Unconventional Beginnings Read online

  Unconventional Beginnings

  A Black Swan Novella 0.5

  Kalyn Cooper

  Contents

  Dear Reader,

  Acknowledgments

  About the Black Swan Series

  True Facts

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Unrelenting Love - Sneak Peek

  Unrelenting Love - Chapter 1

  Unrelenting Love - Chapter 2

  Unrelenting Love - Chapter 3

  Also by Kalyn Cooper

  About the Author

  Copyright © 2017, KaLyn Cooper.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author.

  Manufactured in the United States of America

  This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents and dialogues in this book are of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is completely coincidental.

  Cover Artist: Valerie Tibbs of Tibbs Design

  Editor: Marci Boudreaux Clark

  Dear Reader,

  Dear Readers,

  Unconventional Beginnings is the prequel to the Black Swan series. It is meant to give you a more in-depth background into Katlin Callahan and Alex Wolf (Alejandro Lobo) as well as a taste of my writing style for those who are new to my books.

  Please note that Unconventional Beginnings is meant for mature audiences as it contains explicit sex and adult language.

  Thank you for reading my books. If you have enjoyed Unconventional Beginnings, please consider telling others with a review. You may also want to read my other books, especially those in the Black Swan series. You will find a complete list and links available at the end of this book.

  Always,

  KaLyn

  I dedicate this book to every military wife who has lost her husband to war.

  Acknowledgments

  I’d like to thank my lunch bunch, authors Trista Ann Michaels, Rachel Rivers, Kimberly Grace, and Vikki Vaught who doubles as my critique partner, for naming this book. It’s perfect! A special thank you to Drue Hoffman for pushing me to write this book as a gift to all my readers. As always, I couldn’t publish a book without the wonderful editing of Marci Clark and awesome cover by Valerie Tibbs.

  About the Black Swan Series

  Rara avis in terries

  is Latin for

  “a rare bird in the lands.”

  In the ancient world, it was believed that the landing of a single black swan

  created a change that would affect the entire world.

  In today’s world, that change can be seen almost instantly…9/11 is the best example.

  True Facts

  Fact: A woman can get a man alone within hours

  ...and kill him in seconds.

  Fact: Men always underestimate beautiful women.

  Fact: In February 2013, the United States military opened combat roles to women but no woman has "officially" been trained in Special Operations.

  Fact: The military doesn’t do anything without years of successful testing first.

  1

  Marine Corps Brigadier General Ava Standish smiled as she peered through infrared night vision goggles watching her team of five women maneuver through the thick woods of Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia. She could hear every nuance of the young women’s conversation through the small headphones tuned to their channel. She was so damned proud of everything they had endured…and accomplished.

  “Twelve tangos approaching from the east along the road.” Lady Eagle’s words were clearly transmitted through tiny communication units the all-female team wore in their ears.

  “Affirmative,” Lady Hawk, the team leader for this exercise replied. “Hold position.”

  “Those stupid fuckers are walking right down the middle of the road.” Lady Harrier scoffed. “They think just because it’s the middle of the night no one can see them.”

  “Lady Falcon, do you have the team leader in your sites?” Lady Hawk asked as much as she ordered.

  “I have the asswipe who thinks he’s in charge in my cross hairs, but he’s no leader. The true leader is the man on point. You can tell he’s seen real action before,” Lady Falcon reported.

  “You got that right,” Lady Kite piped in. “He moves as though he’s aware of everything and everyone. Well, everyone except us.”

  “Keep the chatter down, ladies,” Lady Hawk warned.

  Ava grinned. The new Marine Corps officers attending The Basic School had no idea what was about to hit them. Within ten minutes, they’d all be dead. Virtually. No one actually died in these training exercises.

  Her girls were magnificent. For all intents and purposes, they were her girls. The secret test program had been Ava’s idea, and she’d easily convinced the senior female generals from all the other services to join her in creating JAFSOS, the first Joint All Female Special Operations School.

  She wished the Joint Chiefs of Staff had approved any of the names they suggested for the pilot program. No. Like all other military names, it had to be boiled down to its simplest, although individual service flourishes were permitted. MarSOS was the Marine Corps’s version of special operations school. Not to be outdone, the Navy added a few extra words to become Naval Warfare/Naval Special Operations School of which the famous BUD/S is only one segment. In an obvious attempt to show more American pride, the Air Force extended theirs to U.S. Air Force Special Operations School. Stepping up their game even more, the Army’s SpecOps training is called U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School.

  Ava shook her head at the hours spent simply naming the project. Personally, she didn’t care what it was called, just as long as women were able to compete for the highly coveted title of special operators.

  “Morning, Ava,” newly promoted Army Major General Nancy Burkhoff said as she stepped onto the elevated viewing platform in the midst of acres of the training ground.

  Right behind her came Rear Admiral Betsy Willett. “When are we going to tell her?” Anger wove through sympathy in the most senior Navy female officer’s voice.

