17. Ember #2
My gaze locks with Blaine’s determined orbs as we file into the helicopter. The tight smile he offers in return screams of his uncertainty. I make a point of muscling into the seat next to him, leaving me opposite Archer and his surly teammate.
At least he spares me a nod of acknowledgement, unlike Kyle. The sniper has barely looked at me since the last raid we attended together ended in his team member’s death. I don’t blame him, but it still stings.
“You fly?” I pull on the headset to call up front.
After a crackle, Hudson responds. “I’ve held my license for a few years now.”
“I want that training course next.”
“Then Warner really will have my balls for endangering you.”
He runs through the final checks that Gunnar hadn’t already performed faster than I fear is safe. Next to me, Blaine’s cargo-covered leg bumps mine, his hands still clutched around the phone.
“How were they found?” I ask into the mic.
Blaine cuts me a brief glance. “I don’t know. We’ve been moving positions regularly, but if my ranks aren’t airtight, it’s possible my father received word of where we’d be next.”
“I thought everyone left is loyal to you?”
“I thought so too.”
Inertia makes my belly backflip as we take off from Sabre’s lit landing pad, easing into the winter air. It’s controlled, precise. I’d expect nothing less from the darker half of the Knight brothers.
We’re carried into the thick cloud coverage and over London’s sprawling expanse, peppered with bright lights, flashing beacons and more helipads attached to skyscrapers that kiss the heavens.
“What are we walking into?” Gunnar questions, seated closest to the window.
“Possible attack,” Blaine mutters. “It wasn’t clear.”
“Well, a little mystery keeps things interesting.”
“Interesting?” Kyle lobs the word like it personally offends him.
When his eyes lift to connect with mine, I can’t help but stare into the bloodshot depths. He’s lost weight. His cheeks appear a little sunken, while the smudges under his eyes are disturbingly dark.
I’m not about to back down or look away first. What happened to Josh during the rescue op to retrieve my brother haunts me on a regular basis. But I wasn’t the one who took his life from him.
Eventually, Kyle turns his head to stare out the window at the capital crawling by like an ants’ nest below us. I hope he can’t see how quickly I expel a held breath once I’ve been disregarded.
“Six minutes out,” Hudson announces. “Be ready.”
Blaine’s hand captures mine, squeezing my bones in a tight clamp. His blank expression is a mask of pure calm. Only I can see how lines bracket his mouth and the edges of his scar pucker with tension.
As I open my mouth to offer some kind of assurance, our open line crackles with a sudden curse.
“I’m seeing smoke ahead.” Hudson keeps it brief.
“Smoke?” Blaine straightens.
“Appears to be a large industrial fire. I mean… very large. We’re still a couple miles out.”
Through the small side window, it doesn’t take long for his meaning to become clear. The clouded sky grows hazy, thick with caustic shadows. Particles permeate the air, and as we sail closer, those floating specks set alight to become burning embers.
“Oh my God.” Tendrils of fear threaten to wrap around my lungs.
Belching out from somewhere below us, the plume of noxious black fumes create a deathly parade across the skies. As we near, Hudson circles the site, cussing up a storm.
“This is going to be a rough landing!”
“Oh hell,” Archer mutters.
The impenetrable smoke engulfing our chopper turns fire-flecked, whirling into a destructive tornado that sucks us into the unknown. Through the murk, I can parse the outline of what looks like a burning building, but it’s concealed by hellfire raging in all directions.
“Raye.” I can barely hear Blaine’s pained murmur over the sound of my pulse, slamming against my eardrums. “Fuck… Fuck!”
“Maybe she made it out.”
“Half our entire inventory is here… and almost everyone left loyal to me.” The pallor of his skin turns a shade paler, almost translucent.
“We’ll get them out, Blaine. Just breathe.”
“I left them unprotected.”
“You’ve done your best. This is bigger than all of us.”
