AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“They found out we’re missing two rigs full of our people at the same time you did,” Ransom said.
“Your chopper. You had a damn bird on them,” Wit recalled. “Where is it?”
Ransom let out a deep sigh, and his head fell as he was unable to look Wit in the eye now too. “I don’t know. We lost communication, and they fell off grid. I’ve deployed a team to find them.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Wit began to pace, his shoulders rising and falling with every breath full of fury. “Who the hell are these people? We are an elite operation –– the best in the goddamn world, and even with the protection of the highest office in the land… they got us?”
“Nobody got anyone,” Coy calmly interjected, trying to reel Wit in. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Ran has a whole fucking army out looking for them and chasing down the bastards who got us here in the first place. Sit tight. Take a deep breath. They’re going to be fine.”
“That’s just it, man.” The sense of calm in Wit’s tone was more frightening than his rage. “I can’t breathe. I can’t fucking breathe. Not with her out there somewhere and off the grid. I can’t breathe.”
Wit leaned forward and rested his hands on his knees like he was suddenly out of breath. Fear consumed him in a way he’d never experienced –– Wit wasn’t afraid of anything –– except this. This was hisgreatestfear.
“It’s me they wanted.” Wit turned his head to the group. “They wanted me, and you used her instead. What the hell have you done? I’m sitting here unscathed, and she’s…”
He couldn’t finish his sentence. The sheer thought of her missing was breaking his heart. Anything worse would be soul-crushing. Wit yanked the keys Coy held from his hands and moved toward the SUVs, hitting the buttons on the key fob to determine which vehicle they belonged to.
Coy was hot on his heels. “Where the hell are you going?”
“To look for her!” Wit yelled. “To find Ayelish. Make a deal with the devil and trade myself for her.”
Coy caught up and grabbed Wit’s shoulder, turning him around to face him. “You know that’s not how this works. You leave here, and you’re as good as dead. So is she and the rest of the team with her.”
Wit pointed toward the closed roll-up door and yelled through the emotion that overcame him. “That’s my whole world out there. They’re my whole fucking world.”
Looks of confusion were exchanged by all as they tried to make sense of what Wit was saying.
“They?” Coy asked the question they were all tossing around.
“Ayelish and the baby. My baby. She’s fucking pregnant, man,” Wit cried. “And they’re missing.”
“Jesus.” Coy pinched the bridge of his nose.
“Jesus? Really? Where? This ain’t Jesus, man,” Wit argued. “This is—”
Wit was cut off by the sound of the steel roll-up door engaging, and everyone shuffled, pulling their weapons and dodging for cover, unsure what was about to rain on them. One equally mangled SUV, much like the others, rolled into the garage and parked haphazardly in the middle of the parking garage, and doors flew open.
“Mendoza!” Killion yelled, rushing to the back door of his vehicle. “Get Mendoza!”
Cane ran from the passenger side of the vehicle to meet Killion and help a blood-soaked and tearstained Ayelish from the back seat.
“Oh shit, Ayelish,” Wit said under his breath and rushed to her. “I got her. I got her.”
Killion and Cane were quick to hand her off to Wit and push them along, adding to the confusion as everyone came out from behind their chosen barrier. It was like organized chaos, rolling in slow motion as everyone rushed to Ayelish. Knowing she was pregnant was a game changer, especially seeing her bleed from her head and covered in it.
“It’s not me.” She began to cry. “It’s not me. I’m fine.”
Wit held her and turned back to see Cane and Killion pull Charlie Tango from the back seat, unconscious, and bleeding out from somewhere.
Ayelish’s voice quaked. “He’s hurt. It’s bad. It’s really bad.”
“Let’s get him upstairs to the medical suite,” Mendoza said. “I’m going to need help.”
“I’ll make the call,” Declan said, following them to the elevator.
“You’re okay?” Wit asked, holding her head in his hands. “None of this is yours?”
She shook her head. “It’s his blood. He covered me. Protected me. My head is just from glass, I think.”
