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'The Watchers' by Lauren Matsumoto
Artist: Lauren Matsumoto
Title: 'The Watchers'
Medium: Oil, Acrylic, Ink and Paper Collage on Linen
Dimensions: 29.1" x 29.1"
Framing: Unframed (Wired and Ready to Hang)
Year of Creation: 2017
IMPORTANT: Listed sale price does not include shipping fee. Shipping charges will be calculated on an individual basis, once the delivery destination has been confirmed and will then be invoiced separately. Please email sales@wowxwow.com with any queries.
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Category: WOW² Tags: Lauren Matsumoto, WOW²
About the Artwork:
"This piece is a fusion of painting, drawing and collage. In my work, birds are protagonists interacting with what humans left behind in the environment– ranging from old machine parts to a typewriter or vintage radio. Paper scraps and fragments of what we leave behind as a civilization address the transience of our era. Old and new come together in my work, celebrating nature, memory and the cycle of life. Signed on back. Ships wired and ready to hang unframed." – Lauren Matsumoto
(Artist Bio)
Lauren Matsumoto is a painter exploring how we relate to nature. She is best known for her use of a hybrid form of painting, drawing, and collage, both as a unique medium and as an innovative way of thinking when composing traditional paintings. During nearly three decades as an artist, she has exhibited her artwork across the United States in over 50 exhibitions. Internationally, her work was presented in a solo show at Fabrik Gallery in Hong Kong, and in group shows at ArtLink Canada in Vancouver, the Art Complex Gallery in Tokyo, and the United States Embassy in Oman. Her work has appeared in notable publications such as Domino, Aesthetica, The Jealous Curator, HOME Journal, Studio Visit, and Graphis, as well as featured on the cover of Fresh Paint Magazine. Matsumoto has an international collector base, with works held in collections across Europe, Australia and North America. She received an MFA from the School of Visual Arts in New York and BA in Painting from Yale University. She works as a full-time painter at her studio in Brooklyn, NY.


If you Love Chickenbone Broth then you are at the right place!!
Chickenbone Broth is made from animal bones and also connective cells-- normally cattle, hen, or fish-- that have been steamed right into a broth and sluggish simmered for 10 to greater than 20 hours with herbs, veggies, as well as spices. So why is this relatively basic fluid something you would certainly wish to consume alcohol everyday Chickenbone Broth ?
Also our hunter-gatherer forefathers realized that alcohol consumption Chickenbone Broth was like striking nutritional gold, as its earliest version go back over 2,500 years. Throwing out anything edible ran out the question back then, so animal unguis, knuckles, bones, and various other connective tissues never went to squander. Bone broth has a rich history of being made use of in traditional Chinese medication as a digestion restorative, blood home builder, as well as kidney strengthener as a result of the high collagen content, bioavailable minerals, anti-inflammatory amino acids, and recovery substances that can just be found in bones and connective cells Chickenbone Broth.
See as celeb wellness fitness instructor, Thomas DeLauer damages down the ins and outs of what bone broth truly is. In just 2 mins, he'll talk about what bone broth is as well as what it can do for your intestine, joint, and skin health and wellness Chickenbone Broth.
Some telephone call Chickenbone Broth meat water. We call it fluid gold.
What makes this things so unique? The short answer is collagen. Bones as well as connective tissue are the only true dietary resources of type II collagen-- a protein that's known for keeping skin smooth as well as flexible and teeth and joints healthy, in addition to promoting lots of various other wellness benefits.
Along with collagen, bones are additionally filled with numerous anti-inflammatory amino acids, minerals, as well as substances that can assist quicken your body's all-natural recovery procedures from points like sporting activities injuries, arthritis, or leaky gut.
So, these "scraps" that most of us normally throw in the garbage are major nutritional giants. Yet when was the last time you chowed down on an item of cow's knuckle? Or snacked on an ox tail? We'll think the response is never ever.
Considering that we do not eat bones in their entire form, cooking them right into a broth that's simmered for 10 to 20 hours (or even more) is the most effective method to launch their effective nutrients, and experience a whole brand-new degree of health and wellness.
NEED A FAST EXPLANATION ON WHAT EXACTLY IS CHICKENBONE BROTH ?
Watch as Celebrity Wellness Instructor, Thomas DeLauer breaks down the ins and outs of what bone broth actually is. In just 2 mins, he'll discuss what bone broth is as well as what it can do for your gut, joint, and also skin health and wellness chickenbone broth.
Bone broth has an abundant history of being utilized as a digestive restorative, particularly in standard Chinese medication some 2,500 years ago. Today, it is just one of the leading recommended foods for improving signs of persistent digestive conditions, such as Irritable Digestive Tract Syndrome (IBS), Crohn's condition, and colitis.
The factor for why bone broth is so recovery for the gut returns to collagen, which creates jelly when it's prepared down even better. Collagen and also gelatin are not just abundant in amino acids that reduce swelling in the GI system-- such as glutamine-- they additionally have the one-of-a-kind capability to "seal as well as recover" holes in the digestive tract lining, which can trigger a condition called dripping gut disorder.
Although research study is in the early stages, there's proof to reveal that dripping intestine is the main underlying source of gastrointestinal conditions. It's also a factor to autoimmune diseases, clinical depression, mind haze, anxiousness, allergies, dermatitis, acne, and also persistent low energy. Most awful of all, leaky intestine can be silent as well as show no signs in the early stages. It's likewise believed to influence over 70% of the population.
Bone broth is recommended on unique gut healing diet regimens as well as protocols, like the SPACES diet plan, the SCD diet regimen, and also the Low FODMAP diet plan.
Whether it's an injury, arthritis, or aching muscular tissues, there's no better way to nurture your bones as well as joints than by taking in even more of the nutrients currently discovered within them, including hyaluronic acid, glucosamine, chondroitin, calcium, and also magnesium. Bone broth is loaded with all of these nutrients, plus numerous amino acids that help in reducing joint pain and swelling, like glycine as well as proline. It's for these reasons that bone broth is ending up being a best healing drink among athletes.
An enjoyable fact: Kettle and Fire Bone Broth was birthed since our founder, Nick, tore his ACL playing football and needed a high-quality bone broth to aid speed up his recuperation time. (You can read more on that right here.).
Following a bone broth diet plan is great for sustainable weight reduction. A bone broth diet involves eating Paleo for 5 days as well as fasting for two. During this time frame you'll drink bone broth regularly with a boost in use on the fasting days.
The combination of recurring fasting and also bone broth increases weight loss via burning fat much more successfully and restricting calorie intake. When doing the diet regimen, we also noticed a reduction in cellulite.
Fat-Burning Bone Broth Alcoholic Drink Chickenbone Broth.
With simply a few ingredients, this recipe is ideal for a tasty and also extremely straightforward fat-burning mixed drink that you can work up quickly on hectic early mornings prior to work or in the evenings post-workout.
Even if you had never become aware of bone broth previously, you have actually probably become aware of collagen, thanks to the charm industry.
Many anti-aging skin care lines include collagen to their face lotions, creams, and products (as well as offer them for a pretty penny). However what many individuals don't understand is that collagen particles are as well huge to be taken in through the skin, which implies these creams can not provide much in the means of outcomes.
The good news is that collagen can be soaked up with your gastrointestinal system. And also because there's a straight link between the gut as well as the skin, adding bone broth to your diet regimen is going to have an even more powerful as well as enduring influence on the total appearance as well as health of your skin.
Allow's not forget hair as well as nails, which are composed of proteins like collagen. Collagen assists strengthen nails, as well as encourages hair to grow in thicker, quicker, and also take on a healthy and balanced luster. (Remember this for the following time you get a poor haircut!).
Deep, peaceful rest is something we could all use a bit more of. As a matter of fact, statistics show the average individual gets less than 7 hrs of rest per night, so it is necessary to do whatever you can to make those hours count.
Bone broth is abundant in glycine, an anti-inflammatory amino acid that works with the Central Nerves (CNS). When taken before bed as a supplement, researches show glycine can enhance sleep top quality as well as decrease daytime drowsiness. It's even more efficient when paired with other sleep-supportive nutrients, like calcium and magnesium.
Every one of the benefits you enjoy from bone broth, your expanding infant will experience, too-- including healthy and balanced bones, joints, and a strong gastrointestinal system.
When morning sickness hits, it can be impossible to maintain nutritious food down. Yet bone broth tends to be soothing for nausea, and also is normally well endured. Most importantly, bone broth supplies several of the nutrients you and your growing baby need, consisting of healthy protein, and also crucial minerals and vitamins. As an included benefit, the slow-moving simmer time of the bones makes the nutrients in bone broth highly bioavailable and also much easier to take in than a nutritional supplement.
Bone broth can likewise assist boost fertility, assist you have a more comfy maternity by nourishing tight or uncomfortable joints, and also may increase calcium degrees in breast milk.
Bone broth is an excellent source of nourishment on the Paleo diet plan, and also is urged to consume during periods of intermittent fasting. It likewise fits in well with macronutrient demands on the keto diet plan, and also might help reduce signs and symptoms of the keto flu.
" Not just can bone broth help you stay clear of keto influenza, however it's also packed with minerals that recover leaking digestive tract as well as minimize swelling in your intestines." - Leanne Vogel, Writer of The Keto Diet.
The nourishment and also recovery capacity of bone broth is so powerful, that an entire diet plan-- The Bone Broth Diet Regimen-- has been developed around it.
The nutrients in bone broth make it a powerful practical food that can profit your entire household-- including your fur children. Bone broth benefits your pet's glossy coat, bones, joints, food digestion, and teeth.
Below you can learn just how Nellie, a 15 years of age rescue puppy, defeat her probabilities of living by only consuming alcohol bone broth.
Loaded with healthy protein - Poultry is a fantastic protein resource and also exact same opts for hen bones. Kettle & Fire bone broth comes loaded with 10 grams of healthy protein per serving Chickenbone Broth.
Lowers gut inflammation - Bone broth assists recover as well as seal a dripping intestine which is the origin for numerous autoimmune illness.
Rich in bone marrow - Bone broth made from 100% lawn fed cattle and also simmered over lengthy chef times extracts bone marrow which contains healthy nourishing hormones and lipids.
Packed with amino acids - Comparable to hen bone broth, the nutrients removed from beef bones contain amino acids like glycine as well as glutamine that improves digestion and repair work your gut lining.