At last, Hudson must spy a safe landing spot far enough from the flames to offer protection. The chopper touches down with a sudden swoop, smacking into the earth hard enough to clack my teeth together.
Everyone erupts into a flurry of rapid movement. From the ground, the nearby inferno is clear. Sordid heat smacks us square in the face the moment the doors are thrown open, bringing the stench of heady chemicals and toxic ash.
Almost immediately, my lungs begin to scream in protest. The air is filthy. Archer is already coughing, while Gunnar barely spares the raging inferno a second glance. I doubt anything fazes that man.
“Comms in!” Hudson roars.
Shit, I forgot to slot my earpiece into place. I make short work of locating the small black device from my Kevlar vest and securing it inside my ear. The rest of the makeshift team follows suit.
“Search for survivors. I’ll find out the situation with emergency services. Blaine, where is your operation located?”
“East side entrance.” He points to our right.
“Then let’s split into two teams and approach from opposite sides.” Checking his holster, Hudson re-secures his weapon. “I’m issuing a shoot-to-kill order against any hostiles. Understood?”
Gunnar practically bobs on his feet next to me. “Excellent.”
“Archer, Kyle, take the west side. I’ll find you when the scene is secured with the authorities. Gunnar, you’re on Ember. Show them the way, Blaine. Stick together!”
Orders issued, we’re permitted to split apart and face the chaos spiralling out of control all around. I don’t know where to begin. Thankfully, Blaine takes the lead, his gun drawn, ready to attack.
We appear to be in a rough neighbourhood, surrounded by worn-down buildings tagged with graffiti. A couple of the rusted warehouses still appear to be in use, though there isn’t a soul in sight now.
The building in Blaine’s crosshairs is a smoking wreckage, the vaulted warehouse roof devoured by greedy flames. Even as we approach on high alert, a window explodes to create a shower of glass projectiles.
“Where is everyone?” I call over the roar of fire.
At my side, Gunnar’s head gaze sweeps the perimeter with determined, surgical focus. “Long gone.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means my father has already done what he intended to.” Blaine words are clipped. “We need to find the survivors.”
From the state of the building, I’m not sure if there will be any. Another chunk of corrugated metal roofing collapses inward, carrying a vast steel beam with it. More smoke and virulent flames engulf where it lands.
With nothing but destruction all around, my heart sinks inside my chest.
“Blaine—”
“No.” He spins to glare at me, cutting me off. “I have to find them! They’re here!”
“How do you intend to get inside?” Gunnar questions.
“We can find an entry point, there has to be somewhere…”
Rounding the fire-consumed wreckage, Blaine’s frenzy trails off. All three of us freeze in place for a shocked second. Several burned out vans cluster around what looks like an exit, sizzling wildly in the open.
From the haphazard angles of each abandoned vehicle, all were positioned to take off from the scene of the crime. Doors are still flung open, evidencing an attempt at fleeing, now hanging in blackened cinders.
“There are your survivors.” Gunnar motions without a trace of humour.
Instantly, Blaine takes off in a blur, leaving us to chase.
“Blaine! Wait!”
More smoke infiltrates my windpipe, cutting off my attempt to halt him. Tears stream down my cheeks, the moisture scorching my corneas from the proximity of open flames.
“Raye!” Blaine yells wildly. “Spyder!”
I bank left to check the first vehicle, covering my mouth and nose with a gloved hand. I’m able to get close enough to verify it’s empty. This one’s in the worst shape, all twisted up and scorched.
“Clear!” I shout.
Gunnar sticks close to me, his gun poised to mow down any unwelcome surprises. Together we head for the next vehicle, but it seems like Blaine has already checked it. There’s nothing inside but ashes and crisped-up boxes that once held supplies.
It’s an eerie scene, observing the clues that fill in the time it took us to arrive. The place looks like it was firebombed. Hard, fast and brutal. Then their getaway cars were doused and set alight for good measure.