Chapter 15 #2
“You can teach me. Go, I’ll catch up.”
“No way. We go together.”
“I’ll be ten seconds behind you. I’m just gonna leave our friends a surprise.”
“Ethan...” Wasted breath because he’d already vaulted over the railing—was doing something to the door. While the men on the other side hadn’t launched a full-on attack, yet, she knew it was only a matter of time. That they were likely waiting for their backup to get into position.
God help her, but Ethan Vale was going to be the death of her. Especially when he insisted on standing between her and any threat.
They’d discuss it, later. For now, she did as he asked, picking up that damn box, then sprinting after the others.
Dungeon had point, though, she wasn’t sure if he’d make it all the way to the hanger without falling face-first into the snow.
In fact, none of them looked that strong.
Priest was barely moving under the strain of carrying Blackburn’s body.
And Relic wouldn’t have been walking if Gibson hadn’t been shouldering most of the other man’s weight.
It wasn’t until the group rounded the building that she actually thought they stood a chance.
Ethan followed a few moments later, standing watch at the corner as Gibson cleared the hanger. Gave her a hand rolling the helicopter out onto the landing site.
She shivered when a cold breeze kicked up some snow off the surrounding drifts, blowing a thin layer across the pad. “It’ll take a while for me to warm everything up.”
Gib nodded. “Not a problem. I’ll leave the others here to keep watch while I go get Bishop and Coen. See if there’re any others who need evacuating. Then, we’ll bug out.”
“You can’t go back in there alone, Gibson.”
“She’s right.” Ethan moved in beside her, his previous position taken by Priest. “We’ll both go.”
“Sorry, kid. But they need you more than I do. I’ll travel faster, alone.”
“Miller—”
“Not up for discussion. Have everything ready by the time I get back. Coen, Bishop and the rest of the team will take Blackburn’s body back in the chopper. Vale, you and I will take the sleds. Make sure no one comes after our crew.”
Ethan handed Gibson a keycard. “I need my rifle.”
“I’ll grab it and anything else we need on the way back. Just make sure the chopper’s ready to fly, and you’ve got two machines warmed up. We’ll have to chance taking one of the lodge’s snowmobiles, in case we need to adapt.”
“Just make sure you get your ass back here in one piece. Preferably ten minutes ago.”
Olivia went to object, but Gibson was already racing across the open space then darting through the door. Less than five seconds, and he was gone.
“Bloody arse.” She glared at Ethan. “He’s as bad as you are.”
His smile made her heart race, then he was nodding at the helicopter. “Do you need fuel?”
“All ready, just have to warm her up.”
“You sure you can take everyone?”
“I’ll manage. I’m not leaving anyone behind.” She stepped forward. “I can take you and Miller, too. We might have to burn off some petrol before we make it over that one peak, but trying to make the trip on those sleds at night in these conditions is suicide.”
“We’ll be fine. Got it mapped out from last time. And I need to make sure no one targets you.”
“Ethan...”
“It’s not you, Olivia. It’s...”
That’s when it hit her. The way he shifted his weight on his feet, his gaze darting to the helicopter then back. More white than normal eclipsing all that hazel. She’d only ever seen him like this when her life had been in danger. “Shit. It’s really not me, is it? Never was. It’s flying.”
“I…” He swallowed, looked as if he’d nearly choked. “Get everything ready. I’ll have your back.”
He turned, paused, spun around, marched over and kissed her. Hard. Not long. Just a couple of seconds of his lips on hers, but it felt like forever. Just like that kiss last night.
Ethan rubbed his thumb across her mouth, then motioned to the chopper.
She took off, jumped in then ran through her checks.
She had the machine started and idling by the time Gibson got back and directed everyone onto the landing pad.
Looked as if he’d taken a couple rounds to his vest, too, a line of blood marring the side of his neck.
Priest laid Blackburn’s body in the center then climbed in, followed by Dungeon, Relic and Bishop.
Coen got in beside her, strapping in as he shook his head.
She wasn’t sure what he was unhappy about, other than the obvious.
Though, maybe he disapproved of Gibson riding back as much as she did.
That it would have been better if they’d all just chanced the skies and prayed there weren’t any other men with missiles.