No. Plants are a terrific source of minerals and vitamins that can aid boost your body to produce its own collagen, yet there is no known plant food that supplies kind II collagen, the kind that offers all of the health and wellness benefits listed above.
Something to consider regarding bone broth that establishes it apart from plant foods: Also if you do consume a variety of plants that are abundant in collagen-boosting nutrients, if you have a weakened digestion system or dripping gut, you may not totally absorb them. On the other hand, the collagen in bone broth is extremely easy to take in, even for those with jeopardized digestion systems.
Certainly, you don't just have to drink it-- although we do have a free and also legendary downloadable bone broth drinking guide for when you do. You can mix bone broth right into your environment-friendly smoothies, make healthy collagen gummy bears, and use it in whatever from scrambled eggs, soups, curries, stews, breakfast bowls, and tacos.
We slow-simmer the organic bones to draw out the collagen, healthy proteins, as well as amino acids into a nutrient-rich bone broth. The result is a collagen-rich, high protein bone broth that provides your body the nutrients it needs to flourish.
Bone broth is an all-in-one superfood, loaded with nutrients that give power and also motivation, aid you rest better, make your skin appearance smoother, and can help recover digestive issues like leaky digestive tract.
Bones and also connective tissue are warehouses for necessary amino acids and minerals-- which are lacking in numerous diets today. Bone Broth is likewise an invaluable source of healthy protein, collagen and also jelly.
It's not possible to eat whole bones or tissue, however you can still enjoy these health benefits by sipping bone broth. Collagen is removed when you simmer bones for a long period of time. Typically, the longer bone broth simmers, the more collagen you'll remove.
Making bone broth is a basic process, yet one that needs lots of time as well as persistence. If time is not on your side we can aid you out keeping that.
Bone broth is made by simmering pet bones as well as cells for at the very least 10 hrs with vegetables, herbs, and also flavors such as thyme, garlic, and also bay leaves. High-grade bone broth begins with high-grade ingredients, making use of bones from organic grass-fed pets and also natural vegetables. While any bone or tendon can be utilized, knuckles, chicken feet, as well as thigh bones tend to contain the most collagen.
Simmering bones for an extensive amount of time is what provides bone broth its wellness benefits, removing the amino acids, minerals, and collagen. This is a Pot & Fire-tested slow cooker poultry bone broth dish that features natural hen bones, sea salt, fresh veggies like celery stalks, onions, as well as bell peppers, and also natural herbs like parsley, rosemary, as well as thyme.
Simply cooking bones (no meat) and also water is going to be primarily flavorless. Cooking the combination for hours at a time isn't mosting likely to make it taste any type of better.
The concept that you're getting tons of nutrients from the bones is a MYTH that won't die, despite the fact that it has actually been unmasked various times, including through laboratory examinations. The notion that adding vinegar to "release" those nutrients has actually also been exposed. You simply wind up with a watery mess that tastes of vinegar.
Rather, get bones with meat on them. After that include veggies such as onions, carrots, celery, and just enough water to cover every little thing (usually 8 or 10 mugs). Skip the vinegar! Simmer for 3 to 4 hours for hen, slightly much longer for beef. Period according to choice. If you have an Instantaneous Pot, 25 to 35 mins has to do with right.
What you will obtain with this approach is an extremely tasty broth that's probably considerably extra nutritious-- consisting of lots of collagen-- and even more healthful than any type of bone broth, and it will certainly taste one heck of a whole lot far better. You can either eat the meat as well as veggies (it's called SOUP) or you can stress them out and also just consume the broth if you prefer.
See, bare bones that have no meat, or, even worse, carcass bones that have already been cooked and also removed of their meat, have nearly zero taste on their own.
Examine Ina Garten's recipe for hen broth. It's extremely similar to this as well as has actually been used with minor variants by knowledgeable chefs for years.
Normal broth as well as stock are simmered for a shorter period of time than bone broth, approximately 2-- 6 hours. The expedited cooking process decreases the quantity of beneficial jelly extracted from the bones, reducing its capacity to enhance the immune system, heal digestive issues, and also decrease the symptoms of leaking digestive tract.
Prior To Kettle and Fire was born, among our founders, Nick, tore his ACL playing soccer (oops). His bro Justin became aware of the benefits of bone broth for injury healing. As his timetable didn't leave much time to make bone broth from scratch, he laid out to purchase a store-bought, top quality, grass-fed bone broth, considering that both of their busy schedules really did not leave much time to make the broth themselves. (You can discover more about our tale here.).
No matter how hard Justin looked, the suitable bone broth didn't exist. He searched for one that was 100 percent organic, fresh-- never frozen-- grass-fed, and sluggish simmered (as well as one that could be shipped without inefficient, confusing packaging). So, Nick and Justin determined to develop a top notch bone broth on their terms, which is the recipe we're honored to supply you today.
" Kettle & Fire supplies a beneficial, top quality bone broth in a tasty and also hassle-free shelf-stable style. I love always knowing that I've obtained excellent broth accessible, without clogging up my freezer or requiring defrosting." - Dr. Sarah Ballantyne, three-time NYT Best-Selling Writer.
The gorgeous aspect of bone broth is that there's really no restriction to how you can include it to your diet regimen. Other than soups, stews, as well as plain ol' sipping, bone broth mixes surprisingly well right into almost any kind of recipe-- even smoothies! Below are our top ways to obtain it:.
Our bone broth tastes delicious enough to drink on its own, however you can flavor it approximately match your taste. We developed our preferred taste combinations in this cost-free downloadable "Bone Broth Sipping Overview" (bone broth matcha lattes, anyone?). Get your totally free copy below.
Drinking bone broth does not have to be dull-- there are unlimited ways to flavor it and also drink it. Obtain immediate accessibility to over 15 of our preferred bone broth drinking combinations, including ginger as well as turmeric bone broth tonic and also chili, and cardamom bone broth potion. Learn just how to utilize bone broth in your matcha cappucinos, golden milk, and also tropical fruit smoothies.
Our beef bone broth has a moderate taste, which permits it to mix easily with practically anything, from smoothie mixes to healthy and balanced gummy bears. Our hen bone broth and mushroom hen bone broth enhance the savory taste of soups, stews, as well as risotto recipes. A few of our favorites include:.
If you want to experience even more power and vitality than in the past, we reccomend checking out The Bone Broth Diet, developed by Dr. Kellyann Petrucci.
The Bone Broth Diet regimen not just raises your intake of the recovery nutrients as well as compounds important for gut, skin, joint, and bone health, yet assists battle systemic swelling, which goes to the source of the majority of Western ailments as well as conditions.
The bone broth diet plan is a 21-day plan that's ideal for any individual suffering from a chronic health condition (such as an autoimmune problem), or anyone who wants to reset their gastrointestinal system and also experience radiant wellness. Discover more concerning the 21-day bone broth diet regimen here.


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Read Next:	TV News Roundup: Netflix Reveals Premiere Date for Tom Papa's Standup Special
December 6, 2013 11:38AM PT
It's Official: Drew Goddard to Write, Direct Netflix's 'Daredevil' Pilot
By Whitney Friedlander
Whitney Friedlander
@loislane79	FOLLOW
Whitney's Most Recent Stories
Best Pictures Contenders Mine Familiar Territory
The Laugh Factory Gives Back With Meals and Programs
Jamie Masada Reflects on 40 Years of the Laugh Factory
CREDIT: Karl Walter/Getty Images
Marvel has officially confirmed that "Lost" and "Alias" scribe Drew Goddard will write and direct the pilot for the Netflix adaptation of their Daredevil comicbooks.
Goddard, whose credits also include films "Cabin in the Woods" and "Cloverfield," will also serve as showrunner and executive producer of the 13-episode series, which will premiere in 2015.
The news comes as Netflix rounds out a positive week. The online channel's original series "Orange is the New Black" and "House of Cards" cleaned up WGA award nominations, and the latter announced that its second season will premiere on Valentine's Day. "Lilyhammer," the Norwegian-American television series starring Steven Van Zandt that is Netflix's first original series, has its second season debut on December 13.
Goddard is repped by UTA and attorneys Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush & Kaller.
The Wrap first broke the news that Goddard was in negotiations for the project.
ABC Picks Up Drama Pilot 'Harlem's Kitchen' From 'Scandal' Writer
ABC has made their third drama pilot pick up and fourth pilot pick up overall for the 2020-2021 season. The broadcaster has ordered the drama pilot "Harlem's Kitchen." It is described as an ensemble family drama set in a fine dining restaurant in Harlem. Ellis Rice, Executive Chef and patriarch, runs a successful restaurant with [...]
'FX on Hulu' Shows Will Be Counted as FX at the Emmys (EXCLUSIVE)
Upcoming original series "Devs," "Mrs. America," "A Teacher" and "The Old Man" won't actually air on FX — but the network will still get credit when it comes to Emmy consideration. The Television Academy has said that all "FX on Hulu" shows — which will air exclusively on Hulu, and not on the linear network [...]

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New Technologies those are going to Transform the World in recent Future.
How analytic tools help to grow your business?
March 11, 2017 adminLeave a Comment on How analytic tools help to grow your business?


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Play MattersJanuary 7, 2015
David Galiel, Elbowfish
David Galiel believes that more playful work is more satisfying work and that a more playful life is a better life; and, that appropriate technology and experience design, focused on creating constructive communication, connection and community-building, can change the world. In this highly entertaining discussion, David will share his unique insights into how entertainment, education and everyday experience intersect. He will also talk about how emerging developments in technology-mediated human interaction empower an architectural approach to creating virtual civic spaces. Come learn how David succeeds in applying game-inspired approaches to improving work, converting customers to fans, and harnessing the power of community, and how his company, Elbowfish, creates fun games that make people think.
David Galiel is CEO & Producer at Portland games studio Elbowfish. He co-founded the company in 2012, with his daughter, game designer Leana Galiel. Elbowfish designs, develops and publishes meaningful games, across all media, featuring local talent. The company also offers Playful Design consulting to select clients. David has more than 25 years of broad-based experience as internet entrepreneur, senior executive, strategic consultant and mentor. In addition to his pioneering work in virtual reality and massively multiplayer online (MMO) games, David has designed and led integration of interactive entertainment into film, television and education productions. Over his varied career, David has worked as transmedia storyteller, online community developer, new media advisor to government agencies, strategic online consultant to US Senate & House campaigns, nonprofit leader of a global peace organization and professional composer & performing musician. His pro bono work ranges from director of the Boston Computer Society's Virtual Reality Group in the 1980's, to executive committee member of the nation's first Creative Economy organization in 2003. Most recently, he was co-organizer of Portland Games for Change and advisor to ChickTech, a Portland-based nonprofit that supports women in technology careers. David moved from Boston, MA to Portland, OR in 2008.
