Chapter 24 #2
Chance took that as permission to lick Meghan’s face, and she laughed and gave him a double-handed stroke. “Good boy. What a good boy.”
“What the hell happened? Do you remember?” Sebastian asked.
Meghan scrunched up her brow. “I don’t even know. We were skiing through the trees. I think Grady must have hit a tripwire. We tried to get out of the way. Almost made it.” She shrugged and then winced, in obvious pain.
The sound of a helicopter approaching made them all look up.
“Don’t make me go to the hospital. Give me some ibuprofen, and I’ll be good to go. Let’s catch this motherfucker.”
Ryan slowly shook his head. “You must be out of your tiny mind.”
Meghan licked her lips and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “Did you kiss me when I was unconscious?”
Ryan huffed out an audible sigh of frustration. “It was that or choke you, but unfortunately there were witnesses.”
Nora watched Meghan reach out and squeeze Ryan’s knee. A strange gesture for two people who seemed to hate each other. “Next time, buddy. Next time.”
Ryan pulled away and stalked over to Grady, who looked anxious and frustrated. Donnelly tried to roll over to see Grady. “Sure he’s okay?”
“You’re both lucky to be alive.” Sebastian’s voice was full of pain and anger. “And that sonofabitch doesn’t care who he hurts as long as he gets away.”
Nora looked up into the sky where fresh flakes had started to flutter with the latest burst of wintery weather. “He also knows exactly where we are.”
“Where some of us are.” Sebastian corrected, eyes aflame with something that looked a lot like the fires of retribution.
The helicopter landed south of their position on the lake. Birdman and Hunter jumped out and ran toward them, eyes scanning for danger.
Sebastian had been so focused on finding Meghan and rescuing her from the snow that he’d ignored the tactical aspects of Glenn’s booby trap. However unlikely it was that the man had stuck around planning to pick off any survivors, they still needed to consider the possibility.
Finding Donnelly had been the right priority, and thank Christ for Nora and her amazing dog.
“Got a stretcher in there?” Sebastian asked. Nora seemed to have everything inside her first aid kit despite its compact size.
Nora nodded and smiled. “Yes, as it happens.” She pulled out a sheet of material and placed it on the ground beside the downed operator. Unfolded it to reveal the handles. “I’d like six of us on the lift to make sure her head is fully supported.”
“Hear that, Donnelly?” Sebastian fought the fear for his wounded teammate. “The rescue expert here is worried you may have broken your neck but don’t realize it yet. So, stop squirming like a worm and follow orders until we can get you checked out, understood?”
The female operator scowled at him but stilled.
“I’m sorry, Meghan. I feel like it’s my fault you were hurt. If I hadn’t requested a break, you wouldn’t have been scouting ahead.” Nora’s expression morphed into pure guilt.
Cas put his hand on Nora’s shoulder. “Your pit stop meant we weren’t all swept up in that avalanche, including you and Chance. And without Chance, Donnelly would be dead—we might all be. Stop with the fruitless guilt.”
“I ordered them to scout ahead,” Sebastian said firmly. He pushed aside the grief and guilt that wanted to bury him. He was the squad leader. It was his responsibility.
“Technically, it’s our fault for not spotting the wire,” Meghan muttered. “And I’m fucking pissed I failed my partner.”
“Oh,” Sebastian eyed Grady Steel in the distance. “I think your partner is beating himself up enough for both of you.”
“He only just recovered from getting shot.” Meghan groaned. “Brynn is going to freak out.”
“No, she won’t. Grady’s fine. You, as long as you keep fucking still, will also be fine. Ryan,” Sebastian raised his voice to be heard over the rotors, “get your ass over here.”
Ryan nodded, lifted Grady over his shoulder in a fireman carry and headed their way.
Sebastian walked with Ryan to the helicopter. “You okay, Grade?”
Grady shook his head. “I’m pissed I missed the tripwire and Donnelly got hurt.”
“It happens. You’re in the field, and the snow obscures everything, and we’re in a hurry.”
“I almost got myself and my partner killed.”
“You know better than that. Eastman’s the one to blame.”
Grady made a sound of disgust that was drowned out as they got closer to the helicopter.
