“I don’t know if they have him,” Law said, “but it’s been eight minutes since you blacked out.”
Viper pushed upright with Law’s help, gripping the man’s arm hard—silent gratitude that he hadn’t left Titus behind.
“Mmmphmm.” A muffled sound came from his left. Viper turned his head.
The pilot sat tied and gagged against the bulkhead.
“You’ll pay for this,” Viper growled, stumbling to his feet.
“That’s what I told him,” Winter said with a quick grin. His sleeve was torn; a bloodied bandage hugged his forearm.
“You good?” Viper asked.
“This?” Winter snorted, lifting his arm. “Just a scratch.”
“Did you call him?” Viper demanded, turning on Law.
“I did, there was no answer.” Law said evenly. “I also called the ranch. Real, Rip, Crow, and Memphis are on their way to us—with several of the others.”
The rush of control bled out fast. Viper turned toward the open door, stomach twisting, and dropped to one knee. He heaved—water and half a power bar hit the dust, the taste of bile and grit sharp in his throat. Thank God there hadn’t been more in his gut.
Black was there in an instant, holding out a canteen. Viper rinsed, spat into the dirt, then drank deep.
Law gripped his arm and helped him to his feet. Viper steadied on the chopper’s frame, jaw tight, and slid into the pilot’s seat. His fingers found the controls.
The bird roared to life.
“Wait…” Law caught his arm. “How the hell are we supposed to find Titus out here?”
“We didn’t set off the beacon,” Viper said.
“You think he’s really going to set it off?” Winter asked.
Viper shot him a hard glare.
“All I’m saying is—he probably thinks we left him,” Winter said with a shrug.
“Wedidleave him,” Viper ground out, eyes cutting toward the tied-up pilot, glare sharp enough to draw blood.
“I mean, he probably thinks we left him… on purpose.”
“Boss, let me fly,” Law cut in before Viper could go off.
And he wanted to—wanted to yell, to tear into the whole fucking lot of them even though he knew none of them had left Titus on purpose. The fucking pilot would pay for it, though. Dearly.
“Come on,” Law coaxed, hand steady on his arm.
Viper drew in a hard breath. Law’s request made sense. What if he blacked out again? The air still felt thick, his head pounding in time with the rotor’s thrum.
“Give me your phone,” Viper ordered. Law shoved it into his hand, and Viper jammed the screen awake with his thumb.
Nobody was stopping until they found Titus.
He’d burn down the fucking world if he had to.
Law lifted the bird higher until the desert shrank beneath them. The rotors drummed steady overhead, vibrating through Viper’s chest. He scrolled fast, found Titus’s number, and hit call.
Ring.