Play Matters from CHIFOO Communications on Vimeo.


Photos courtesy of Steven Rosenthal, of Allie Beth Allman & Associates.
A member of NFL royalty is leaving the neighborhood.
Former Dallas Cowboys coach Wade Phillips has put his Preston Hollow mansion on the market for $2.95 million. Oddly enough, Phillips tweeted out his address to announce the sale.
It's for sale—loved this house. Leased for a while—refinished and now For Sale.
Designed by architect Ryan Osborne and constructed in 2006, the 8,742-square-foot home has a guest house, swimming pool and a gazebo, among other over-the-top amenities.


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Burial sites found at 53 Native American boarding schools, U.S. government says
A U.S. government investigation into the dark history of Native American boarding schools has found "marked or unmarked burial sites" at 53 of them, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said on Wednesday.
Haaland, the first Native American cabinet member, announced the investigation last year. In releasing preliminary findings during a press conference in Washington, she spoke through tears and in a choked-up voice.
"The federal policies that attempted to wipe out Native identity, language and culture continue to manifest in the pain tribal communities face today," Haaland said. "We must shed light on the unspoken traumas of the past."
Until Wednesday, the U.S. government had yet to provide any true accounting of the legacy of the schools, which used education to change culture so tribal land could be taken. Families were forced to send their children to the schools.
To compile Haaland's report, researchers located records on 408 schools that received federal funding from 1819 to 1969, and another 89 schools that did not receive money from the government. About half the schools were run for the government by or supported by churches of various denominations. Many children were abused at the schools, and tens of thousands were never heard from again, activists and researchers say.
The report noted that "rampant physical, sexual, and emotional abuse" took place at the schools and is well documented, and that so far the investigation had found over 500 children who died while in school custody. Investigators said they expect to uncover many more deaths.
Haaland said she's beginning a year-long "road to healing" tour to listen to survivors of the boarding school system. The next goals of the investigation are to estimate the number of kids who attended the schools, finding more burial sites and identifying how much federal monies went to churches that took part in the school system, among other issues.
She said Congress had provi
Deborah Parker, head of the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition that's assisting the Interior Department in its investigation, said the report just scratched the surface of the trauma.
"Our children had names. Our children had families. Our children have their own languages," she said at the press conference. "Our children had their own regalia, prayers and religion before Indian boarding schools violently took them away."
'IDENTITY ALTERATION'
Researchers examined government records and spoke to Native Americans to prepare the report. The results detail a history dating to at least 1801, when the first such schools opened, and one in which education was used as a weapon.
Native American affairs, including education, were a War Department responsibility until 1849 and the military remained involved even after civilians took over, the report noted.
The schools were described as resembling military academies in their regimentation and strictness and emphasizing vocational skills. Police were called on to force families to send their children to the schools. Food was denied to families as another way to force them to surrender their children.
"These conditions included militarized and identity alteration methodologies – on kids!" said Bryan Newland, the assistant secretary for Indian Affairs at the Interior Department, who heads the investigation.
Conditions at former Indian boarding schools gained global attention last year when tribal leaders in Canada announced the discovery of the unmarked graves of 215 children at the site of the former Kamloops residential school for indigenous children, as such institutions are known in Canada.
Unlike the United States, Canada carried out a full investigation into its schools via a Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
The U.S. government has never acknowledged how many children attended such schools, how many children died or went missing from them or even how many schools existed.
The report released on Wednesday included recommendations for funding programs to preserve the Native American languages the schools tried to stamp out, and establishing a federal memorial.
ded $7 million to keep the research going this year, which she said was fundamental to helping Native Americans heal.
Experts said the first report on the investigation had barely scratched the surface of what needs to be examined. The Interior Department has identified more than 98 million pages of documents that may relate to the boarding school system within the American Indian Records Repository that still need to be evaluated. Tens of millions more pages housed regional branches of the National Archives and Records Administration also must be examined.
A former congresswoman from New Mexico, Haaland in 2020 introduced legislation calling for a Truth and Healing Commission into conditions at former Native American boarding schools. That legislation is still pending, and hearings on the most recent version of the bill are scheduled for Thursday before a U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States.
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text: Q: How to continue execution of fabricate based software when error is encountered There is a tool which uses fabricate makefile and saxon as XSLT processor to  run and build xslt based project. The program is executed using a main python script which executes several files. I have an issue that the python script is stopping when an error is encountered (for example if there is a syntax error in xsl template file, the error comes on screen and execution is stopped). I want the file to execute even when there is an error and log the error into file. I know how to log error into file but i dont know how to continue the execution of program even when error is encountered. Please answer to this question with example because it will be difficult to understand only theory.

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Make holiday gift giving even more special with these gift tags for knitters.
Right click on any gift tag and select Save Image or Save Image As. Note the location on your computer where you saved it. Print it from any graphic program. Heavier paper is best but regular paper will work as well.
To print a series of the same tag, click on the tag to go to another page where there is an image of multiple tags.


Jazz Unlimited for March 4, 2018 will be "The Career of Gene Harris." Pianist Gene Harris had two careers. The first was from 1966 to 1976 with "The Three Sounds," which was followed by semi-retirement in Boise, Idaho. Ray Brown rediscovered him in 1983. His joyous career continued until his heath in 2000.
Jazz Unlimited for Sunday, January 29, 2016 will be "Jazz Giants Born in January and February." Jazz Giants are those musicians whose individuality makes them both instantly recognizable by their sound and revered for their inspiring playing. Among these giants are Henry "Red" Allen, Mildred Bailey, Frank Butler, Big Sid Catlett, Kenny Clarke, Curtis Counce, Tadd Dameron, Buddy DeFranco, Roy Eldridge, Jimmy Forrest, Stan Getz, Benny Golson, Dexter Gordon, Wardell Gray, Bobby Hutcherson, Milt Jackson, J. J. Johnson, James P.


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View Main Site
Sponsor FAQs
Connect to Ukrainians
Be a Welcomer:
Sponsor A Ukrainian Family
The U.S. government has announced Uniting for Ukraine. People fleeing the war in Ukraine can apply to come to the U.S. with the support of a sponsor. That could be you!
Sponsorship is critical for people forced to flee Ukraine
You can make it possible for Ukrainian families to find safety in the United States.
Help change someone's life. And your own. You don't have to know a Ukrainian to be a sponsor.
Make it a group effort. Gather your friends and family to form a support system for newcomers.
Safety is a top priority. Both sponsors and newcomers are vetted by the U.S. government.
Interested in sponsoring? Learn more
intro to sponsorship
Ready to get started? Connect to Ukrainians seeking refuge
Be a neighbor.
Sponsorship is the ultimate neighborly act. Sponsors provide day-to-day support to make sure Ukrainian newcomers are welcomed in their new communities and have the information and tools they need to start a new life in the United States.
Think about the type of support you'd need if you moved to a new country where you didn't know anyone, where the culture is new to you, and where the language might be a challenge.
What acts of welcome would make it easier for you to settle into your new community?
Be a guide.
Sponsors serve as a guide to life in the United States and to their city or town.
Sponsors meet newcomers at the airport.
They help newcomers find permanent housing and move in.
They help newcomers find furniture and other goods needed to set up a new home.
They make sure children are enrolled in a local school and that the family is connected to a healthcare provider, including through enrollment in a health insurance plan.
They help parents apply for jobs.
They make sure they know where to shop for groceries, how to take public transportation, and where to find community resources like English language classes and the best places to spend a weekend afternoon.
More than anything, they make sure that newcomers feel at home by being the friend they can rely on when they have questions, and the person who will make them feel at home and included in their new community.
Be a teammate.
While not required, welcoming through sponsorship can be strengthened by working together with a group – be it with friends, work colleagues, congregation members or other networks.
There are lots of reasons to think about getting friends and family to help - it makes the work easier, can be deeply rewarding and helps the arriving family know more people in the community. Plus, with a group effort, you can share in the joy and responsibilities of helping newcomers thrive in their new communities. Sponsorship carries with it some basic financial responsibilities, and while there is no specifically required amount, you and your group should plan to raise at least $3000 for each person sponsored to help the family you are supporting get settled in the first 90 days after their arrival in the United States.
Remember, as a sponsor, you're responsible for ensuring that newcomers have what they need to rebuild their lives and thrive here in the United States, without relying on public benefits for the long-term. Remarkably, most working-age refugees are self-sufficient within six months of arriving in their new communities.
Be a friend.
The war in Ukraine has displaced more than 10 million people, including more than four million children. No one should have to live through that experience, but for millions of Ukrainians, it is now a turning point in their lives.
The people fleeing the war in Ukraine are our future neighbors, and they come from all walks of life. Some will come with their children or parents, and some will seek refuge on their own. American communities will benefit enormously from their expertise, experience, and courage.
But first they need your friendship and support.
One of the most important things a sponsor can do is be a good friend to a newcomer as they navigate the challenges of being displaced and starting a new life in safety.
Providing emotional support and being a friend that a newcomer can rely on during a difficult period in their life is one of the most rewarding aspects of sponsorship.
The bonds formed between sponsors and newcomers often grow into lifelong friendships – and everyone benefits along the way!
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As a sponsor, you are a bridge-builder, an ambassador of welcome, a friendly neighbor, and a tour guide to life in the United States. But your ultimate goal is to work yourself out of the role of sponsor and into the role of cheerleader – you want to empower and support newcomers instead of doing everything for them.
By seeing your role as a partner to the family, rather than the all-too-common mentality of "adopting" a family, you will help set them on a path to independence and successful integration. Just as you would with a friend or loved one, you'll want to do everything you can to make sure newcomers are equipped with the tools and skills to be resilient and succeed.
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Our national and local partners are preparing to support a nation of welcomers just like you to offer safety, sanctuary and new opportunities to those fleeing the war in Ukraine and coming to the United States. These organizations will offer information, encouragement and support to help you be a good sponsor so that you can offer the same to the family you sponsor.
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DART-Europe eTheses Portal Description of this database.
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Try combining your country with an LCSH, e.g., CHRISTIAN education of adults [AND] South Africa, or, NONFORMAL education [AND] Kenya.