Ryan eased the man onto the floor of the chopper and jumped in to drag him farther inside. Sebastian tapped Birdman and Hunter on the shoulders as Ryan stepped down, and they all headed back to pick up Donnelly, who glared at them.
“Hunter, accompany them both to the nearest hospital. Donnelly was down for close to three minutes under about two feet of snow but seems cognitively functional.”
Donnelly snorted, but no one else smiled.
“Birdman, get the pilot to drop you off at the cabin in case we need more backup there. I don’t trust this guy not to do something unpredictable.”
The other sniper nodded. They all picked up a carry handle and lifted on his command. The transfer to the chopper was smooth as silk. He tried not to worry as Grady gripped Donnelly’s hand. The rest of them stood back and watched the bird fly away south, Hunter and Birdman in attendance.
Sebastian strode away to where they’d ditched their packs and skis. Picked up his gear as the others followed silently.
Behind his guilt was the relief that Nora and her dog hadn’t been caught up in the avalanche, and that twisted his guilt more tightly than a garrote.
This was why you didn’t work with someone you loved.
The fact he’d realized it here, in this field of destruction, seemed appropriate. He couldn’t afford to deal with this right now. Emotion had no place in tactics or strategy.
Once they all had their gear, they grouped together, the four of them plus Chance, back on the trail.
His gaze nailed Nora into place. “If you want to leave this mission, you have every right to. I can call for another helicopter and get you and Chance back to the ranch.”
Confusion clouded those vivid eyes. “Why? Do you want me to go?”
He shook his head. “You are an invaluable part of this team.” Although from a personal point of view, he wanted her far away from this dangerous fugitive.
She stuck out her chin. “Then I’m staying.”
He nodded. “The four of us still need to move fast, but eyes peeled for anymore IEDs. Let’s step off his trail by a few feet downhill. I don’t believe he’d have spent much time last night setting these up, and if he did, we are even closer to the guy than we realized.”
His satphone buzzed.
“Boss?”
“Drone spotted Glenn Eastman about two miles north of your position dragging a sled.” Adrenaline surged through Sebastian’s blood stream. “Livingstone’s squad are six miles north, and they’re gonna set up an ambush. You get close enough to provide support and block his retreat.”
His disappointment that they wouldn’t be the ones to take him down tasted bitter, but that was irrelevant. They were a team, and the only thing that mattered was Summer.
“The kid?”
“We believe she’s in the sled, but we’re not picking up much of a heat signature from her. We have another medivac helicopter en route to stage at the cabin. We’ll make sure it’s fully stocked for a hypothermic pediatrics case should that be necessary.”
Sebastian eyed the weather. “Get it out here fast, and put a doctor on it too. If we end up stranded due to a storm, I am not watching the kid die.”
“Affirmative.”
Novak hung up, and Sebastian filled in the gaps in what the rest of them had heard. “We pursue, but we don’t engage.”
“Well, that’s bullshit.” Ryan stamped his skis to knock off the snow.
“It is what it is. I’m taking lead. Then Nora and Chance, Ryan, then Cas. Eyes peeled, but let’s not take anything for granted. We don’t know for certain Eastman is working alone, and I don’t want anyone else getting hurt on my watch. Got it?”
“Let’s go,” Ryan urged.
Sebastian hesitated, then looked at Nora.
“I know you’re law enforcement, but we have a system and a rhythm with one another that we practice daily.
If you hear gunfire, I need you and Chance to find cover and stay there.
That’s not me discounting what you can do for us.
You’ve already proven yourself tenfold. But this is what we train for, and believe it or not, we’re actually pretty good. ”
“And if we all die, feel free to take him down yourself,” Ryan said impatiently.
Nora’s eyes were wide, her lips firm. “I understand. Don’t get in the way. Be ready to rescue your asses if the situation goes sideways.”
“Pretty much.” Sebastian was relieved she didn’t sound too pissed.
The four of them set off once again in pursuit of a cunning piece of shit who wouldn’t hesitate to hurt anyone as long as he got what he wanted—which was to escape justice with his child and not pay for the crimes he’d committed.
Sebastian couldn’t wait to catch the sonofabitch.