The helicopter swings back over us, lower this time, close enough that the rotor wash shakes the ferns around our blind.Jade ducks instinctively and I cover her with my body until it passes.
“I need to know who’s in that bird.”
The satellite phone is a risk.The second I power it on, the signal could compromise our position.Anyone monitoring can triangulate.But sitting here blind while an unidentified aircraft circles overhead is worse than any signal risk.
I pull the phone from my pocket and power it up.
Longest twelve seconds of my life as it connects to a satellite.
When it’s live, I dial Agile’s encrypted line from memory.
Mako picks up on the first ring and he’s not alone, another voice cuts off in the background when he says, “Identify yourself.”
“Richter scale.”
A gust of air crackles over the line.“Jesus Christ.We’ve been searching for you.Are you together?”
“Affirmative.There’s a helicopter circling our position and I need to know if it’s ours.”
He responds instantly.“It’s ours.Hotchkins and Cardiff.They’ve been searching for you for two hours.Confirm your coordinates.”
Relief knocks the wind out of me.I give Jade a thumbs up.
I don’t have time to tell the team how they knew we were here.It doesn’t matter.
“Patch me through to Hotchkins.”
A click is followed by static.Then a voice comes on I haven’t heard in years but would recognize in my sleep.
“Ryker.Goddamn am I glad to hear your voice.”
“Hotch.I need you to listen.I’m on the northeast face, about three quarters up, in a cluster of downed trees against a rock outcrop.I’ve got Jade with me.She’s injured, dehydrated, needs medical attention.”
“Copy.We’ve been making passes.Haven’t been able to ID anyone specific on thermal because we don’t know who’s who down there.”
“Four hostiles still on the mountain.Two are southeast, probably paired up.Two are north, working downhill.I just took my second one so they may have heard the shot.I need an LZ.”
“There’s a clearing on the south face.Mudslide scar.”
My pulse kicks up.“I know the one.I’ll bring her to you.Give me fifteen minutes.”
“Copy.We’ll hold until you’re close, then drop in.”
“Hotch.I’ve got electronics off one of the hostiles.Sat phone and a cell with a tracking app showing hunter positions.I need signal blocking bags waiting on the bird.Have them ready.”
“Will do.Anything else?”
“That’s it.” I watch Jade, my damned heart crammed into my throat.“Thanks for coming, man.”
“Wouldn’t be anywhere else, brother.”
I kill the call and power the phone down.
“It’s our chopper,” I crouch next to Jade, rubbing my hand up and down her back.“Agile sent it.Thane Hotchkins, a buddy of mine is up there.He’s been looking for us since we went dark.”
Tears glisten on her cheeks, she’s silent, and after a beat, she lifts her head and wipes her face with the back of her hand.
“What do we do?”