text:
Amara Next >
SEAL of Honor
When Navy Seal Gabe Bristow's prestigious career comes to a crashing halt, he's offered the chance to command a private hostage rescue team. It seems like a good deal—until he meets his new team of delinquents that includes the sexy, frustratingly impulsive Audrey Van Amee. She's determined to help rescue her brother—or drive Gabe crazy. God help Gabe if he can't bring her brother back alive, because he's finally found something worth living for.
Hornet Series, Book 1
By Tonya Burrows
It's a good thing Gabe Bristow lives and breathes the Navy SEAL credo, "the only easy day was yesterday," because today, his life is unrecognizable. When his prestigious career comes to a crashing halt, he's left with a bum leg and few prospects for employment that don't include a desk.
That is, until he's offered the chance to command a private hostage rescue team and free a wealthy American businessman from Colombian paramilitary rebels. It seems like a good deal—until he meets his new team: a drunk Cajun linguist, a boy-genius CIA threat analyst, an FBI negotiator with mob ties, a cowboy medic, and an EOD expert as volatile as the bombs he defuses. Oh, and who could forget the sexy, frustratingly impulsive Audrey Van Amee? She's determined to help rescue her brother—or drive Gabe crazy. Whichever comes first.
As the death toll rises, Gabe's team of delinquents must figure out how to work together long enough to save the day. Or, at least, not get themselves killed. Because Gabe's finally found something worth living for, and God help him if he can't bring her brother back alive.
Each book in the HORNET series is a standalone story that can be enjoyed out of order.
Series Order:
Book #1 SEAL of Honor
Book #2 Honor Reclaimed
Book #3 Broken Honor
Book #4 Code of Honor
Book #5 Reckless Honor
Book #6 Honor Avenged
"SEAL of Honor is the first book in Tonya Burrows' HORNET series, and romantic suspense lovers, you do not want to miss this story!" - UniquelyMoi ~ BlithelyBookish's, Goodreads
"Tonya Burrows has a really fun, sexy, exciting new series on her hands, and I have a feeling each new book will only get better as she reveals more about each member of the team. For those who love romantic suspense, pick this one up and give it a try!" - Swept Away by Romance
An interview with a runaway Afghani child bride lands photojournalist Phoebe Leighton in the middle of an arms deal. Forming an unlikely alliance with a ragtag team of mercenaries, she meets Seth Harlan, a former Marine sniper with PTSD. He ignites passions within...
Other than the blanks in his memory an accident, Travis "Achilles" Quinn is the HORNET team's hard-ass. He's ice-cold and unbreakable. But Travis remembers everything about Mara Escareno—the curve of her lips, the feel of her body, and how he walked out on...
Mercenary Jean-Luc Cavalier can't get Claire, the gorgeous virologist he saved, out of his head, but someone wants her research and they're willing to kill everyone to get it. ...
Kissing her late husband's best friend, Marcus, was a terrible idea...right? She needs him more than ever, because Danny's killer is looking for something, and they think she knows where it is…...
Series: Hornet, Book 1
Imprint: amara next
Genre: military/men in uniform, mystery & suspense, romantic suspense
Tropes: forced proximity
By UniquelyMoi ~ BlithelyBookish May 27, 2013
SEAL of Honor is the first book in Tonya Burrows' HORNET series, and romantic suspense lovers, you do not want to miss this story!
Gabe Bristow's life as a Navy SEAL comes to a screeching halt – not because of terrorists or IEDs or any of the usual things associated with badass military men and their ...more
By Grecia March 06, 2019
Me gustó más de lo que esperaba.
Esta serie me la recomendó mi amiga Viri y como confío en su criterio le di el chance.
Este es un libro que tiene de todo un poco romance, acción y un poco de humor, lo que hizo que la lectura fuera amena, entretenida y ligera.
El romance fue un poco inst ...more
By Floripiquita January 09, 2018
A mí dame un SEAL y prácticamente pierdo el oremus. Soy así de fácil. Si encima me incluyes a alguien como Gabe, el protagonista, en una historia de suspense con muchas acción (muy bien narrada por parte de la autora, por cierto), pues ya me tienes ganada. Pena que la parte del hermano de la prota, ...more
By Buggy June 21, 2013
Opening Line: "God help him if he didn't make it to the airport by seven."
Well hello lick-worthy cover! Romantic suspense lovers (and fans of Cindy Gerard) may want to check out Tonya Burrows' new HORNET series. Featuring a rag-tag band of (yummy) former military men who once they get the kinks wor ...more
By Elizabeth (Liz) May 16, 2013
Review posted at: Swept Away By Romance
With a leg injury, Gabe Bristow's career as a Navy SEAL comes to an end. At loose ends, he takes a position commanding a private hostage rescue team. Their first mission? Free a wealthy American businessman from Colombian rebels. His new team, though, is quite ...more
By Fanny May 27, 2018
Seal Of Honor es el primer libro de la serie Hornet de la autora Tonya Burrows y narra la historia de Gabe y Audrey.
He leido bastantes libros de este estilo, que combinan suspence y romance, por lo que tenia una idea bastante clara de lo que esperar de esta lectura, por eso no me esperaba que me sor ...more
By Wendy May 26, 2013
Lurved it! For all you Cindy Gerard fans, this will not disappoint. This has great dialogue, with little bits of humor thrown in; the plot's solid and easy to follow with great pacing that never lost it's momentum. Tonya Burrow's characters are full of personality and they all have their own demons ...more
By Claire May 27, 2014
4.5 - "Walk on the wild side with me." Stars!
Once in a while a book comes along, and after reading a chapter or two you know you are going to devour everything that the author has and will release in the future. Tonya Burrows is definitely in that category for me. After about 10 pages of SEAL of Hon ...more
By ♥Rachel♥ June 10, 2013
SEAL of Honor felt like a movie plot starring some hunky (or group of hunky actors, as is the case here!) actor parading through South America on a rescue mission. There was danger, lots of suspense and of course, a steamy romance!
Gabe Bristow is forced to take an early retirement from the Navy SEA ...more
By Jonetta June 18, 2013
Lt. Commander Gabriel Bristow is not looking forward to his forced medical retirement. A year ago, he was involved in a car accident and suffered a serious injury to his foot, leaving him unfit to return to duty as a Navy SEAL. He's all set to begin his boring Pentagon job when he's approached by hi ...more
By Jo April 09, 2013
Okay, so I normally don't write reviews - I just love to read & take advice from my fellow goodreaders. I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of Tonya Burrows Seal of Honor. I actually tweeted Tonya personally because I had read somewhere that this was her first published book. So I give it a 4 out o ...more
By Anita October 22, 2017
I really, really like this new series by Tonya Burrows. It has taken me a long time to finally start it because I was deeply disappointed by the last book, Too Wilde to Tame, in the "Wilde Security" series. This series is off to a good start, especially if you like your heroes flawed and your heroin ...more
By Anali December 30, 2014
Oh!!! Me encanto!!! Es una lectura rápida, intrigante, emotiva y con toques de humor. La trama de suspenso fue genial, llena de momentos inquietantes, violencia y pruebas de valentía. Otros momentos fueron super dulces y tiernos, obviamente, todos relacionados con Audrey y Gabe. Fueron una pareja su ...more
By Angela Carr (Under the Covers Book Blog) May 29, 2013
Review also posted at
SEAL of Honor is a not-to-miss debut novel by Tonya Burrows. This up and coming author delivered an exciting story of ex seals that are die hard for life threatening adventures. I have a feeling this author will make her mark in the romantic suspense genre.
Ms. Burrows deliv ...more
By Anna's Herding Cats March 27, 2016
**Quickie review--full review to come closer to release**
I've been lusting after this book since the second I spotted it's cover and mmmm yeah it so lived up to expectations. Burrows totally won me over with her ragtag group of men and one hell of a heroine.
These guys are all a little bit broken, a ...more
By Marianchu July 05, 2016
Qué bien me lo he pasado con esta historia. Aunque empieza como muchas otras, un grupo de exmilitares y miembros de distintas agencias americanas que se juntan para formar un equipo en una empresa de seguridad privada, lo variopinto de los miembros resulta muy particular.
He encontrado una historia ...more
By Trina June 18, 2013
The Utmost talented new author I'd very fortunately discovered.
It felted like Tonya Burrows has read all my favorite authors; Lora Leigh, Suzanne Brockmann, Pamela Clare, Cindy Gerard, etc...and took out all my pet peeves while creating this incredible story for my sole enjoyment.
Although SEAL of ...more
By MsRomanticReads July 24, 2014
Meet the men of HORNET (Hostage Rescue and Negotiation Team):
Gabe "Stonewall" Bristow – Former Navy SEAL (Lieutenant Commander of SEAL Team Ten) – The Boss.
Travis "Achilles" Quinn – Gabe's SEAL teammate and best friend – XO
Jean-Luc "Ragin' Cajun" Cavalier – Language specialist/translator
Marcus Deang ...more
By Amy May 23, 2013
Gabriel 'Stonewall' Bristow had a starling career as a Navy SEAL until an accident left him unfit for military duty. Sick and tired of his father pushing him into a desk job, Gabe accepts leadership of a private hostage rescue team. His first mission? To rescue Bryson Van Amee, a wealthy businessman ...more
By Crystal April 27, 2013
My Rant:
I completely slept on this book. I don't normally pick up books like this because I love immortal heroes and sometime I feel like no one could compare but this book has completely changed my perception and I can now claim that I love the human heros just as much as the immortal ones. (just d ...more
By Melissasfandomworld December 28, 2018
This was such a fun and fast-paced read.
This is romantic suspense how I LOVE it.
I love all the military elements and how action packed the book is.
The romance elements are in perfect balance with the rest of the story-line and the group of men that we get to meet in this first book was so interest ...more
By Sarah July 09, 2013
SEAL of Honor is the first book in Tonya Burrow's new romantic suspense series focusing on a private hostage negotiation and rescue team called HORNET. They are a newly formed team of ex-military / special forces / police officers and this is the first case they are working together. Gabe is the man ...more
By Anipau April 21, 2013
I found about this book because of a casualty and I was dying to get my hands on it. And….. It lived up my expectations! At first, I wasn´t sure about what to expect, but once I started reading it had everything I hoped for. A lot of danger, suspense and romance!
