CHAPTER NINE
Ace braced himself as the Short C-23 Sherpa touched down at Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak. Its massive tires skimming over the partially snow-covered runway. Ace peered out one of the small windows, relieved they’d managed to land despite the storm swirling outside. Snowflakes danced in the air, illuminated by the airport’s floodlights, and a thick blanket of white coated everything in sight.
“Looks like a damn Christmas card out there,” Irish muttered, grabbing his gear as the plane taxied to a stop.
“Yeah,” Ace replied, his voice tight. He wasn’t in the mood for small talk. The only thing on his mind was getting home to Alex and their baby.
As the ramp lowered and the team began unloading their gear, Ace felt the sharp sting of the icy wind against his face. He gritted his teeth and helped the others, his movements mechanical, his thoughts elsewhere.
“Let’s get this done quick,” Skittles said, shoving a duffel bag onto a sled. “It is fucking freezing out here.”
Ace nodded, silently agreeing. But as they moved their gear toward the waiting C-130 that would take them to Virginia Beach, a base officer approached with an apologetic expression.
“Gentlemen, I’ve got some bad news,” the officer said, his voice hesitant. “All flights are grounded.”
“What?” Dino snapped, his brows furrowing. “The snow’s not that bad. We just landed.”
“It’s not the snow itself,” the officer explained. “The plow we use to keep the runway clear broke down, and we don’t know when it’ll be repaired. Without it, we can’t guarantee a safe takeoff.”
Ace froze, the weight of the news hitting him like a punch to the gut. He clenched his jaw, his frustration bubbling beneath the surface.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” he muttered under his breath. His chest tightened as he thought about Alex, about how close they were to being reunited, only to be stalled by a goddamn broken plow.
As if he could hear his thoughts, Irish slapped him on the shoulder. “We’ll figure it out, Ace. We always do.”
But Ace couldn’t shake the tension coiling in his stomach. He picked up his phone, debating whether to call Alex, when it buzzed in his hand. Derek’s name lit up the screen.
“Derek?” Ace answered, stepping away from the team to hear better over the wind.
“Hey, Ace,” Derek’s voice was steady but urgent. “Alex is at the hospital. She’s been having some back pain the last couple of days, and tonight, she had some pretty strong ones, so I brought her to the hospital. The doctor said that she is in the early stages of labor.”
The words hit Ace like a sledgehammer. His heart leaped and sank all at once. “Labor?” His voice cracked slightly, and he cleared his throat. “How is she? Is everything okay?”
“She’s fine—strong-willed as ever,” Derek said, a faint chuckle in his tone. “She was insisting that it was false labor until the doctor confirmed it. But she swears she’s not having the baby until you’re home.”
Ace exhaled sharply, his thoughts racing. A thrill of excitement coursed through him at the idea of finally meeting their baby, but a deep ache in his chest quickly overshadowed it.
“I’m at least a half a day out, Derek,” Ace said, his voice thick with frustration. “I can’t…” He trailed off, gripping the edge of his seat. “I can’t miss this.”
“I know,” Derek said, his tone firm. “How soon are you leaving Kodiak?”
Ace exhaled sharply as he ran his fingers through his hair. His mind was racing. “I have no idea. Our flight is grounded. The damn runway plow broke down, and they don’t know when it’ll be fixed.”
There was a pause on Derek’s end, followed by a low sigh. “Okay, hang tight for a bit. I might have an idea. Let me make some calls.”
“Derek…” Ace started, but Derek cut him off.
“I’ll call you back. Don’t worry. We’ll get you home.”
The line went dead, leaving Ace staring at the phone in his hand. He took a deep breath, trying to keep his emotions in check, but the thought of Alex in labor without him there sent a pang of helplessness through his chest.
“You good, man?” Potter’s voice broke through his thoughts.
Ace turned to find the entire team watching him. He could see the concern etched into their faces.
“It’s Alex,” he said, his voice steadier than he felt. “She’s in labor.”
A chorus of reactions rippled through the team—cheers, whistles, and even a fist bump from Diego.
“Hell yeah, Ace!” Potter said, grinning. “Congratulations, man!”
Ace smiled despite himself, the team’s enthusiasm lifting some of the weight from his chest.
“Thanks,” he said. “Derek’s working on getting us out of here, but…” He shrugged helplessly. “I don’t know if I’ll make it in time.”
Potter clapped him on the back. “Hey, you’ll get there. Plus, Alex is tougher than all of us combined. That kid’s probably staying put until you walk through the door.”
The team laughed, and for a moment, Ace allowed himself to believe it. He looked around at his brothers, their camaraderie a reminder that he wasn’t in this alone.
◆◆◆
Ace paced the cold concrete floor of the airplane hangar, his boots echoing faintly in the cavernous space. It had been about thirty minutes since his call with Derek, and every second felt like an eternity.
Outside, the snow, thankfully, had stopped for the time being. But that didn’t help the situation of their plane getting into the air.
He rubbed a hand down his face, exhaling sharply. His thoughts were a chaotic mix of excitement and anxiety. The thought of missing the moment Alex brought their baby into the world made his stomach churn.
“Come on, Derek,” Ace muttered under his breath, glancing at his phone again.
Irish, sitting on a stack of crates nearby, watched him with a bemused expression. “You keep pacing like that, and you’re gonna wear a hole into the floor.”
“Can’t help it,” Ace said without stopping.
Before Irish could reply, Ace’s phone buzzed in his hand. Derek’s name lit up the screen. His heart jumped as he quickly answered.
“Derek,” Ace said, his voice tight.
“Ace, I’ve got good news,” Derek said without preamble. “I pulled some strings. Since the runways here are snowed in, I arranged for a helicopter to fly you and the team to Anchorage. From there, I got you all on a commercial direct flight into Richmond.”
Ace’s breath caught. “Richmond? That’s great, Derek. Thank you.”
“Once you land in Richmond, I reserved a van to take you the rest of the way,” Derek continued. “I’m sending all the travel details to your phone now. The pilots should be there in about ten minutes, so get your team ready.”
Ace felt a surge of relief but couldn’t shake the tension still coiled in his chest. “How’s Alex?”
“She’s doing fine,” Derek said reassuringly. “The doctor was just in again, and there has been no change. They are keeping her here, at least for the night.”
Ace closed his eyes for a moment, letting the news sink in. “Can I talk to her?”
“She’s out cold, Ace,” Derek said gently. “Poor thing has been overdoing it. But I’ll make sure she knows that I spoke with you and that you’re on your way.”
“Tell her...” Ace paused, swallowing hard. “Tell her I love her. More than anything. And that I can’t wait to see her.”
“I’ll tell her,” Derek promised. “Now focus on getting home. You’re gonna make it, Ace.”
“Thanks, Derek,” Ace said, his voice thick with gratitude.
“See you soon,” Derek replied before the call ended.
Ace lowered the phone and took a deep breath, his thoughts racing. He turned to the team, who had been watching him with expectant expressions.
“We’ve got a ride,” Ace announced, his voice steadier now. “Helicopter to Anchorage, then a direct flight to Richmond.”
“Hell yeah,” Irish said, standing up and clapping a hand on Ace’s shoulder. “Let’s move, boys.”
As if on cue, two pilots dressed in flight suits walked into the hangar.
“You guys ready to roll?” one of them asked.
“Damn right we are,” Ace said, his determination shining through.
The team quickly gathered their gear, adrenaline kicking in once more. This time, it wasn’t for a mission—it was personal.