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My condition was rapidly deteriorating.
Would I even wake up the next time?
Terror flooded through me as I heard my jailer rummaging through his belongings.
Please, not again! Not again!
My body was beaten and broken, but I at least wanted to keep my brain intact.
I choked back a sob of anger and helplessness as I felt the needle go into my arm.
The drugs this criminal gang possessed were potent, and I knew I only had a few moments before I’d sink into the darkness, wondering if I was ever going to wake up again.
Judging by my confusion with each awakening, I was fairly certain they were upping the dose with every injection, hoping to keep me quiet for a longer period of time.
I knew my fight to stay conscious was fruitless, but I tried to struggle against the effects of the drugs anyway.
Someone must have noticed that I’m missing.
My crew must be looking for me.
My death wasn’t atotalcertainty as long as rescue was possible, right?
I tried to not to panic and hang onto that tiny thread of hope as I tumbled into the big black hole that instantly swallowed me whole—again.
Chase
“You doing okay?” Wyatt asked quietly from his seat in a recliner as we made our way to Panama in my private jet.
My brother and I had discussed the confession that Torie had made at headquarters right after we’d boarded, but we’d been fairly quiet for the last few hours.
My eyes flew to his face as I listened to the quiet rumble of the jet engine bringing us closer and closer to our destination. We’d both been going through the paperwork that Marshall had given us on Savannah. “Yeah. Why do you ask?”
Wyatt shrugged. “I haven’t seen you bouncing your leg around like that for years. Are you nervous?”
I opened my mouth to deny that I was anxious, but suddenly realized that Ihadreverted to a nervous habit that I’d broken a long time ago.
My leg was jumpy, like I was more than impatient to arrive at the airport in Central America.
Shit!I had nixed that annoying and telling habit years ago—right after I’d joined the 160th. Showing any sign of emotion during an operation was dangerous.
I immediately stopped the jerky motion.
“Sorry,” I mumbled as I noticed the concern in Wyatt’s gaze. “I’m not nervous about the mission in general, even though we haven’t done one ourselves in a long time. I’ll have your back. I just want to get Vanna the hell out of there.”
My older brother’s expression was grim as he answered, “Never once did I worry about the mission or your abilities. I’m asking as your older brother if you’re jittery about Savannah. To be honest, I’m worried about her, too. It’s going to kill Torie if we can’t bring her back alive. And I’ve always liked Savannah. I didn’t spend as much time with her as you have in the past, but she’s a good person, and a damn good journalist. She doesn’t deserve this.”
I let out a heavy sigh. Wyatt and I had always been close. Yeah, we argued and he could be a sarcastic, cynical asshole at times, but I never doubted that he gave a shit about his family and people he cared about. He was usually all business when he was on a mission, but this one was obviously a little different because he knew and cared about Savannah, and she meant everything to Torie.
I may have spent more years with Savannah when she was younger, before I was off to college, but that didn’t mean he didn’t consider her family. She was Torie’s best friend and a woman who had been at our little sister’s side during the worst experience of her life. That was good enough for Wyatt to feel protective of Savannah.
“She’s more than a good person,” I admitted. “She’s fucking amazing, Wyatt. Just the thought of her being in pain or being in trouble doesn’t sit well with me.”
He nodded. “I figured,” he said simply.
“What does that mean?” I asked as I shot him a confused look.
“She’s more to you than just Torie’s best friend,” Wyatt replied, his tone annoyingly confident.
