At first, he couldn’t even breathe, but then a deep, gut-wrenching roar began building its way out of his lungs.
He’d just opened his mouth to release it when Ryker called out, “I don’t think she is.”
Gabe and the others turned to see the Homeland agent making his way to them from the east side of the ranch. Keeping his injured arm steady against his side, he looked angry. And determined.
“The whole damn place just blew to fucking bits, Ryker,” Matt snapped. “No one could’ve survived that.”
Ellena’s face appeared in Gabe’s mind. She was smiling. Laughing. Her blonde hair swaying in the wind.
Ah, Jesus. How am I supposed to go on without her?
Ryker walked past them, toward the trees from which they came. “Let’s get back to cover and then we can talk.” To the other team, he ordered, “Ghost, meet us over here. Keep your men in position, just in case.”
Broken, Gabe shook his head woodenly. Unable to look away from the burning mass he ignored the tears rolling down his face as he told Ryker, “I’m not leaving her.”
He started for what used to be Radcliff’s house when a low curse hit his ears. “Goddamn it, Dawson.” Ryker grabbed his arm to stop him. “Do you want to get your girl back or not?”
Gabe stopped, but he didn’t look at the other man. “You heard them.” Grief left his voice flat. “She’s—”
“Alive would be my guess. But if she is, she won’t be much longer.”
A brief moment passed before Ryker’s words finally sank in. Gabe frowned even as hope bloomed inside his aching chest. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
“Trees. Then we talk.”
They immediately turned and followed the man as Ghost jogged over to join them from his previous post. The second Gabe’s foot hit the tree line, he growled a low, “Talk.”
Ryker stepped through the wiry brush, stopping a few feet in. Facing the small group, his eyes landed on Zade’s.”
“You were right. Radcliff set this whole thing up.”
“No shit,” Gabe groused. “If this is why you brought us in here…” He started to leave, but Ryker’s next words stopped him in his tracks.
“There’s a tunnel.”
Gabe slowly turned back around. “What?”
Rather than answer the question, Ryker slid his gaze to Ghost. “You or your guys see Radcliff or anyone else flee the house?”
“No.” Ghost shook his head. “We took out the two guards out back upon initiating the mission, but no one came out after that.”
With a hand to his ear, Ryker then spoke through the coms to Ghost’s men. “Delta, you copy?”
“We copy,” Truck’s deep voice came through.
“Any signs of movement on your end?”
“Negative. Nothing but flames as far as we can see.”
“Keep your eyes peeled.” Ryker began speaking to Gabe again. “That’s what I thought.”
“What?” Gabe demanded to know. “What did you think? BecauseIthink Radcliff just torched himself along with…” He stopped, clearing the emotion from his throat before he continued. “Along with anyone else who was in that house.”
“Think about it, Dawson. A guy like Radcliff isn’t going to go through the trouble of killing off witnesses and setting up elaborate trades just so he can off himself a few hours later.”
“Unless he knew there was no way out,” Zade disagreed.
Ryker looked back at the group. “I think thereisanother way.”
