Zain nodded, glancing around. “Where’s Price?”
Bodie’s heart thumped over hard, an emptiness settling in his gut as he rolled his shoulders. Grunted. “Didn’t make it.”
“Shit.” Zain made a few hand signals to the rest of his crew. “Chase just needs a bit more time to stabilize Wade before he can put him in the helicopter. Hang tight. Kash and I’ll hold down the line.”
“We’re not dead yet, buddy.”
“Have you looked at your leg? Because it suggests differently.”
On cue, fire laced up Bodie’s thigh, all the metal burning to life. He wasn’t sure if it was only the new chunks or some of the older fragments the military doctors hadn’t removed — the ones where extraction would have caused more damage than good. Regardless, the pain blurred the edges of his vision, had the scenery tilting off to one side.
Buck’s hand landed on Bodie’s shoulder. “By the look on your face, it’s later.”
Bodie chuckled. “You’ve become a real pain in my ass, you know that?”
“Don’t get ahead of yourself, Bodie. The right day, the right trigger…” Buck tapped his temple. “It’s still ten shades of crazy up here.”
“Can’t ask for more than you gave today, brother.”
Buck’s mouth quirked. He wasn’t completely wrong. Buck still had moments of confusion, where the veil between reality and conspiracy thinned, but he’d turned a corner after nearly dying a year ago — helping save Greer — had pulled himself out of the abyss.
Zain cupped Bodie’s shoulder. “Chase is ready. We’ll lay down cover fire. You three haul ass for the chopper. Make sure Special Agent Scott gets onboard, too, because she might be even more stubborn than you lot.”
Buck eyed Bodie. “Special Agent Scott?”
Bodie nodded. “That badge she mentioned earlier. She’s National Park Service, Investigative Services Branch. Hardcore, as you’ve witnessed.”
“Sounds like the kind of girl you’ve been looking for.”
“Shut up and run.”
They took off, Zain and Kash peppering the lower ridge with gunfire — scattering whatever forces remained. Bodie waved Buck and Dalton aboard, staring at Rowan as she stood beside him, her gaze still searching the hilltop, her service weapon at the ready. He arched a brow, but she merely motioned him up.
He jumped in, then grabbed her hand and tugged her inside. She tripped against him, lighting up his thigh, though, the way her hands landed on his chest helped dull the pain a bit — made it more annoying than mind-numbing.
Zain, Kash and Nyx leaped inside amidst more gunfire, a few of the bullets ticking off the belly as Foster picked up the machine, virtually tossing it off the cliff.
Rowan cinched her hands around Bodie’s arm, inhaling against the rush of wind and sky — the pines bowing against the downwash as the helicopter skimmed the side of the ridge, putting significant distance between them and the hot zone before Foster eased up — headed south.
Bodie glanced out the window, staring at the shrinking peak. How everything dissolved into shadows as night clawed away the last of the light. He caught a glimpse of the blast sight, a few smoke trails still curling out of the canopy.
He’d come back. Do right by Evan. See justice served. No hesitation. No excuses.
The pressure on his chest eased slightly, until Chase started calling out numbers — Kash handing his buddy blood and meds. Slicking up the defibrillator pads.
Rowan shifted over, giving Chase more room to work, the man’s hands moving with laser precision as he repacked Wade’s leg — mumbled something about a couple pieces chewing through his vest.
Bodie met Chase’s gaze. “Chase? Is he…”
Chase cursed under his breath. “Not losing another brother tonight, Bodie.” He layered on more sponges and gauze. “How bad are you bleeding? And don’t think about lying. I’ll know.”
“I can wait.”
Chase arched a brow as he caught Rowan’s attention. “Well, Rowan? Can he wait?”
Rowan scoffed. “That depends on whether he wants to walk into Providence or get wheeled in. If he’s fine passing out before we land, he can wait.”
“That’s what I thought.” Chase passed her some supplies. “Would you mind at least slowing the inevitable?”
