Page 20 of Honor Code

Billy collapsed on the deck, retching up seawater, his skin ghostly pale under the stark beam of the searchlight. Phoenix crouched down next to him, checking him over with shaking hands. The man was breathing but shivering violently, his lips tinged blue with cold. A livid bruise stood out on his temple where he must have struck something during his fall.

"Billy? Can you hear me?" Phoenix had to shout over the storm.

Billy's eyes fluttered open, unfocused. "C-Cold," he managed through chattering teeth.

Phoenix exhaled a shaky breath, relief and exhaustion hitting him like a physical blow. "Just hang in there, okay? We're going to get you back to the rig, get you warmed up. You're going to be fine." He reached for the survival blanket stowed under the inflatable's bench then tucked it around Billy's shivering form, trying to still the violent trembling.

He looked up at Boomer. "Let's get the hell out of here."

Boomer nodded, his face drawn and exhausted. He turned the inflatable in a wide circle, aiming the bow back toward the looming shape of the rig.

The journey back was a nightmare. The little boat struggled against the massive swells, and seawater slopped over its sides. Phoenix crouched over Billy's prone form, shielding him from the worst of it.

After what seemed an eternity, the rig loomed before them, a fortress of steel battered by the wind and waves.

As they drew near the launch zone, Phoenix and Boomer observed two figures bracing against the elements, waiting to assist. Together they tethered the inflatable to the hoisting straps and signaled the crane operator to commence the lift. Gradually, the vessel ascended toward the platform, laboring against the howling winds. The boat heaved and pitched as it was pummeled by the relentless storm.

“How is he?” Henderson asked, once they got to the top and the boat had been secured in the bay.

"He's alive," Phoenix reassured him as they transferred Billy's shivering form to the main deck. "But he needs medical attention."

“Help me take him to the clinic,” Henderson ordered, as two other men came to help. “Good job, guys.”

Phoenix looked out at the storm-wracked night, the wind howling like a wounded beast.

It was far from over.

The storm was intensifying, the worst yet to come. But for now, they were all safe. That was the main thing.

Phoenix straightened, wincing as his abused muscles protested. He met Boomer's eyes, saw his own exhaustion and grim determination reflected there. "We did it, brother. We got him."

Boomer gave a relieved nod, then raised his voice over the screaming wind. "Let's get under cover."

Together, they secured the inflatable and retreated below deck to wait out the worst of the storm.

CHAPTER 9

Ellie stared at the dripping figures of Phoenix and Boomer, who'd handed a trembling Billy over to the medical team. "How did you find him?" she asked.

"There was a beacon on the buoy," Phoenix replied, wiping his face with a towel.

"Nothing we haven't done before," Boomer said modestly.

She frowned. “You rescue a lot of people in the Navy?”

Boomer glanced at Phoenix.

"Actually, we were Navy SEALs," Phoenix explained.

Ellie knew the SEALs were one of the most elite special operations forces in the world, but she didn't know much beyond what she'd seen in the movies or read in books. Of course, they’d be tough, highly trained, and capable of handling just about anything, but the specifics of what they did were a mystery to her.

Still, she couldn't help but feel a sense of awe as she looked at Phoenix and Boomer, realizing they had once been part of this specialist group. The thought of the dangerous missions they must have undertaken and the incredible challenges they had faced was enough to make her break out in a cold sweat. She panicked at the mere thought of violence. How ridiculous that would sound to them.

It was no wonder they had been able to locate and rescue Billy with such efficiency and composure. It all made sense now. The way they carried themselves—the quiet confidence, the physical strength, and the unwavering focus.

Navy SEALs.

There was that fluttering in her chest again. After what she'd been through with Rafe, that protect and serve mentality was incredibly appealing.

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