“I agree,” she nodded. “Especially after leaving this kind of carnage behind.”
“Can you track the plane?” Owens turned his hopeful gaze his daughter’s way.
Standing next to the team’s SUV, Shadow had the passenger door open as she used the front seat as a makeshift desk.
“Already working on it.” She didn’t bother looking up. “If I can access the right satellite, I should be able to use it to triangulate the jet’s GPS signal. From there,I can hack into the plane’s system and start tracking it until it lands.”
“Shouldn’t we be in the air, too, then?” Coulter looked to Rafe. “We could be at your team’s jet in like, what . . . fifteen minutes?”
“Less if I’m driving,” Apollo muttered low.
“You guys go.” Shadow turned Coulter’s way. “I can keep doing my thing, so when you’re ready to go wheels up, I’ll be able to give you a direction in which to fly.”
“She’s right,” Garrett agreed. “We can use the jet’s comms system to keep in contact with Shadow, like we do for any other op.”
“You sure?” Digger looked to his wife. “You can come with us if you want.”
But Shadow was already shaking her head. “It’s better if I stay behind. That way I’m closer to home if I need to access another program.”
“She can ride with me back into the city.” Agent Price looked to Coulter. “I’m assuming you want to go with your brother’s team?”
Oh, yeah. He was going. She could fire his ass for all he cared. It wasn’t like he planned to stay with the CIA after this, anyway.
Coulter nodded. “I’m going with them.”
“Keep me posted as much as you can.” Price dipped her delicate chin. “And good luck, Agent Morgan. I really do hope you find Miss Webb and that she’s okay.”
“Thanks.” He forced the smallest of smiles.
“We should go now,” Bones suggested. “Especially if we want any chance of catching up to Crawford once we figure out where he’s headed.”
“Be careful.” Shadow rose to her tiptoes and gaveDigger a quick peck on the lips. “You’d better come back to me in one piece. Oh, and I love you.”
The leader of Tac-Ops leaned in for a second go. “Love you, too, baby.” Digger kissed Shadow on the lips before pressing his mouth to her forehead.
The loving scene tore at Coulter’s aching heart. What if he never got the chance to kiss Alex again?
If you don’t, you’ll have no one to blame but yourself.
“Don’t do that.” Garrett eyed him closely. “Don’t beat yourself up or play the bullshit game of what-ifs.”
“How did you?—”
“I’ve been in your shoes.” A haunted look covered his brother’s serious gaze.
“We all have,” Apollo reminded him grimly.
Half-a-second later, Bones slapped a friendly hand against Coulter’s back. “And just like all those times, it’ll be mission success. You just have to hang in there, brother. Alex will be back in your arms before you know it.”
“Trust us, Colt.” Digger’s gaze locked with his. “This is what we do, remember?”
The corners of Coulter’s eyes began to sting, and he had to blink several times to keep the flood of emotions at bay. He wasn’t a member of Tac-Ops, and yet these guys were treating him as if he were a part of the team.
“Thank you.” He cleared his throat, turning to Shadow, Rafe, and even Agent Price, as well. “Thank you, all.”
His boss sent him what appeared to be a smile of encouragement. “Good luck, Agent Morgan. Now, go bring your girl home.”
An hour later, Coulter and the men of Tac-Ops were flying due west on the team’s private jet. In an impressive display of Shadow’s mad technical skills, the tiny blonde was able to locate Crawford’s plane.
