Tyler shoots me an offended look. “Of course. Security won’t be an issue.”
“Eight minutes out,” Memphis announces.
All my muscles tense. Adrenaline surges.
“Once we’re inside,” I say, “we should fan out. Ace and I will check the basement. Tyler and Owl, you take the main floor. Whoever finds Noelle first, the other team moves in for backup.”
Ace and Tyler both lift their chins in agreement. “Roger that.”
Owl turns in the co-pilot seat and nods. “Roger.”
Memphis adds, “I’ll stay with the helo, so we’re ready for takeoff. There’s an extensive medi-kit on here, and I’m trained as a medic. If Noelle needs immediate medical care, Owl or Webb can take over as pilot.” He pauses. “But if you need me inside right away, I can be.”
My stomach makes another nauseating lurch, rebelling against the image his words evoke—Noelle unconscious, her bones broken, her heart faltering from traumatic blood loss…
As the roar of the rotors intensifies, Tyler raises his voice to be heard. He holds my gaze as he says, “We’re going to get her out, Spidey. Blade and Arrow hasn’t failed yet, and we’re not starting now.”
I wish his words brought more comfort. But, shit. I’m just too damn scared.
Rather than allowing myself to fall prey to my fear again, I reach into the large duffel at my feet and start going through the stockpile of weapons inside. I’m already armed with my Sig and a Ka-Bar, but I also grab a taser, a canister of mace, extra zip-ties to add to the bundle I always keep in my pocket, and a coilof reinforced rope. “Anyone else?” I ask while gesturing at the duffel. “Mace? Taser?”
Ace reaches down to take a taser and a second blade. “This’ll be good for me.”
Tyler shakes his head. “I stocked up before we left.”
“Owl?” I ask. “Need anything?”
He turns and extends his hand out to me. “I’ll take some of those zip ties. Can never have too many of those.”
Once we’re all fully armed, our focus turns to the landscape beneath us. As we close in on the landing zone, I search for Accetta’s house in the distance, finally spotting the one-story ranch tucked amid a smattering of trees. A narrow driveway winds to the house, maybe a half mile or so from the main road. Several outbuildings and a large garage are scattered around it, and what looks like a large barn is set back a short distance behind.
Is Noelle in there still?
I tap the tracking app to open it again, even though I just checked on Noelle’s location only minutes before. But I have to look. It’s a compulsion. I need to see with my own eyes that she hasn’t moved.
Unless—
No.No more what-ifs. Not now.
My body unclenches as soon as I see Noelle’s little red dot on the screen, still in the same place it was before. Though it’s just a small thing, this tiny flashing red dot, it soothes me. I touch my finger to the screen, allowing myself a momentary fantasy that it’s her I’m touching instead. That somehow, she’ll know I’m close, that I’ll be there soon, that she just needs to hang on a little longer.
Turning to Ace, I take a deep breath before saying, “Ace. I want you taking point in there. Depending on what we find inside…”
He stares at me for a second before giving a quick nod. “On it, Spidey.”
“One minute from touch down,” Memphis reports. “Looks like we shaved off ten minutes.”
I glance from Ace, to Tyler, to Owl, and finally, to Memphis. “Thank you for doing this. I can’t say how much?—”
“Shut up,” Tyler interrupts. Then he kicks my leg with his prosthetic foot, which hurts a shit-ton worse than a regular one. At my involuntary wince, he adds, “What did I say about this before? We’re a team. There’s no thanks about it.”
I kick him back. “Stop kicking me with that thing. It fucking hurts.”
He smirks. “I know. Silver lining and all.”
Then the helo begins to descend, and we all fall silent.
When emotion threatens to take over again, I ruthlessly shove it back.