First of all, you get to meet all th ...more
By Nicci ☞ Hell Raisin Sugar ☜ May 25, 2013
LCDR Gabriel Bristow finds himself at a crossroads when his Naval career is cut short by an injury. Left with a limp, chronic pain and a really bad attitude, the former SEAL is at odds with what to do with his life when he's given the opportunity to command a hostage rescue team put together by his ...more
By Kathy May 16, 2013
SEAL OF HONOR was an exciting and entertaining romantic suspense title. Gabe Bristow is a former Navy SEAL who has left the service because of severe injuries he got in a car accident. He is at loose ends and pondering his future plans. He knows he doesn't want the desk job his father, the General, ...more
Tonya wrote her first romance in 8th grade and hasn't put down her pen since. She received a B.A. in creative writing from SUNY Oswego and is working on a MFA in popular fiction at Seton Hill University. Tonya shares her life with two dogs and a ginormous cat. She's from a small town in Western New York, but she suffers from a bad case of wanderlust and usually ends up moving someplace new every few years. Luckily, her animals are all excellent travel buddies. When she's not writing, Tonya can be found at a bookstore or the dog park. She also enjoys painting, watching movies, and her daily barre workouts.
When a stalker's threats escalate to attempted murder, Jude Wilde is hired to protect assistant district attorney Libby Pruitt, the woman he once loved...and left...
Former homicide detective Camden Wilde has always been in love with his ex-partner, Eva Cardoso. Not that it matters. She's shoved him into the friend zone long ago. Cam may be sex personified, but he's the only man Eva can trust...
With a major contract on the line for Wilde Security, Reece Wilde can't afford any mistakes...like getting caught in a red-hot, X-rated moment with wild child Shelby Bremer, who's more trouble than he can handle. Now he's being blackmailed...
Afraid her past is about to catch up to her, Lark Warren goes deep into hiding using a stolen identity. Unfortunately, all it takes is the wrong set of eyes to blow her cover. Enter Vaughn Wilde——the man she let herself get too close to...
For three years, ballet teacher Natalie Taggart has lived across the hall from grumpy, reclusive, sexy Greer Wilde. Save for a handful of hellos and the occasional heated glance, they never spoke to each other......
It was only supposed to be a training mission. But when HORNET's hotel is taken hostage with half of the team inside, Jesse and the sexy new female recruit are their only hope of escaping alive…...
In an effort to leave my past behind me, I've hacked my way into a spot in a hostage rescue team's training program. The complication? Harvard, my ideal man and my instructor. But my past isn't letting me off that easily. A series of freak accidents—deadly...
Cuban-American TV reporter Rebecca Menendez plays by the rules. When she's kidnapped by a fierce and intensely handsome man who needs her help, however, all of those rules seem pointless. With his sister's life and freedom in jeopardy, Antonio Vega isn't taking...
True love has arrived along with Rhiannon's powers, but Ryland's a realist. He can't explain the instant connection they have, but Rhiannon's explanation challenges everything he believes. ...
Tony Simons is on the trail of an art theft cold case. He's hoping that by sticking close to Heather James—the daughter of his deceased prime suspect—he'll find the answers he needs. Instead, he's finding himself distracted by a gorgeous woman who drives him...
Despite their youthful love, Lady Fieldhurst avoids Lord Armbruster, because if he gets too close, the secret she's kept for seventeen years will destroy everyone she loves....
Declan James has been Brockton Point's most ineligible bachelor––happy with his short-term relationships and focusing on his business. But now that his closest friends have found their happily-ever-afters, he can't help but wonder what that might be......
There's never an end to the crazy when you're demon spawn. Not that Faith Bettincourt's complaining. She's patching things up with her angelic on-again off-again boyfriend, Matt, and saving kids from Death in her pediatric unit, one soul at a time. But when...
Small-town-girl Cassidy Jones is a fast-driving, sharp-shooting, man-loving cop with a loud laugh. She's also really good at her job. When a local mobster is murdered, she goes undercover. There's just one little problem: she's falling hard for Lorenzo, the mobster's...
Former Middleweight champion and confirmed bachelor Tommy "Lightning" Sparks has lost it all: his belt, his career, and now his home. After the devastating fire, he moves in with his drama-free best friend, Julie. One encounter changes everything and Julie...
Rule breaker Emily Foster just wanted some action on her birthday. Instead she witnessed a mob hit and is whisked into witness protection, with by-the-book Special Agent Jake Ward as her chaperone. They end up deep in the Texas backwoods. The city-girl might be...
New neighbors are bad news in Samantha Harper's experience. Especially ones as suspicious and brooding as the guy who just moved in next door. So when the dangerous but sexy stranger seems to be involved in something illegal—the aspiring cop in her takes action....
Someone's murdering angels and turning the half human, half angel illorum warriors against their angelic supporters. No one's more surprised than Emma Jane Hellsbane when she's called in to find the killers. But when her own angelic mentor—and off-limits...
When Gray hides a wounded wolf from hunters, she doesn't realize he's no regular wolf. There's one way Louis can protect those he loves from hunters and his former pack, but it's risky. ...
Siren-demon hybrid bounty hunter Dagan Meyers swore he'd never settle down. Tying himself to one woman is so not his bag. Until he meets the gorgeous angel Lina, and can't think of being with anybody BUT her. The last thing Lina wants is to develop feelings for...
A Dark War is coming. And witch, hunter, and traitor Kali Richards is the key to stopping it. But she isn't what one might call skillful at spellcasting. And her latest bounty is a vampire-witch hybrid with a taste for Kali's blood, which doesn't help....
Faith Rochambeau is determined to make her biological father, Victor Telemann, pay for his crimes. She'll do whatever it takes to get a conviction, even it if means infiltrating his Fortune 500 company. She fails to plan on falling in love with her father's...
When Charlotte's boss begs her to join him at his brother's wedding so they can fix their losing NFL team, she agrees...after they fill out the necessary forms. ...
A struggling business and one act of vandalism may have brought them together, but bakery owner Chloe Nelson and professional hockey player Griffin Lange get along like chocolate and pickles. Chloe needs the famous (and famously unattached) Griffin to attract people...
Richard is the first man to see through Victoria's disguises—and infiltrate deep into her heart. Too bad his family is at the top of her list of suspects…...
If Amy can just break down the walls Rob's constructed around his heart, they could build a strong future on the foundation of their pasts....
Engaged to a murderous, intergalactic warlord, Capridocian Princess Corripraxis is running for her life and crash lands on Earth. If she can just get some help—in the form of the very attractive Earth male who just pulled up in a tow truck. ...
Valkyrie Brenna Lund doesn't know why she failed in her duty to reap Erik Harrison's soul on the battlefield. He deserves his place with the other mighty warriors in Valhalla, and if she wants to return home, she has to kill him. There are consequences......
Chasing the family honor and wealth denied him by his bastard birth, Sir Drogo abducts the beautiful Isabel with plans to use her for espionage. In the end, the two must decide—riches and revenge...or love...
She's his muse, his mate, and she's completely off-limits. He's a jerk, a recluse, and her newest assignment.Until he broke her heart, Vivianna Lopez loved Logan Reynolds.Now five years later, she's an aspiring journalist armed with a backstage pass. He's...
Barbara doesn't know if her heart can take being broken again, but how can she not take a risk on the man she still loves, the man doing everything to save their son? ...
Copyright © 2013 by Tonya Burrows. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce, distribute, or transmit in any form or by any means. For information regarding subsidiary rights, please contact the Publisher.
God help him if he didn't make it to the airport by seven.
Bryson Van Amee checked his watch for the fourth time in as many minutes and frowned. Armando, his usual driver, was as prompt and reliable as the sunrise, and just as cheerful, which was why Bryson—who was not a morning person—always requested him.
Of all the days for him to be late.
Bryson tamped down a hot surge of fear-laced irritation. He had to meet his incoming cargo in Barranquilla and make a three p.m. appointment in Cartagena, and he did not want to piss off this particular client. Just thinking about it made him sweat. Yes, he should have known better than to dip his toes into the murky pool of the gray market, but with that first not-quite-legal gun shipment, he had jumped in with both feet. Now, as he sank into the deep abyss of the black market, where all manner of nasty predators lurked, he couldn't find a life vest. No wonder his heart had been acting up over the past several months.
He tapped his foot, checked his watch again, checked the street. A skinny tabby cat perched on the edge of a dumpster in the alley behind him, but there was no other soul around. Even the vendor that sold handmade knickknacks, who always set up his rollaway shop on the low stone wall across the street, hadn't made it out yet.
Bryson normally enjoyed that Colombian attitude of I'll get there when I get there. No mad dashes through morning traffic with a Starbucks cup sloshing mocha frappe crap all over his Porsche. For a man used to the impatient get-up-and-go of American cities, visiting the laid-back country of Colombia was always a nice change of pace.
Except when his driver was running late.
Another quick check of the watch, street, watch. Twenty minutes late. Damn, he should have bought Armando a cell phone last time he was in town. At least then, he would have been able to call and find out what the holdup was.
He reached into his pocket for his own phone. He hated to report Armando to the limo company when the man had been so good to him, but he needed another car. Now.
Just as he swiped away the photo of his wife and kids on the iPhone's screen, the phone rang and his sister's grinning face popped up on the display. Audrey.
He considered ignoring her call—but, God, what if she'd gotten herself into a mess again? He thumbed the answer button and her face filled the screen. Make-up free, her golden brown hair pulled back in a sloppy ponytail, she looked so much younger than her twenty-seven years.
"Hi, Brys," she said with a bright smile. She'd always been a disgustingly chipper morning person, even as a baby.
"Something wrong, sweetie?" he asked. "Are you okay? Do you need more money?"
"I'm fine." She rolled her eyes and raised a coffee mug to her mouth.
God, coffee. He'd forgotten to grab a cup in his rush to get out the door and his mouth watered for a taste.
"And I've told you a thousand times," Audrey added after taking a sip, "I don't need or want your money."
The hell she didn't need it. "You can't tell me you're making enough doing caricature sketches for tourists."
"Uh, well, no. I'm not doing caricatures anymore."
Bryson suppressed the groan rumbling inside his chest, took off his square-framed glasses, and rubbed his eyes. He loved his baby sister, he truly did, but dealing with her was tiring and not what he needed this early in the morning when he was stressing out about the missing—
Ah, there it is.
The shiny black limo rounded the corner at the top of the street and cruised to a stop in front of his apartment complex. Instead of short, balding Armando, a tall dark-haired man got out of the driver's seat.
"Señor Van Amee?"
