True Believer Quotes
"Lieutenant Commander James Reece found some amusement in the fact that as a naval officer he had minimal experience actually sailing a boat on the open water."
"The strong winds cut considerable time off the trip and lessened his chances of discovery."
"Within a few days of leaving Fishers Island, off the coast of Connecticut, Reece was getting the hang of sailing the forty-eight-foot Beneteau Oceanis, christened Bitter Harvest."
"Reece now found himself on the open ocean, a world away from the death and destruction he’d wrought on U.S. soil."
"The interior of the Bitter Harvest was intended for far more hands than Reece’s solo crew."
"Reece bundled in his warmest layers as he steered the vessel day and night."
"He wasn’t sure how long he’d live but he preferred not to die in the cold, so he took a southerly course toward Bermuda."
"Alone at sea, he couldn’t help but reflect upon the past few months, the violent path that had led him to this relatively peaceful location in the Atlantic."
"He was haunted by visions of their untimely and bloody deaths at the muzzle of an AK meant for him, set up by a financial and political machine that Reece had then dismantled piece by piece."
"Reece thought of Katie. Fate, or a divine force, had brought investigative journalist Katie Buranek into his life at precisely the right time to help him unravel the conspiracy that had led to the deaths of his Team and family."
"With his troop and family dead, and with death whispering in his ear, Reece had become the insurgent he’d been fighting for the past sixteen years; he had become his own enemy."
"They’d met on the rugby pitch at the University of Montana in the fall of 1995, Reece playing outside center and Raife as the number eight, by far the most skilled competitor on the team."
"Raife had the serious demeanor of someone twice their age."
"Reece’s dad was gone a lot, too. He went to work at the State Department after the Navy."
"Raife looked at his younger teammate suspiciously. 'You mentioned the muley. You a hunter?'"
"Reece and Raife set out following class Thursday afternoons and hunt dawn to dusk, carrying their compound bows and minimalist camping gear on their backs."
"During one of their trips that fall, Reece shot a massive bull elk at the bottom of a canyon at last light."
"Reece and Raife were inseparable, hunting in the fall, backcountry skiing in the winter, rock climbing and kayaking in the spring."
"Reece caught his breath and walked below, retrieving a filet knife from a magnetic butcher block in the galley and a small bottle of soy sauce from the refrigerator."
"Reece’s reminiscing was broken by a cold breeze blowing across his face."
"With a tinge of guilt, he thought of Katie."
"Brotherhood was an often-used term in the Teams, a concept that had been tested to its limits as Reece’s life had come apart in the preceding months."
"Reece’s closest friend had recently come through when Reece needed him most, aiding Reece’s escape from New York and inserting him on his over-the-beach mission onto Fishers Island to kill the last conspirators on his list."
"Raife Hastings hadn’t hesitated when Reece requested assistance, risking everything for his former teammate without asking for anything in return."
"He saw the birds first. You wouldn’t expect to see a massive clump of birds out in the middle of the ocean, but here they were."
"Reece steered the Bitter Harvest into the protected waters, lowered the sail, and dropped anchors fore and aft to secure the boat."
"Reece’s thoughts were broken by a set of bright lights on the horizon."
"The sky had darkened and the seas churned ferociously; not being able to anticipate the next big wave was the most unnerving part."
"Reece decided if there had ever been a genetic aptitude for seafaring pursuits, it had certainly been diluted since the ninth century."
"Just when Reece was sure that the seas couldn’t get any rougher, the storm dialed up its intensity."
"Reece reeled harder as the fish began to give up ground, bringing him closer to both the boat and the surface."
"The tuna writhed and gasped, then went still, seemingly as exhausted as the mariner foe who had landed him."
"He didn’t want to fall in, but if he did, at least the boat wasn’t moving."
"The intake of real food changed his dark mood dramatically; all he needed now was a night of solid sleep undisturbed by the nightmares that tortured his soul."
"Reece was steering the boat on a calm sea as Lauren sunned herself on the deck."
"The rogue wave crashed over the stern, swamping the boat and tearing Lucy from his grasp."
"Gasping for breath and redemption, with seawater filling his lungs, he descended into the depths, away from his family, away from life."
"He swung his feet to the floor and ran the fingers of both hands through his hair. It won’t be long, girls. I’ll be with you soon."
"He fished around with his feet until they found his flip-flops, then stood and stretched until his hands hit the ceiling."
"He walked slowly through the galley and salon, grabbing his sunglasses from a table before heading up to the deck to face his demons."
"The headaches came and went at random intervals: but for the lack of a good night’s sleep, he still felt better than he had in some time."
"He closed his eyes and heard her last words to him before he headed for the secondary extract alone."
"Reece’s study of the Routes book established he had already erred by taking too far south a course."
"Though it was liberating to not have a plan of any kind, he couldn’t just bob around in the ocean forever under the specter of impending death."
"Reece took a deep breath and took stock of his surroundings."
"If only his family were here to enjoy it with him."
"He looked up toward Sirius, the brightest in a brilliant array of stars that spanned the sky from horizon to horizon. Daddy’s here, baby girl."
"That his father’s side of the family could trace their military history to a captain who served in Washington’s Continental Army played more than a small role in Curtis’s decision."
"You have come so far and are at my side, where you belong, at long last."
"You believed in me when my own country didn’t."
"Their oceans and their wealth make the Americans arrogant."
"We have no fear of your army, by land and by sea we will battle with thee, fuck thy mother."
"The Muslim population continues to grow, while our ethnic population is in a steady decline."
"Today the assassination of a world leader would be met by days of mourning and sanctions."
"It’s just you and me, Landry. No soft Western interrogation room. No water and temperature fluctuations. No Americans. No supervisors. No doctors. No CIA. No rules."
"We need to figure this out, but I want it done quietly."
"We have reason to believe that individuals, possibly Syrian nationals, were targeting the Russian president during an upcoming trip to Odessa, Ukraine."
"This constitutional republic had weathered storms that would have destroyed most nations, and had prevailed."
"Take a breath, look around, make a call."
"There should be a uniformed officer down there, but you never really know with the host nation fo—"
"Where are you hit?" Reece yelled, his hands searching for entrance and exit wounds, quite aware that they were in a bad position if there was a flanking element ready to maneuver.
"This is James Donovan," he said into the radio. "I’m with Agent Scheer at just across... Kim, where are we?"
"Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’"
"To those before us, to those amongst us, to those we’ll see on the other side. Lord let me not prove unworthy of my brothers."
"I'll find who did this, Joanie. I'll find everyone responsible. I promise."
"You are going to be fine. Keep monitoring the radio and guide them in. How many rounds do you have in that pistola?" Reece asked.
"I’m going to flank him. You ready?" Reece asked.
"Well, while you work on it, I’m going to take some leave."
"Thanks for being there for Joanie and the kids, Vic."