of SEAL Team 8. You’ll be guided by a squad of DEVGRU guys who’ve been doing reconnaissance in the region.”

DEVGRU was a highly classified SEAL group within the general SEAL population. Griffin had served a tour with them until he broke his back a few years ago. They specialized in counterterrorist operations and were generally a badass bunch of guys. Topnotch operators. Best of the best. Fun to work with.

Grif leaned forward. “What about me? I’ve been hunting Haddad for the past half-dozen years. I know the bastard cold. No offense to Jojo, Sam, and Ken, but I know the target better than they do. I should be on that plane.”

Kettering looked down the table in his direction but didn’t quite meet Griffin’s gaze. “We all want in on this one, Grif. But you have your orders. I need you here to see Operation Valkyrie through. I’m keeping you, Trevor, and Axel here for now to continue working with the ladies.”

Griffin surged up out of his seat, swearing luridly.

Kettering cut across his epithets sharply. “Sit down.”

Damn it! Griffin knew a direct order when he heard one, and he dropped back into his chair, furious. It didn’t help one little bit that Sherri was gazing at him sympathetically. She had no idea what it meant to him to get left out of this absolutely critical mission.

Because of her.

Because he was being forced to babysit a woman who wanted to play at being a SEAL.