  “We can’t afford to interrupt their training right now,” Air Force Brigadier General Janet Nichols insisted as she moved next to Ava and lifted a pair of NVGs to her eyes. The show of support was greatly appreciated. They were all in uncharted waters and every decision had a decisive impact on the future of the program.

  “We’re not going to pull her until after this exercise is completed.” Ava nodded to the equipment box. “Watch our young ladies in action. They’re about to take out the TBS team.”

  Through her comm unit, Ava heard their team on the ground.

  “Let’s do this so we can go home.” Lady Hawk ordered, “On my count.”

  The four most powerful women in the United States armed service watched as the twelve Marine officers in training were ambushed. Within minutes, their vests were flashing red, signifying their status as dead. Damn, her girls were good.

  Ava smelled his expensive cologne before she heard the Deputy Director of Operations for Homeland Security move in behind omeland Securotystep HomeHoe+H``them. Why the fuck is he here?

  “Jack.” Her single word was a welcome and question in one.

  Ava heard Nancy’s teeth gnash before her friend managed, “Mr. Ashford, to what do we owe this middle of the night visit?”

 
“Is Katlin out there leading her team?” The man didn’t answer the question, which ticked Ava off nearly as much as Jack Ashford’s casual use of Lady Hawk’s real first name.

  “Yes.” The curt reply was all the Marine general could manage.

  “When are you going to tell her?” His tone was accusatory, and Ava’s defenses flew up.

  “When the ex—” Ava was interrupted.

  “The Navy would normally perform the casualty call,” Rear Admiral Willett schooled as she whipped around and tore the NVGs from her head, “but at the request of Lieutenant Callahan-Malone’s uncle, who as you well know is a Navy chaplain, her father will join him on the initial call.”

  Ava stepped beside Betsy and reported to the man they all disdained, but was a necessary evil in their quest to create the test group of women trained under the same rigors as Navy SEALs, Army Special Forces, Air Force Para-Jumpers, and Marine Corps Special Operations. Jack Ashford had funded the illegal pilot program and now considered this honed team of five women his own. “Lieutenant General Michael Callahan was at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton when he discovered his son-in-law had been killed. He’s on his way here now. ETA is oh-six hundred. He and his brother-in-law, Captain Francis Gillpatrick, will inform Lieutenant Callahan-Malone this morning.”

  “What do you think she’ll do?” Jack’s question had already been discussed at length by the four women.

  With incredulity, Nancy tilted her head in a manner that screamed can-this-man-be-any-more-stupid? Though, she said, “She’ll bury her husband in three days. We’ll give her a week off. Then her training will resume.”

  Betsy added, “He will be buried with all the honors of his rank as a Navy lieutenant and as the hero he was as a SEAL.”

  “Do you anticipate any problems with her return to the program?” Jack asked as he looked each woman in the eye.

  “Katlin is very dedicated to the success of this team,” Nancy confirmed.

  Ava glanced away as she considered the unusual request she’d granted hours earlier. Not for the first time, she wondered if she’d made the right decision. “There might be one. Captain Alejandro Lobo is accompanying the body back to her.”

  “What?” A chorus of male and female voices resounded as all eyes met hers.

  “Lieutenant Malone’s entire SEAL team was killed—” Ava began to explain.

  “We know that,” Betsy’s angry voice interrupted.

  Ava pushed on. “There was no one left to escort his body home. Captain Lobo volunteered, and I granted permission. He was Lieutenant Malone’s best friend. He and Katlin have been exceptionally close since high school.”

  “Hell, yes, they were close,” Jack seethed. “They were lovers for Christsake.” He glared at Ava. “He could fuck up everything we’ve worked for the past ten months. Literally. Neither has had sex in months and—”

  “Jesus Christ, Jack!” Nancy shook her head. “Her husband just died. I don’t believe sex with another man will even enter that genius brain of hers.”

  “She may need a strong shoulder over the next few days,” Janet suggested.

  “If she needs someone to hold her while she cries for that undeserving bastard she was married to, I’ll be there for her.” Jack crossed his gym-toned arms over his broad chest.

  “She’ll have her father and uncles there for support,” Nancy noted as she faced off with one of the most powerful governmental employees.

  “I can ship Captain Lobo back to Afghanistan right after the funeral.” Ava moved to stand beside Nancy.

  “We can keep them separated. I want my people to interrogate him before you send him back to the sandbox,” Betsy insisted as the admiral in her came through. “Captain Lobo commanded the company of Marines that backed up those fifteen SEALs who were ambushed. He was one of the first to arrive on the scene, and the senior officer. He has to know something about what happened.”

  A pleased grin slashed Jack’s handsome face. “Works for me.” With a nod to Ava and Betsy, he ordered, “Make it happen, but Katlin is not to ever be alone with Captain Lobo. She’s too valuable to the success of this project to let some college fuck-buddy screw it up.” He turned and quickly descended the stairs to the car idling sixty feet below the tower platform.

