Chapter 9 Adam
Adam
The command tent buzzed with noise—radios crackling, generators rattling, voices trading updates that all sounded the same: bad.
The river wasn’t slowing. If anything, it was hungry.
There were still people being rescued, but the river went where no one thought it would, and that caused more disasters.
I stood over the sector map, dripping on the dirt tent bottom, trying to ignore the ache in my shoulders.
Boone leaned back in his chair like this was a poker game, not a flood zone.
Russ was methodical as ever, checking equipment with the patience of a monk.
Hawk kept pacing the perimeter, muttering under his breath like he was arguing with ghosts, and Blade…
hell, Blade was sharpening a knife he’d pulled from God knows where.
Same circus. My circus.
“Tell me again why we’re playing babysitter instead of letting FEMA handle this?” Boone drawled, kicking his boots up on a crate.
“Because FEMA isn’t pulling bodies out of attics,” I said, not looking up.
“Yeah, but Raine Carter is,” Hawk shot back. “And you’re two steps behind her every damn time.”
My jaw tightened. “Stay on task.”
Russ, calm as always, clipped a carabiner onto his harness. “Foxtrot’s secured for now. We bought them time. Next sector’s worse.” He pointed to Echo, the red circle bleeding across the map.
“Echo’s mine.”
The words came sharp from behind me. I didn’t have to turn to know it was her.
Raine walked in like she owned the place—damp braid swinging, eyes still burning with the same fire that had nearly gotten her killed. Logan trailed at her shoulder, looking like he wanted to strangle both of us.
Boone whistled low. “Well, if it isn’t the angel of the floodwaters herself.”
She didn’t even flinch. “You boys want to waste time, or you want to save lives?”
Blade’s knife scraped slow against the whetstone. “I like her,” he muttered.
Of course he did.
I straightened, meeting her stare across the table. “Echo sector’s unstable. Levee breach is minutes away. You can’t waltz in there alone.”
Her chin lifted, stubborn as hell. “Then don’t let me be alone.”
The tent went quiet.
Boone grinned. Hawk cursed. Russ just nodded like the decision was already made.
And me? My gut twisted, because I knew exactly what was coming.
The river was about to take Echo. And Raine Carter was going to be right in the middle of it.