Page 82 of Lethal Weakness

“Mommy stuckk– I scared,” she cries, and I hold her against my chest.

That means she might be alive. She could be okay.

“I know, you’re so brave. But I’m going to get her. Okay? I’m going to get your mommy back.”

“O-Otay,” she sniffles, laying her head on the pillow as she shakes.

Fuck, I don’t want to leave her, but I don’t want her to lose her mom either if there’s still a chance to save her.

I will save her.

“Baby bird is in the nest,” I speak into my com, flipping the TV to Barney as if Avery cares, but trying to give her some semblance of comfort. “I’m going back into unknown conditions.”

“En route, Eagle-One. ETA twelve minutes,” a voice in my ear chirps.

I step out of the room and holster two more handguns before slinging my rifle strap over my chest.

I glance back into my room at the little bundle of blankets shivering on my bed, and take a staggering breath, cupping my hand over my ear so my voice comes in loud and clear. “No one scares the girl. If one hair is out of place when I get back, someone will die.”

I step to the bed and cup Avery’s trembling cheek. “I’ll be right back, sweetie.”

“Otay, Mr. Jack.”

I kiss her head, and as soon as I lock her into my room. I’m sprinting out the door again, and this time, deeper into the unknown.

On a normal op, I’d go slow and calculate each step, but this isn’t normal, and I am way more emotionally invested than I’ve ever been in my life.

I’d walk straight through hell to get to Linden. And I’d do it unarmed.

But luckily, that’s not the case tonight. I have a lot of firepower, and I’m going to make sure every bullet is spent.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Linden

Voices carry through the trees in front of me, and my entire body is locked, frozen in fear. I’m trapped, and Avery is gone. They have every reason to kill me on sight.

I just want my baby.

Flashes of light flicker across the brush as they get closer and closer. A line of guards who look more like trained soldiers step into the moonlight as the trees thin out.

Very quickly, a singular beam of light blinds me.

“Where’s the girl?” A deep voice asks, but I can’t see his face.

I shake my head, but I can’t make my mouth move.

The light gets brighter as he steps closer and tugs swiftly at the chain attached to my ankle, making my scream of pain echo through the air.

“Where is she?” He yells this time.

“She– She got lost.”

He kicks my shin, inches above the trap, and I howl in agony until my vision goes white, and I know the flashlight isn’t the culprit. My stomach rolls, and I turn my head just in time to wretch into the dirt beside me.

Sweat’s coating my face, and I know if they don’t kill me, the pain will. Maybe they’ll just leave me out here to be eaten by the coyotes.

My head lulls to the side because I’m still woozy, and I don’t hear him speaking the first time.