  “Is it just me, or does that man rub your last nerve raw?” Janet asked the other three women.

  “He irks the hell out of me, but he’s right.” Nancy picked up the NVGs and searched the trees for the team of young women. “Katlin is pivotal to the success of this experiment. She’s their natural leader. If she were to quit now, we’d have to start all over again to prove that women can be as effective as any trained team of special operators.”

  “More effective,” Betsy said as she surveyed the blinking red lights of the now virtually-dead Marines. “Once they complete the CIA training, they’ll be an unstoppable team.”

  “Too bad we can’t keep them.” Ava sighed. “This should prove our point that women can, given the proper training, do anything a team of SEALs, Special Forces, Special Ops, and Para-jumpers can…and then some.”

  “The real pity is that we have to give them to that jackass until the services allow women in special operations roles.” Janet shook her head. “Damn it. I don’t want him to have control over our young ladies.”

  Ava agreed, then smiled. “As soon as they’re done with their CIA training, they’ll know how to play a man. They’re smart. They’ll play him, too.”

  “I have an interrogation team to assemble,” Betsy said as she headed toward the steps.

  “My plan is to show up at Katlin’s house thirty minutes after her father and uncle arrive.” Ava glanced at her watch and sighed. She’d only get four hours of sleep. “We need to maintain vigilance until we know Captain Lobo is out of the country. I’ll speak with her father and let him know our plans.”

  “Thank God he supports the program.” Janet disappeared down the steps.

  Nancy turned to Ava at the top of the stairs. “Do you really think Captain Lobo is that much of a threat?”

  Ava considered the question for a long time. Because she’d known Katlin all her life, and had personally selected her as part of the original 200 female test subjects, she was extremely familiar with everything from Katlin’s childhood to her last psychiatric evaluation. She knew the young woman often turned to Alejandro Lobo for comfort that he’d readily provided. Would she betray their top secret experiment? Could he convince her to quit? There were too many unanswered variables.

  Ava finally confessed, “He might be even more dangerous than we believe.”

  2

  Katlin Callahan-Malone poured water into the two-gallon jug, preparing to make sun tea, a favorite drink of hers in the heat of the summer.

  She glanced out the window above the sink when she caught movement on the street. The familiar drab green, four-door sedan pulled up to the curb outside her quarters on Marine Corps Base Quantico.

  Since she was married, she was given on-base housing, even though her husband, Ty, was stationed with SEAL Team 4 in Little Creek, Virginia, almost three hours away. She’d never cared for living in the Bachelor Officers’ Quarters like those provided for the single women in JAFSOS. It was too much like a college dorm, and she’d lived that life. As a married woman, she’d wanted a home, albeit temporary.

  She preferred to be surrounded by her own furniture, have her extensive collection of professional pots and pans in a kitchen she called hers, and sleep in the bed she shared with Ty on weekends when he wasn’t on a mission or away training.

  Katlin watched the young Marine driver jump out to open the door for her father. She quickly turned off the water.

  Monsignor Gillpatrick, dressed in his all white Navy uniform, stepped from the back seat and joined his brother-in-law.

  With a big smile, Katlin flung the front door open and trotted to greet them. “Daddy, Uncle Francis, you should have called. I would have cooked a big lunch for all of us. I didn’t even know
you were in town.”

  The two men smiled lovingly as the general hugged his only daughter longer than usual.

  “How’s my little lady doing?” Her dad sounded a little rough and looked tired around his eyes, but he had thousands of Marines, stationed all over the world, who were his responsibility. “Let’s not stand out here in the heat,” he suggested.

  Katlin turned and briefly hugged her uncle.

  “You really should have called,” she scolded both men as they headed toward the house. “Have you had lunch?” Katlin asked in a hurry to please her unexpected guests when they all stepped into the cool of her air conditioned home. “I know it’s early, but can I get you something to drink?” She proudly pointed to the well-stocked bar. Her father often had a cocktail with lunch. “Daddy, I have your favorite single malt scotch.”

  Without looking at her, he took a seat on the couch in the small, but sufficient, living room. “That might be a good idea.”

  Katlin reached for three crystal highball glasses, a wedding gift from the uncle situating himself on an overstuffed chair. She opened the antique oak refrigerator converted to a bar and withdrew a bottle of eighteen-year-old Glenfiddich.

  “Rocks or neat today?” Katlin asked the men.

  Instead of answering the question, her father noted with a small smile, “You’ve always been the hostess with the mostess serving drinks to heads of state, senior military officers, and official dignitaries in one embassy after another around the world. You’re so much like your mother.” His voice cracked a little on the last sentence as her heart squeezed. She’d lost her mom a few months earlier and knew her father still mourned. He turned his head away to stare out the windows.