Special Forces: Operation Alpha: Saving Sarah (Kindle Worlds Novella) (New Orleans Connection Series Book 7) Read Online Free Page A

the sound of Wolf's voice.  The sounds in the background faded into white noise as he fought to bury the memories trying to trigger things he didn't want to think about.  Hell, he could almost feel the intense heat on the back of his neck as the burning sun blistered his skin.  Smell the fetid stench of the shelled-out hovel where his teammates lay in bloody heaps on the dirt floor.  Hear the flies buzzing around their motionless bodies. 
    "Ranger, you still with me?"  Wolf's voice was raised, like he'd been shouting.  Damn, he'd zoned out—again. 
    "I'm here." 
    "I know you'll watch over Sarah.  She needs you, bro.  Not sure how long I'll be incommunicado, but the minute I'm back, I'll head for New Orleans." 
    Ranger took a deep breath, and pushed past the memory trying to steal his focus.  "Don't worry, Wolf.  I've got it covered.  I'll keep your gal safe." 
    Wolf laughed.  "She's not my gal.  She's a friend of Caroline's, and trust me, my wife will bust your balls if anything happens to Sarah." 
    "Ah.  Got it."  He hadn't figured Wolf the type to cheat on his woman, but then again he didn't know the man that well.  Glad to know his instincts were still good, at least about the SEAL. 
    "I've gotta run, we're outta here.  You need anything, call Tex.  I mean it, don't hesitate to call Tex.  He can track anything with those computers of his, and he's a good man to have watching your six."
    "Will do."
    The phone went dead and Ranger turned to look at Sarah, who stood beside the dresser.  "Finish your story." 
    She huffed out a small breath.  "Right.  Anna mentioned a guy.  At first she thought he was part of the group of people celebrating Spring Break.  But it seemed like every place they went, she'd spot him.  She was flattered at first, but then it started to creep her out, so she tried to take his picture with her phone."
    Ranger straightened at her words.  "She got a picture of the guy?" 
    Reaching into the back pocket of her jeans, she pulled out her cellphone.  "It won't do you much good.  He's too far back and she only got part of his face and his shoulder."  She scrolled through several pictures before she handed him the phone. 
    "Damn, you're right, there's not much to go on here."  He could make out dark sandy brown hair and a blue and green striped polo-type shirt, but the guy's features were indistinguishable.  He stood amidst a group of other men in front of a bar in the French Quarter. 
    "Wolf sent the picture to Tex, but so far he hasn't been able to get much from it." 
    "I know somebody who might be able to help with that."  Ranger knew Tex had some mad computer skills.  Among the SEAL elite, he was practically legendary.  Plus, he'd been instrumental in his team's extraction from Afghanistan.  But he personally knew Stefan Carlisle, one of the best computer guys in the free world.  Carlisle worked for Carpenter Security Services, and they'd recently relocated their corporate offices to New Orleans.  Fondly called geek boy by the company's inner circle, there wasn't anything Stefan Carlisle couldn't do with a computer, and he had tentacles throughout the dark web only a fellow hacker would understand.  He'd written the code for a facial recognition program the government was chomping at the bit to license, yet Carlisle refused to turn his baby over to the FBI or the CIA. 
    Carpenter Security had recently utilized his facial recognition program to help capture a big time arms distributor and self-professed drug lord with only one photo, because Carlisle identified the building and location where the photo was taken with no other information.  Well, okay, maybe Ms. Willie helped a bit, but that was a whole other story. 
    He'd check with Carlisle, e-mail him this pic from Sarah's phone, and put him in touch with Tex.  Let them coordinate, and together they might come up with an ID on Anna's mystery stalker.  Two computer geniuses should have no problem