"Just a minute, Audrey," he said before addressing the driver in Spanish, "What happened to Armando?"
"His son is very sick and had to go to the hospital. I apologize for the delay. It took some time to find a replacement," the driver answered, hustled around the car, and opened the back door. He wasn't dressed in a suit, but Armando didn't always wear one either. "I am Jacinto. I'll get you to the airport in no time."
The hairs on the back of his neck prickled. He'd used this limo company for years now and had never seen Jacinto before. "Are you new?"
"Just started, Señor."
Bryson shifted on his feet, checked his watch again. The idea of using a driver he hadn't screened made him itch but, dammit, what other choice did he have? Barring any morning traffic or an incident at the airport, he should still make both his appointments on time if he left right this very second.
He climbed into the limo.
"Audrey, you still there?" Bryson asked as the driver slid behind the wheel and put up the privacy partition. A moment later, the limo started with a purr and pulled away from the curb.
So maybe Jacinto would do just fine as a replacement. Professional, friendly, and discreet—all excellent qualities in a driver. If his background check came up clean, it wouldn't hurt to keep him in mind for the future in case another emergency cropped up with Armando's family.
Bryson made a mental note to find out which hospital Armando's son was at and send a get well gift. Or money if the family needed it.
"I'm here," Audrey said and reappeared on the screen. "Ran for a coffee refill. Are you busy?"
"On my way to a meeting."
"I won't keep you then. I just wanted to make sure you remembered my opening next weekend at Museo de Arte Contemporaneo. You said you'd come."
Uh-oh. Her art show in San José, Costa Rica. He'd forgotten all about it. He checked the schedule on his phone. Could possibly move a couple meetings around, but that would take a lot of shuffling just to indulge her and her silly hobbies. "I'm sorry, Audrey, but—"
She set her coffee mug on the table in front of her with a hard thunk. "Brys, you promised!"
"Sweetie, I have some very important business deals happening that weekend, none of which I can shove back, and I have to be in L.A. on Sunday morning for…" He shook his head as his train of thought slid away. What was he saying?
Audrey. Paintings. Work.
It was an old argument, one he could have while gagged and blindfolded, and he settled on one of his pat responses since his mind was suddenly, strangely blurry. "If you want to stay in that condo, I need to work and that means meetings."
"Well, guess what?"
No, he really didn't want to guess. She had that petulant look on her face—drawn brows, a poked out lower lip. The same look that had gotten her anything she wanted as a child. The one that told him he would not like the next words out of her mouth.
"I don't live in the condo. Never did. I sold it the week after you left and gave the money to a charity. I gave your accountant the receipt for your taxes."
"You what?" Oh God, then where was she living? Hopefully not in another beach shack with no indoor plumbing. His parents would roll over in their graves if they knew their precious baby girl enjoyed living one minuscule step up above a homeless person.
"I told you I didn't want it in the first place," she continued. "I was happy in Quepos. I was happy in my little hut. Don't you get that?"
"No, I—" His vision blurred. He blinked a couple times and when that didn't clear away the fuzziness, he pressed his fingers into his eyelids. Boy, was he tired. All of his time zone hopping was catching up to him. Maybe he should ask Jacinto to stop somewhere for a cup of hot, bold Colombian coffee.
On second thought, if he drank some, he wouldn't be able to sleep on the short plane ride to Barranquilla. A nap hadn't been in his original plan—he intended to review contracts on the plane like he always did—but with the way he felt now, a nap was probably the best idea. Last thing he needed was to be sluggish around the people he was meeting this afternoon.
"Are you even listening to me?" Audrey said, and he blinked her blurry face into focus. Had—had she been talking? He opened his mouth to answer, but his tongue wouldn't wrap itself around her name.
Something was wrong. He tried again and only managed to croak out, "Aw-ree."
"Bryson?" Her tone sharpened with worry, but he could no longer make out her features on the little screen. "Are you okay?"
No. No, he was not okay, but when he tried to tell her, the words slurred off his lips and barely made sense to his own ears. Was he having a stroke? He was only forty-three, but it wasn't unheard of. Or an aneurysm? His head pounded and the inside of the limo spun around him. He'd had that scare last summer, a mini heart attack, and his doctors had warned him to slow it down a little. They said if a clot broke off, it could travel to his brain and—
Oh, Christ.
"Bryson!"
"Aw-ree," he gasped and fumbled the phone in hands that felt as clumsy as catchers' mitts. It landed hard on the floor. He scrambled after it, clutched it like a lifeline. "Eh nee…elp."
Jacinto. He had to get the driver's attention.
Gasping, dizzy, Bryson crawled across the soft leather seat and pounded a weak fist on the partition. The tinted window slid down, and at first, he thought he was hallucinating. Huge bug eyes stared back at him. Some sort of insect now drove the car and—no, not an insect. Jacinto was wearing a gas mask.
He collapsed face-first on the seat and turned his head to the side, staring through hazy eyes at the mini fridge across the car. He reached out a hand. Maybe there was something in there… Something he could use to break out the window… Something…
"Tranquilo," Jacinto said, his voice warped by the mask, but still as friendly as ever. Like he was talking about a fútbol game. Or the traffic. Or the weather. "Let it happen, Señor Van Amee. Go to sleep now. I won't hurt you. You're worth too much money."
DOMINICAL, COSTA RICA
Audrey watched her computer screen in horror as her brother's face went slack and his eyelids fluttered closed. The phone slipped out of his hand and sent her on a jarring ride to the floor of a limo. Or what she assumed to be a limo. She leaned closer to the screen, saw a curved ceiling, part of a black seat, and the toe of Bryson's Italian loafer.
"Brys?"
Scrambling. A thump. The picture wobbled and she caught disjoined glimpses of his face, a mini-fridge, the seat, his face again.
"Aw-ree, eh nee…elp"
Her heart thundered blood through her ears and she barely heard his mumbled whisper. She leaned closer. "What? What's wrong?"
His face slipped away and the picture tumbled into another jerky freefall. White shirt sleeve. Gold watch. White shirt sleeve. He must be crawling across the seat, still hanging onto the phone. And then—
Audrey leapt to her feet, her coffee splashing out of its mug, her chair crashing backward. Vaguely, she registered it knocking into her easel across the kitchen, heard the half-finished painting she'd been working on last night crash to the floor. But she didn't give a damn. Her whole world centered on the computer screen, where a tinted partition slid down and a man in a gas mask told her brother that he was worth too much money.
The screen blanked.
No. Audrey shook her head in denial and turned around in a slow circle. Her kitchen, with its eclectic mix of art and cooking supplies, looked exactly the same as it had when she woke up an hour ago. The coffee pot hissed as the last of the new pot brewed. Her dolphin-shaped cookie jar, which chirped like the dolphins that hung out by her dock when opened, grinned at her from the countertop. Sheet-wrapped paintings waited propped against the wall for their upcoming trip to San José.
All the same. And yet, she must have just stepped into a Twilight Zone episode.
She refocused on the computer screen. Skype had ended the call and now rested on her homepage with her list of contacts. Bryson's name sat at the top of the list.
She straightened her chair, sat down, and tried to call him. The ringtone buzzed. And buzzed. And buzzed.
No answer. Would she like to retry the call?
She blinked back the tears burning her eyes and jabbed yes.
Gabe Bristow never thought he'd live to see his own retirement party. Never thought he'd have a retirement party if he did live that long, but this black tie soiree was so typical of his mother. If Catherine Bristow couldn't find an excuse to entertain, she made one up. Wedding? Throw a party. Funeral? Throw a party. Global disaster? Throw a party in the bomb shelter. Personal disaster? Throw a party and invite the who's who of D.C. politics.
This forced medical retirement definitely qualified as a personal disaster in Gabe's book, so of course, every Tom, Dick, and Jane on Capitol Hill were arriving downstairs in their best monkey suits and gowns.
Standing in front of a mirror in his boyhood bedroom, Gabe straightened his cuffs and then just stared at his reflection. Man, he always figured the next time he wore all of his medals, he'd be in a casket wrapped in an American flag. He'd have preferred it that way. This whole retirement thing felt wrong on so many different levels.
"Oooh, bro, lookin' good. I do love a man in uniform."
Gabe lifted his gaze to see Rafael, his youngest brother, propped in the doorway, wearing a hot pink vest over a black shirt, black trousers with a pink satin stripe down the outer seams, and a pink and white striped tie. He carried a black wool jacket over his shoulder and wore a pair of dark shades against the afternoon sunshine. One bright pink highlight streaked his dark hair over his left eye.
Their parents would have a conniption when they saw Raffi today. God love him.
"You're trying to give the Admiral a heart attack, aren't you?"
Raffi waggled his brows. "That's the idea. Why else do you think I act so fabulous when he's around?" He stepped into the room and performed a quick turn, topped off with a fanciful flourish of his arms. "Like?"
"No, it looks ridiculous. And you're not doing yourself any favors by perpetuating this"—Gabe waved a hand to indicate the pink monstrosity of a tux—"stereotype whenever you come home."
"But it's so much fun to see that vein throb next to Dad's eye."
"Raf, c'mon, man. Drop the act. I know exactly how much his prejudice hurts you, and beating him over the head with a rainbow stick every time you see him won't make it any easier for him to accept you."
"I don't want that man's acceptance." His tone said he'd rather lick a platoon of combat boots clean than admit he needed anything from the Admiral. He pointed an accusing finger. "And neither should you."
"Stubborn," Gabe muttered.
"Hard ass." Raffi plopped down on the edge of the bed with a long-suffering sigh. "Dad raised his little sailor so well. It's sad."
"Hey, I like—" No. Past tense. He had to use past tense now. Gabe paused, drew a breath, and corrected himself, "Liked being on the teams."
"Okay, you liked it. Though God knows why anyone would like being a SEAL." Raffi propped his chin in his hand and lifted his brows in question. "So…you're going into private soldiering, then?"
"Soldiering? Are you trying to insult me?"
"Soldiering, or sailor…ing?" He waved a hand. "You know what I mean. Are you going into the private sector?"
Gabe stifled a groan. This again. He'd already told his best friend and former SEAL teammate, Travis Quinn, that he was not going merc. Several times. In fact, just about every day since the car accident that ended both of their careers last year. "Lemme guess. Quinn talked to you."
"Mm-hmm. A minute ago, downstairs. And let me just say, it's a damn shame that guy's straight."
This time Gabe did groan. "Raffi, man, I love you, but please don't talk about my friends like that. It puts pictures in my head and weirds me out."