Gibson and Ethan were sitting on the machines, ready to go, when men poured out of the door, assault rifles notched in their shoulders. Night vision goggles strapped to their helmets.
Gibson waved for her to go as he and Ethan opened fire. Took out the front runners before gunning the sleds—disappearing into the darkness as she raced across the ground, quickly gaining altitude.
A hum buzzed in her ear then Gibson was talking. “Bank right, Livy, and give us five minutes to set up an overwatch before you head for Blackpine. Just to be safe. That old shack Vale used that first day should be secure.”
She didn’t answer, just tipped the machine over—headed toward the mountains looming to the north.
No one spoke, though she noticed Coen had one hand wrapped around the frame, his knuckles white.
She tried to offer him an encouraging smile, but she wasn’t sure it helped.
That he’d be able to relax before she’d gotten them safely home.
God, she hoped the weather held. Though, based on the fluctuating winds, the heavy layer of cloud gathering on the horizon, a system was coming in. Fast. If the conditions got any worse...
She’d make it work. Somehow. Even if it meant hovering the whole way, moving a foot at a time, she’d get them back.
A few circuits above where the avalanche had swallowed that shack, and they were off after Gibson gave them the all-clear.
She banked over, did her best to avoid the lodge as she headed for Blackpine.
She kept the machine low—about tree height as she screamed across the snow, trailing twin vortices behind her.
There were a few flashes of light off to her left, followed by an explosion somewhere back by the facility.
Ethan. Eliminating another threat.
A sigh sounded in her head, then Bishop’s voice. “Damn, that kid isn’t even human.”
Dungeon chuckled. “Just be thankful he’s on our side. Because... We’d all be dead.”
His word hung in the air, Blackburn’s body suddenly weighing down the space. Making it hard to breathe. Any chatter stopped, nothing but the endless snow and darkness filling the void.
Olivia tried not to think about Ethan and Miller. How they’d be facing hours of driving the snowmobiles through the freezing cold mountains at night. That it would be easy to miss a ledge or branch. Or how her next mission might involve scouring the hills for their bodies.
Instead, she focused on flying. On keeping close to the trees.
Using her goggles and FLIR screen to stay clear of any obstacles.
Keeping a lookout for possible tangos. It took some tricky maneuvering to avoid some heavy fog patches—navigate through some snow showers and low cloud formations—but seeing the lights of Blackpine off in the distance calmed some of her doubts.
That she’d at least get Ethan’s team back in one piece.
What was left of it, anyway. That, maybe, she’d played a part in getting Dungeon, Relic and Priest the medical attention they needed.
Once they were within several miles of Bishop’s ranch, she keyed up the microphone. “So, Bishop, am I landing at your ranch or continuing to the hospital in Brewster? I’ll need to radio in, if I am. Get clearance to land there.”
“I know Brady wants to continue to the hospital but…land at the ranch. We have no idea how far-reaching this attack goes. If those men at the lodge have additional forces out here waiting to strike. At least, at the ranch, I can rally more of my men. Get us as secure as possible. We can reassess once Brady’s done a proper triage. ”
Brady huffed. “Why is it never simple with you guys? I’ll have Cannon send one of his crew to grab my mobile clinic—drive it out.
Might take some time, but I’d feel better having more supplies, especially when we all know this isn’t close to being over.
Though, if all else fails, I can probably procure what’s needed. I’ve still got some...connections.”
Olivia nodded. “Roger that. What about the lodge? Obviously, Gibson didn’t find anyone else who needed to be evacuated, but...”
Damn, she hoped they hadn’t left any vulnerable parties behind. Not that they’d had many options when they’d been the ones being targeted.
Bishop keyed up his headset. “I’ll contact local law. Have them recon the lodge as soon as the weather permits. But I have a strange feeling they’re not going to find anything.”
She nodded, focusing on heading for Bishop’s ranch.
She didn’t need to tell them that she planned on going back out—tracking down Miller and Ethan.
That she was going to follow their arses all the way home.
Ethan wasn’t the only one who felt protective.
She just hoped Gibson had a lead on what was actually going on.
That bigger picture he’d talked about because, things had definitely gone pear shaped.
And, unless they caught a break, they might not get back on track before they all ended up like Blackburn.