“I going to marry Gage,” he said. “And I need you to make that happen for me.”
Silence.
“I will make that happen for you.” Meridian’s tone was flat but confident. “Come to my place. Now.”
The line went dead.
White Ravens
Gage
The War Room was emptying as Roz led their field team toward the deployment bays. Ten sets of boots advancing with the same discipline as the Ravens, all of them dressed in white to match their division.
Gage stood with Scar at the end of the table, in their combat whites, hoods back for the meeting but ready to come up the second they stepped into the field.
Jo dismissed them with a short nod.
They’d prepared for a week. No further speeches or warnings were needed.
Scar touched the small of Gage’s back as they turned to leave. He wasn’t steering him. It was the silent check-in he liked to do.
They walked down the glass hallways, shoulder to shoulder, security flanking them on both sides.
The PA system came on overhead, filling each area of the headquarters.
“White Ravens launch. Field code Alpha. Dual asset deployment confirmed. All essential units stand by.”
The roof door opened and the cool spring air caressed his face.
He stepped onto the helipad, hearing its open echo and a presence so stealthy it barely made a sound.
Scar stopped.
“Oh shit, is that ours?” he whispered as if he were staring at a mythical creature.
Gage angled his head. The aircraft was quiet but awake.
Their pilot met them halfway and introduced himself.
“Lieutenant Colonel Grant Kincaid, Ravens Air Unit, Retired US Air Force.”
His voice was steady and full of pride, his handshake firm and brisk.
“Lock in, we’re airborne in two minutes.”
Gage didn’t know their pilot’s credentials, but he assumed no one ended up flying them if they weren’t the best.
Inside, it wasn’t just a chopper. It was a luxurious flying command center.
The leather seats were ergonomic and butter-soft leather, the cabin lighting adjustable—so he was told—and technical panels restructured for vision-impairment were at his fingertips.
His assistant for flight and field missions took his arm in his and moved him through the cabin on a quiet tour, describing everything with professional brevity.
He ran his palm along the edges of surfaces, building a map in his head. He liked knowing where everything was. He liked knowing that if something went sideways, he wouldn’t be searching.
Roz and the field team began checking gear and running comms tests.
He and Scar were supposed to sit and get their heads synced and ready.