"That's why I do it." He grinned. "Anyway, for some reason, Quinn thought I'd be able to talk some sense into you. As if anyone can talk ol' Stonewall Bristow into doing something he doesn't want to do."
If anyone could, it would be Raffi. Gabe respected his youngest brother more than any other man on the planet, and Quinn knew it. That sly bastard.
"For the record," Raffi added and rested his chin on his laced fingers, "I think it's a great idea. Way better than Dad's plans for you."
True. The job the Admiral had lined up for him at the Pentagon was—God, he didn't even know what to call it. "Boring" came to mind. So did "mindless."
"Gabe, can I ask you something?" Raffi said after a moment of silence.
"No, but that's never stopped you before." Resigned to the lecture he knew he was about to get, Gabe limped over to where his jacket lay on the bed, light glinting off his rows of medals. It always surprised him how many he had. He just did his job and never much cared about the number before—but, man, now he'd never get another one. And how fucking depressing was that?
"Well, I'm curious," Raffi said. "Did you turn Quinn down because you really don't want to go private, or because it would put you on level with Darth Vader in Dad's eyes?"
Inwardly, Gabe faltered, his heart doing a little two-step even though his hands stayed calm, his face schooled into an expressionless mask. "I don't see why it matters. I'm not going into the private sector. End of story."
"It does matter. Big time." Raffi watched him with a rare serious look in his eyes. "That's it, isn't it? Look, Gabe, if you're holding yourself back because of the Admiral's narrow-minded views—well, we both know how I feel about that. Tell him to go fuck himself sideways with a spoon, then do what makes you happy. And you, brother dear, are only happy if you're out in some godforsaken wasteland of a country, risking life and limb, saving the world. Go work with Quinn."
"At least think about it? For me?"
"Fine." He was so going to find Quinn and throttle him for dragging Raffi into this. "I'll think about it, okay?"
It took several hours of elbow rubbing with political so-and-sos before Gabe finally tracked Quinn down in the crowd. He stood in the most shadowed corner of the room, naturally, stiff in his dress whites, eyeing the horde of D.C.'s most powerful as if he expected an attack at any moment.
Not a surprise.
Quinn had earned the nickname "Achilles" during BUD/S training. A warrior to his marrow, all but indestructible since nobody had found his heel yet. His only concession that this was a party and not an op was the slender flute of champagne he held.
Gabe stalked toward him.
"This place is a terrorist attack waiting to happen," Quinn muttered and lifted his glass in a salute to the room.
Yeah, it was, and securing the damn mansion had been a nightmare, but that was beside the point. "Seriously, Q, you're a rank bastard for siccing Raffi on me."
His lips twitched. "Did it work?"
Gabe thought about the glittering crowd he'd been forced to schmooze with all afternoon and held back a wince. Did he really want the rest of his life to consist of politics and state dinners? Because if he lived in D.C. fulltime, the Admiral would guilt-trip him into attending. More importantly, did he really want to live under his father's thumb again? Oh no. Make that, oh hell no.
"Yeah," he admitted. "It worked."
"But answer me something first. Why don't you want to command this private team by yourself?"
"You know me." He took a long swallow of champagne. "Would rather take orders than issue them."
"Since always. You have command in your blood. Me, I'm just one of the rank and file."
"Incoming." Quinn eyed the Admiral, who had spotted them and was making a beeline for their position. For some reason, the Admiral had never liked Quinn, pictured him as a bad influence even though he was the most squared-away guy Gabe knew.
"Better get back to the party before Admiral Stick-up-the-Ass blows a gasket," Quinn said. "Meet me outside in twenty. If you're serious, there's someone here I want you to meet. Oh, and you can remember to thank me for saving your sorry ass from a desk job anytime now."
He wasn't joking.
Gabe snorted in response. "You really are a bastard." He waited until Quinn lifted his glass to his lips before adding, "But Raffi thinks you're hot."
As he walked away, he had the great pleasure of watching the unflappable Achilles choke on his champagne.
Gabe slipped outside twenty minutes later, found Quinn and another tuxedo-clad man on the terrace overlooking the garden. Well, if it wasn't Tucker Quentin. A businessman with sights on a senate seat, Gabe recognized Tucker from other political shindigs around Washington, but had never spoken to him before.
"Ah, the man of the hour. Lieutenant Commander Bristow," Tucker said as Gabe hobbled toward them. His foot hurt like hell, but he'd left his damn cane inside somewhere.
"Gabe," he corrected. "I'm not in the Navy anymore."
"Don't give me that load." Tucker flashed a smile worthy of his Hollywood roots. "We get out, but we never leave. I've been gone from the Rangers for ten years, but my men still call me L.T." He held out a hand. "Tuc Quentin."
Gabe ignored it. "I know. So you're the guy that put the idea of a private hostage rescue team in Quinn's head."
"No," Quinn said. "I heard Tuc was thinking of putting one together and approached him about funding us."
Tuc nodded. "On paper, you'll be employees of Quentin Enterprises, specifically HumInt Consulting, Inc., but save for a quarterly expense report and the occasional contract I'll throw your way, I plan to have nothing more to do with your team. If you come to me for advice, of course I'll be glad to give it, but otherwise it's yours to run as you see fit."
"Why?" Gabe asked.
"I already have several teams working for HumInt, plus a multi-billion dollar empire to run." His lips twisted. "I think I'm quite busy enough."
"No, I mean why are you doing this? People don't hand out free money and expect nothing in return." Especially not savvy businessmen, but Gabe couldn't figure out Tucker Quentin's angle.
Tuc leaned his forearms on the balustrade and studied the garden in the courtyard. "That garden's amazing."
"What are you getting out of this?" Gabe repeated.
"Quinn's right. You're tenacious as hell. Perfect for this job."
Yeah, right. Gabe bit back the automatic response. If that were true, if he was perfect for any command position, the Navy wouldn't have tossed him and his bum foot to the curb. He shifted his weight, suddenly very aware of the pain.
"Why?" Gabe asked again. Meaning, why me? But he'd be damned before putting a voice to that insecurity.
Tuc twirled the stem of his champagne glass between his fingers. "The brother of one of my men was taken hostage recently and we were unprepared to handle it. I don't want that happening again. I'm a big believer in being prepared, and you have an admirable reputation in the spec ops community. I only ask that if I contract you for a job, it's given top priority. You of all people must understand how important my men are to me. They're family."
Gabe briefly met Quinn's stare and then nodded once. He understood, all right, and his respect for Tuc ratcheted up a notch. "Should the occasion call for it, you and your men will have top priority."
"Thank you. So." Tuc finished his champagne in one swallow and pushed away from the balustrade. "Quinn tells me you have a team lined up from the dossiers I gave him."
Gabe honestly didn't know and looked at Quinn, who nodded and said, "We had six men submit resumes."
"Their qualifications?" Gabe asked.
"Couple ex-CIA spooks, an FBI negotiator, a Delta Force medic, an explosives tech…" His eyes slid away for the barest instant before he continued. "And a Marine sniper. They're all experts in their fields—"
"Whoa, wait." Gabe held up a hand. "What sniper?" He got nothing but a whole lot of stubborn silence in response and shook his head in disbelief. "Goddamn. You're talking about Seth Harlan, aren't you? The same Seth Harlan that—"
"I recommended him for a position. He's an excellent sniper," Quinn said with an expression on his face that dared Gabe to argue. Well, he'd take that dare.
"Q, are you out of your fucking mind? Harlan's unstable."
"He's better now."
"Good for him." When Quinn just gave him a long stare, the kind that always made him feel like a complete ass, he added, "Listen, I give the kid credit for surviving what he did, I do. And I know you have a soft spot for him, but he's traumatized. Who wouldn't be? I don't want that kind of baggage weighing down my team. Think about it. What if he has a psychotic break in the middle of an op?"
Quinn held his gaze a moment longer, then swore softly. "Yeah, you're right. I know you're right, but—shit. All right. Harlan's out." He turned back to Tuc. "The only man I haven't been able to reach yet is the linguist, Jean-Luc Cavalier. Apparently he lives in the middle of the bayou and has spotty cell service."
"If you want him, you'd better find a way to get in touch," Tuc said. "Because I already have a job for you. I was recently contacted by Zoeller and Zoeller Insurance Company, on behalf of Bryson Van Amee. Have you heard of him?"
Gabe had. "He's in imports and exports and does a lot of subcontracting for the military."
"That's right. Bryson was taken hostage this morning in Bogotá during a business trip. The FBI fears one of the guerilla groups may be responsible."
Gabe nodded. Wealthy American businessman plus Colombian paramilitary—yeah, the math added up, and the sum didn't look good for Bryson Van Amee.
"The FBI is working with his wife, Chloe," Tuc continued, "but Zoeller and Zoeller wants to free him before a ransom is paid, or else they'll be liable for a hefty kidnap and ransom insurance payout."
"Does the FBI know what Zoeller's doing?" Gabe asked.
Tuc gave a thin smile. "What do you think?"
That'd be a big negative. Okay, he wasn't all that crazy about working against the FBI—well, maybe "against" was too harsh a word, since they all wanted the same results. Still. It somehow seemed a betrayal of his former career.
"I understand your hesitation," Tuc said after the silence stretched too long on his end. "Believe me, I do. I had some bad moments when I went private. But I'd also like to point out that the FBI hasn't sent a team in after him and isn't planning to. They're hoping to simply talk his abductors down or, if all else fails, pay the ransom. He's not important enough to them. Even with his government contracts, he's a small fish in the grand scheme of things, and Uncle Sam could care less about what happens to him. But that man's damn important to his wife and kids, his sister, his company—and you're his best chance at survival."
Gabe considered it. He had two choices. Go wheels up, sneak in under the FBI's nose, and bring Bryson Van Amee home to his family, or gimp back to his boring new job at the Pentagon, where he would forever be under the Admiral's thumb. Yeah. When put that way, there was really only one choice.
"Q, we have to get mobilization orders to the men," Gabe said, his mind already working through the logistics. He checked his watch. "Tell them to be ready at—wait, do you have a plane for us?" he asked Tuc.
"Fueled and ready to go. You'll also have helos and a HumInt pilot at your disposal here and in-country."
"Perfect. We'll need one to dig Cavalier out of his hole in the bayou."
Tuc snorted. "Good luck with that."
"Tell the men to be at their local airport for a 0400 pickup," Gabe said to Quinn. "I'll swing by Louisiana and grab Cavalier, then meet you at…" He trailed off.
