Page 180 of Bend

“Wolfe, come on.”

Nothing.

Then Sayshen is there.

I don’t see him cross the bay. One second I’m standing beside Andre with both hands locked around my headset, and the next my brother is at my side, one hand gripping my shoulder while the other comes around my back like he’s ready to catch me if my legs give out.

“Echo.”

I can’t answer him.

Reign and Revel are right behind him now. Revel looks completely wrong without some smart-ass comment sitting on the edge of his mouth, face gone pale and blank while Reign stands beside him with his jaw clenched tight.

Sayshen’s hand squeezes my shoulder. “Talk to me. What happened?”

I shake my head because I don’t know how to explain something my brain still refuses to understand.

Wolfe was talking.

Two seconds ago he was fucking talking.

Talking means alive.

Alive means there’s still something to fix.

My mind grabs onto that and refuses to let go.

Andre’s radio crackles.

“Red flag.”

Revel closes his eyes.

Reign looks down at the ground and swears under his breath.

Sayshen pulls me a little closer, but I wrench my attention back to Andre and grab his forearm.

“Did they get to him?”

“They’re responding.”

“That’s not what I asked. Did they get to him?”

His eyes meet mine. “Yes.”

“Is he conscious?”

“I don’t know.”

“Then ask.”

“I am.”

“Ask again.”

“Echo—”

“Please, Andre. Ask.”