Chapter 14
Sabrina
Sabrina paced the main room of the safe house, anxiety tightening her chest with each passing minute. They should have called by now. Even accounting for extraction time and transport, they should have checked in again.
"Something's wrong," she said to Henry, who was monitoring communications at the desk.
"Could be radio silence protocol," he replied, though his expression betrayed his own concern. "Or they're out of range."
"Or something went wrong." Sabrina couldn't shake the sense of dread that had settled over her since Walker and Reed had departed hours earlier.
The kiss they'd shared in the kitchen played repeatedly in her mind—the heat of his mouth on hers, the solid strength of his arms around her, the promise of a future together that had shimmered between them. She couldn't lose him now.
Henry's phone rang, breaking the tense silence. He answered immediately, his expression shifting from hope to concern as he listened.
"What is it?" Sabrina demanded when he hung up.
"There's a situation," Henry said carefully. "Reed's team secured Kraslov and Thomas. They were en route back to the rendezvous point when contact was lost."
Sabrina's heart seemed to stop. "Lost how?"
"Their helicopter isn't responding to communications. Last known coordinates put them over forested terrain about fifteen miles south of the border."
The room spun around her. Sabrina gripped the back of a chair to steady herself. "A crash?"
"We don't know yet," Henry said, already moving toward the door. "Reed's backup team is mobilizing for search and rescue. We need to move."
"I'm coming with you," Sabrina stated, leaving no room for argument.
Henry looked like he might object, then nodded. "Grab a coat. It's cold out there."
The drive to the coordination point was the longest of Sabrina's life. Every minute that passed without news felt like an eternity. She tried to focus on what Walker would do in this situation—stay calm, think methodically, believe in training and preparation.
Reed's secondary team had established a command post at a remote ranger station. Multiple vehicles were already parked outside, and people moved with purposeful efficiency as Henry and Sabrina arrived.
A stern-faced woman approached them. "Henry. Ms. Clark. I'm Jenna, Reed's chief of operations."
"Have you found them?" Sabrina asked immediately.
"We have a probable crash site," Jenna confirmed. "Satellite imagery shows debris consistent with a helicopter. Search teams are en route now."
"Survivors?" Henry pressed.
"Unknown. We lost all electronic signatures, including tracking devices on Kraslov and Thomas."
Sabrina felt sick. "How long until the search team reaches them?"
"Terrain is challenging. At least two hours on foot from the nearest access point."
"Too long," Sabrina whispered.
Jenna's expression softened slightly. "We have the best people out there. If there are survivors, they'll find them."
If. The word echoed in Sabrina's mind, filling her with dread.
"I need to be out there," she said.
Henry placed a hand on her shoulder. "Sabrina, the search teams are professionals. We'd only slow them down."
