But she couldn't make herself move.
Steele's head turned on the litter. His eyes found hers across the twenty meters of darkness. Held her gaze even through the pain and the medication and the exhaustion.
She crossed the distance without thinking. Without planning. Without considering what it meant that she couldn't let him leave without saying something.
Risk and Bulldog paused, the litter between them. Giving her space. Giving her a moment.
Mara looked down at Steele. At the man who'd bought her time with his blood. At the operator who'd made a choice that had changed everything. At the person whose face she'd seen every time she closed her eyes for three days.
"You're going to be okay," she said. The words felt inadequate. Insufficient. Too small for what was happening in her chest.
"Thanks to you." His voice was rough but steady. His eyes were clear despite everything. "You came back."
"Told you. We don't leave people behind."
"Not what I meant."
She knew what he meant. Knew he was asking about the connection. About what she'd said in the basement. About whether she'd meant it or if it had just been something to say to keep him moving.
"I meant it," she said quietly. "In the basement. What I said. I couldn't stop seeing your face."
His hand moved on the litter. Reached for her. She took it without thinking. His grip was weak but present. Real.
"Logan," he said. "My name is Logan Reed."
Not Steele. Not the call sign. His real name. The thing he gave to people who mattered. The thing that made him more than just an operator.
"Mara," she replied. "Mara Lennox."
They already knew each other's names. Had exchanged them during the video call planning the operation. But this was different. This was personal. This was him giving her something real in the darkness while his team waited to take him away.
"I'm going to find you," he said. The words came out with absolute certainty despite his condition. "When I'm out of the hospital. When I can walk. I'm going to find you and we're going to figure out what this is."
"You don't even know where to look."
"I'll figure it out." His grip tightened slightly. "You're not the kind of person who disappears. And I'm not the kind who gives up."
Mara felt something shift in her chest. Something settle. Like a decision being made without her conscious input. "Louisiana," she said. "When you're ready. Ask Bulldog about Beth. She'll know how to reach Quinn. Quinn will know how to reach me."
"Louisiana," he repeated. Like he was committing it to memory. Like it mattered more than anything else in his world right now.
Hawk's voice cut through the moment. "We need to move. Base medical is expecting us."
Mara squeezed Logan's hand once, then let go. Stepped back. Let his team do their job.
Risk and Bulldog carried the litter to Delta's vehicle. Loaded him into the back where Ghost was already setting up to monitor vitals during transport. Professional. Efficient. Getting their team leader to safety.
Hawk paused next to Mara. "We owe you. All of you. What you did tonight, coordinating with us, risking your operation to help extract one of ours. That's not something we'll forget."
"You would've done the same."
"Maybe. But you actually did it." He held out his hand. Mara shook it. "If you ever need anything. Ever. You know how to reach us."
"Same."
Hawk climbed into the vehicle. The doors closed. Engines revved. And then Delta Force was pulling out, heading back toward Erbil Air Base and the medical facilities that would put Logan back together.
Mara stood in the darkness and watched them go. Watched the taillights disappear into the Iraqi night. Watched the man whose face had haunted her for three days drive away.
