Page 117 of Never the Same

“I got her,” an Irishman said from behind me, and I twisted around to see another operator there with us, his NVGs in place. I had to assume it was Sebastian.

“I’m so sorry.” Lyra reached for me, but I pulled my arm free of her touch and slowly stood with Jason’s help.

“Find your family,” I told Kylo. “Stay safe.” I nodded my thanks to Sebastian and the other operator with him, then took off with Jason and Alex, ready to take out the traitors who’d started this chain reaction of betrayal.

Once we were back outside, the storm had eased up, but it was still raining. There was a pair of ATVs waiting for us alongside the Falcon Falls operators, Jesse and Griffin.

I flung my rifle behind me in preparation for the ride, and Jason wasted no time, swinging me onto the vehicle behind him.

He shifted his rifle to his chest so it wouldn’t press up against me and drew my arms around his waist to hang on tight.

“Ryder, Julian, and Gideon tried to pursue behind them in the tunnel, but they were cut off. Part of the tunnel blew up, blocking their path. They’re working their way back up top now,” Jesse informed us. “No casualties.”

Thank God.

“I have the coordinates Kylo gave us,” Jason began, the rain still pouring, “but I’m not sure—”

“Gwen hacked a satellite overhead,” Jesse interrupted with what I hoped would be good news.

“She found the exact location Kylo mentioned. There are two SUVs parked in a clearing in the woods where Cassian and the others should be coming out up top. Easton will do a flyover of the area once you’re closer and spotlight it for you,” Griffin shared. “Gideon’s pilot is coming back for us. We’ll be right behind you.”

“Thank you,” I said just before we started forward, kicking up mud with the tires as we pulled out.

The ride was rough and bumpy, and rain continued to fall as he drove us along a muddy trail in the woods.

Since Kylo’s cousins were going on foot with two hostages, we had a shot at getting to their SUVs when they did.

I straddled closer to Jason as the rain picked up, hammering our helmets and goggles. Branches clawed at us, lightning painting the forest in violent strobes.

Every second that passed, it was like we were racing death itself, the ground beneath the tires slippery, the path uneven.

We broke into the clearing just as Gwen came over comms, announcing, “We’ve got you in our sights.” She and Easton had to be within range if they could join our frequency.

I couldn’t hear the blades of the helo with the storm violently raging, but light poured down as promised. We knocked our night vision up the second it made contact and lit up the ground. It also exposed multiple figures near the two SUVs.

Jason and Alex took a hard turn and shifted as gunfire sprayed at us. They killed the engines, and we hopped off and took cover to engage.

“This is Foxtrot One,” my brother came in over comms. “We’re about to drop in out of view from the spotlight.”

“Roger,” I confirmed before squeezing off a round, taking down a hostile.

Jason tapped my shoulder and slipped by me, dropping two tangos before I could even track his rifle.

I tried to put eyes on my mother and Tristan out there beneath the light. Someone was currently shoving her in the back of an SUV. She had to still be drugged. But Tristan? He was fighting back, trying to break free and help her.

“We have friendlies in the mix,” I warned over comms to Gideon and the others before they joined the fight. “The prince is working to get free,” I shared at the sight. “The queen is inside an SUV and drugged.”

“This is Foxtrot One, that’s a good copy.”

“Delta One here, we’re coming up on your flanks. We see you,” Ryder transmitted a minute later as Alex took out the man Tristan was still battling, now enabling my brother to get a weapon.

I stayed tight behind Jason, rifle steady, as he took a knee by Alex, forcing me to duck behind them.

“This is Delta One. On my mark . . .”

I tuned out Ryder and the orders he was giving, because all I could focus on was the woods, knowing someone was out there watching me.

I didn’t want to distract Jason or Alex as they continued to pick off each target one by one, so I twisted around as quietly as possible and stood. That was when a figure stepped into my line of sight from the tree line.