“We need to know if you know how to be safe,” Hoots replies.
“Besides,” Cinco wades in. “We need to know what his intentions are with our girl. Is he honorable?”
“You guys are idiots.”
“Or where to buy the tiny condoms the SEALs use,” Cinco laughs.
“Fuck you both,” I laugh. “The only one who needs tiny condoms is you assholes.”
“B-window-six,” the tower control says, breaking into our conversation. “B-window-six. This is a reminder that you are on an open channel.”
“Uhh… my bad,” Hoots cackles.
We fly for several more hours before our time is done. Other than the original location, there’s nothing noteworthy, but it doesn’t matter if we found twenty suspicious locations or none at all, because I got to be free for a small glimpse of time. I got to fly through the air where there are no pressures of who my brother or my sister are; there is no worry that I won’t be good enough for them. And there’s no pressure to be something or someone I’m not.
We head back to the base, and when we land, we go through our post-flight check and then hand our babies off to the ground crew.
“Have a good night, Mack,” Woody says to me when I’m about ready to head to the barracks for a shower and chow.
“Thanks, Wood,” I reply with a genuine smile for my friend. “You too.”
“Sure thing,” he says quietly.
There’s something about his words, or maybe it’s the way he speaks them, that bother me, only I don’t realize what it is until it’s much, much too late. Instead, I make my way to my barracks room, waving a quick goodbye to my friends, and then I take a shower and throw on some clothes so I can meet back up with Cinco and Hoots for dinner.
We’re patrolling the same area in two days, so tomorrow I’ll get to work out and help with the flight plan for the other teams. And if I’m lucky, I’ll get to call Kyle and see what he’s up to. Actually, I think I’ll call my brother and his wife to see how they’re doing in wedded bliss. I’ll call Kyle the next day. Besides, I don’t want to overload him with my neediness.
Metal clanks, and my dream dissipates like the marine layer over the shores. My head is pounding, and my mouth feels like I’ve swallowed a pound of cotton. I need water. I’m not sure when I last had anything to eat or drink or even how long I have been here.
My body aches all over, and I feel like I’ve been run over by a truck… or ejected out of an eighty-million-dollar airplane.
I can’t help but wonder, does Kyle know I’m gone? Is he worried? Will he mourn me? Does my brother know what happened? Will it change him? I hope not to either. I want Ryan to live his life full and happy with his family, even if it means I’m not there to see it. And I want Kyle to live his life, to be free to love someone else, someone more deserving than me. Maybe he’ll meet a nice girl in Virginia that bakes cookies and loves him immediately, not someone who makes him work for every morsel of affection and is terrified to give their heart over to him.
“Name,” a heavily accented voice demands, and I shake my head. I know the drill. Once they have any information from me, I’m as good as dead. Although maybe that’s not a bad thing. If they really are using me to get to Ryan, then it’s better if I die. The last thing I’ll do on this Earth will be to protect my family.
He kicks me hard and swift to my ribs, and all the air in my lungs whooshes out as my body screams in pain. “I said name.”
“Black,” I whisper.
He kicks me again and again. “Rank?” And another kick.
“Captain.”
“Will anyone miss you, Captain Black?” he asks me, and I can tell by his tone of voice that my worst nightmares have come true. He already knows the answer, but I’ll still do my best to give as much as I want or don’t.
“No,” I lie.
“We’ll see about that,” he says. “Here’s some water. Try not to die while we wait.”
And then the metal door clanks and groans again, and he’s gone.
And I’m all alone. Again.
Chapter Fifteen
Kyle
Call you later