"I have a private airstrip about forty miles outside New Orleans," Tuc suggested. "My pilots all know where it is."
"That works. Thanks. We'll come up with a plan of attack once everyone is together and we have more intel, but we need to get moving."
"On it," Quinn said, already dialing. He tucked the cell phone between his shoulder and ear as he strode toward the relative privacy at the other side of the balcony. "Hey, Marcus, it's Quinn…"
Tuc turned toward Gabe and held out a hand. "I'll have all the information you need before you leave. Welcome to HumInt Consulting, Bristow."
Gabe shook the offered hand. And tried to tell himself he hadn't made a pact with the devil.
Jean-Luc Cavalier was drunk.
And naked, buried underneath a pile of equally drunk and naked women. Three women to be exact.
None of them moved when Gabe knocked on the wood doorframe of Cavalier's shack, so he let himself in through the screen door.
"Cavalier." Gabe nudged the guy's head with his boot.
Jean-Luc mumbled something in French and palmed one woman's ass, gave it a squeeze, then drifted back to sleep with a smile.
Jesus Christ. This is what his life had come to? Scraping a drunk linguist off the floor so that he had enough men for an op? He never would have found one of his SEAL teammates like this if they were waiting for a call to go wheels up.
Gabe sighed, picked a half-empty bottle of wine off the end table, and dumped the contents over Jean-Luc's face.
"Huh? Wha—?" Jean-Luc sputtered and blinked up at Gabe. "Merde!" He scrambled to his feet and cussed in a lively string of Cajun French. His shoulder-length blond hair looked as if someone had styled it with a handheld mixer. "I didn't know she was married. I swear. She didn't have a ring."
"Which one?" Gabe asked, eyeing the women as they stirred to life. Girls Gone Wild, the morning after. Not pretty.
"Any of them!"
Gabe had to clear his throat to hide a laugh. "I'm nobody's husband. I'm your new boss, Gabe Bristow."
"Oh." He looked confused at that and ran a hand over his face. Then, "Ohh. HORNET."
"HORNET?"
"I thought all you military types like acronyms." He rooted around through a heap of discarded clothing, tossed some to the women, and pulled on a pair of khaki shorts. "HumInt Inc.'s Hostage Rescue and Negotiation Team is a mouthful, so I shortened it. HORNET."
Leave it to the linguist to come up with something like that. "We have a job in Colombia. That is, if you're still interested."
"Fuck, yeah. I've been bored mindless."
"Looks it," Gabe said.
The plane arrived at the private airfield fifteen minutes past 0800. Thank God. If Gabe had to listen to another of Jean-Luc's tone-deaf renditions of whatever song came over the radio, he might just draw his firearm and shoot the man.
It was a big plane. Bigger than Gabe had expected, and each of the five men already aboard had claimed a row of the plush seats for himself. The former FBI agent, Marcus Deangelo, dozed in the second row, a plaid fedora pulled down over his face, his legs crossed at the ankle, blocking the aisle. Jean-Luc reached over the seat and flipped the fedora off his head.
"Hey!" Marcus snatched his fedora back, blinking against the light. "Asshole. I should—whoa, it's the Ragin' Cajun." He laughed as he sat up and slapped Jean-Luc a high five. "Dude, you smell like a wine cellar."
"Better than a Calvin Klein cologne ad." Jean-Luc grinned and plopped into an empty seat in the fourth row beside Eric Physick. "Harvard! Where y'at? How's post-Company life treatin' ya?"
Former CIA analyst Eric "Harvard" Physick chuckled and set aside the crossword puzzle he'd been working on. "I should have figured you'd sign on for this. I'm fine. How about you? Learn any new languages lately?"
Jean-Luc answered in a musical string of words. Harvard tilted his head to one side, listening. "Is that… Yucatec Maya?"
"That it is. I said 'you bet your ass, I have.'"
"Fluent?" Harvard asked.
"Pretty damn close."
"That's what, thirteen now? You've been busy."
"You have no idea. Let me tell y'all about the night I had."
Within minutes, Jean-Luc had everyone on the plane laughing at his night of adventure with the three women. The jet coasted toward the runway and the seatbelt light came on with a ding.
Gabe sat next to Quinn in the front row. "So, what do you think?"
Laughter exploded behind them. Quinn shook his head, but didn't look up from reading the file on his lap. "It's going to be interesting. To say the least."
"That the intel Tuc sent?"
"Yes." He handed it over as the plane picked up speed and pushed them back in their seats. "Bryson Van Amee is worth around a quarter of a billion dollars."
"Has a ransom demand been issued yet?" Gabe asked.
"About an hour ago, according to Tuc's sources. Sixty-two point five million."
"That's pretty damn high for one guy."
"No. What it is, is damn specific. In fact…" Quinn slid a calculator from the bag at his feet and punched in some numbers. "It's exactly a quarter of Van Amee's worth."
And, Gabe noted, the maximum amount Van Amee's kidnap and ransom insurance would cover. "That can't be a coincidence."
"So what are we dealing with?" Quinn asked. "Tangos who do their homework?"
"Too soon to tell." The plane leveled out and a moment later, the seatbelt light went off. "Suppose it's time to brief the troops."
Quinn grunted. "If you can call them that."
Gabe stood and braced his hands on the backs of the seats on either side of the aisle. Pain spiked through his foot, but he'd be damned if he relied on his cane. Last thing he needed was to show any sign of weakness in front of this ragtag group.
He waited a moment. When nobody quieted down, he put his fingers to his mouth and gave a sharp whistle that echoed around the plane's interior in the silent aftermath.
"Gentlemen, listen up. I'd like to introduce myself before we get started. My name's Gabe Bristow. You've all been dealing with Quinn, my XO, but from now on, you'll answer to me."
"Do you expect us to salute?" Ian Reinhardt asked. His motorcycle jacket creaked as he raised an arm and gave a cheeky two-finger salute. "Sir."
So this was the explosive ordnance expert. After reading everyone's dossiers on the way to New Orleans, he'd known Ian might be a problem. The guy was bad attitude personified. "No, I don't expect that. However, showing some respect for a fellow teammate wouldn't hurt."
"Bite me," Ian said.
Oh, yeah. This was going to be fun. "Do I look like a fucking vampire, Reinhardt? And if you have a problem with my leadership…" He turned, walked to a closet at the front of the plane, grabbed one of the parachutes he'd asked Quinn to pack, and tossed it to Ian. "Strap in. The door's right there. Go find yourself a new job."
Ian caught the chute and his dark eyes locked on Gabe's in a game of chicken for a long moment. Then he flashed a smile that held just an edge of malice and tossed the chute back. "Nah, I don't have a problem with you, Bristow. I like your style. We'll get along fine."
"Let's hope, because I have no use for disrespectful assholes on my team. Those guys get their teammates killed, and I want everyone here to go home to their families when this is over. You clear on that?"
Ian grunted something that may have been an agreement. Or, more likely, a fuck you.
Gabe decided he'd have to chat with Reinhardt about his attitude at some point in the next few hours.
He took a moment to replace the parachute in the closet, then returned to his spot in front of his men.
"Our objective is to find and rescue this man, Bryson Van Amee, before any ransom money is paid." He opened the folder Quinn handed him and held up the businessman's photo. "He's forty-three years old, five-eleven, one-eighty, with thinning brown hair, brown eyes. He co-founded The Bryda Corporation twelve years ago with his college roommate, has been married to his wife, Chloe, for five years, and is the father of two young boys, Ashton, five, and Grayson, three. His parents are deceased, so he also provides for his younger sister, Audrey, twenty-seven, a struggling artist."
"In an ideal situation," Quinn said and passed around copies of the file, "we'd have trained together for a couple months before taking on our first mission, but we don't have that luxury. Most of you have been on this type of op before, so we're confident we can pull together and bring Bryson home to his wife and kids."
"This is truly a trial-by-fire, gentlemen," Gabe agreed. "We fail and this man will at best live the next few years of his life in some Colombian jungle shithole. At worst, he dies. Neither of those outcomes is acceptable." He gave them a moment, letting the grim reality of this mission settle into their minds. The lighthearted mood dissipated as everyone got their game faces on. "I expect you to know the information in this file inside and out by the time we land."
"Has there been a ransom demand yet?" Marcus Deangelo asked.
"Sixty million and some change," Quinn said. "It's all there in the file."
"Who's taking responsibility?" Harvard asked.
"A new terrorist faction calling themselves Ejército del Pueblo de Colombia, the People's Army of Colombia, or EPC," Gabe said. "All we know about them is that they broke off from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia about six months ago and have been on a terror campaign ever since.
"That's where Harvard comes in." He turned toward Eric Physick, who had a rep as one of the best analysts ever to work for the CIA. A genius with more brain than brawn—something Gabe would have to fix if the kid wanted a chance of staying on this team. "We need you to gather as much intel as possible on the EPC. Who, what, where, how—get me everything available. We're working against the clock. The FBI will only be able to stall the ransom drop for so long and I don't want to go up against these guys blind."
Harvard nodded, picked up his laptop case, and unzipped it. "You'll know the basics by the time we get to Colombia. The rest will take me a little longer."
"Thanks." Gabe refocused on the rest of the men. "Okay, so here's how the team's going to work. Harvard will control base camp and all the comms, including all contact with the hostage takers, should it come to that. Harvard, make a list of everything you might need and you'll have it when we land."
The kid nodded, but didn't look up from his computer.
"Jesse Warrick will function as our medic. Anyone gets hurt, we defer to him. If you need anything, Jesse, let either Quinn or me know and we'll get it for you."
Jesse tipped the brim of his Stetson back with one knuckle and patted the bulging bag on the seat next to him. "I travel with my own supplies, thanks," he drawled. "But I do want access to medical records and everyone needs to have a physical exam in the next twenty-four hours so I have a baseline reading should one of ya get hurt."
"Done." Gabe studied the group. "We'll rely on Jean-Luc as our translator. Anyone else fluent in Spanish?"
"Mine's passable," Jesse answered.
"All I remember from Spanish class is un burro sabe mas que tu," Marcus said and Jean-Luc snorted a laugh.
"'A donkey knows more than you?' Nice, Marcus. If we need to insult the EPC into submission, we'll know who to call."
"All right, gentlemen," Gabe said. "Enough joking around. We have a little over four hours until we land. Read up and catch whatever sleep you can, because once we're on the ground, we're on the move."