Page 83 of Silver Linings

Please pick up. Please pick up. You promised we could count on you.

Nothing. He didn’t pick up. She’d leave him one last message.

“Gunner, I know you are on that surveillance job tonight, but Sage’s fever isn’t going down, and she’s screaming like she’s in pain. I have to take her to the hospital. I’m going to see if Mae can bring us. Please, let me know you’re okay and meet us there as soon as you can.” Lily tried to hold her voice steady, but knew she was failing as the familiar burn of emotions filled her throat. She ended the call and placed her phone in her back pocket.

“Okay, Sprout. Change of plans. Let’s see if Auntie Mae is home and can help.”

Lily carefully buckled Sage into her car seat, slung the diaper bag over her shoulder and grabbed the spare car seat base before heading into the hallway. She prayed Mae would understand the need to wake her.

Lily knocked on the door across the hall from hers, swinging the car seat gently back and forth to calm Sage. Well, if the knocking didn’t wake Mae up, her daughter’s siren wails certainly would.

The door opened slowly, and Lily nearly cried with relief.

“Lily? What’s wrong?” Mae’s sleepy face filled with worry.

“I’m so sorry, Mae. Sage has a fever, and it’s getting worse. She doesn't want to nurse and I need to take her to the hospital, but I can’t get a hold of Gunner and I was hoping you’d be able to drive us.”

“Oh god, of course I can. Do you have everything you need?”

“I think so.”

Lily watched as Mae grabbed her keys and walked into the hallway, reaching for the diaper bag on Lily’s shoulder. “Let’s go.”

Lily’s legs shook as she walked out onto the pavement of the parking lot where Mae’s car was. Sage’s screams pierced through the quiet night, making her anxiety skyrocket. Her baby was in pain, and there wasn’t a single thing she did that made her feel better.

“Poor thing,” Mae said as Lily secured Sage’s car seat into the car. “How long has she been like this?”

“All night. I’ve been watching her temperature since Gunner left and it just kept climbing, no matter what I tried. She’s still too young for any medicine, so aside from stripping her down to just her diaper and giving her a tepid bath, I wasn’t sure what to do. She missed her most recent feeding because she was just too fussy.”

“I think you made the right call, Lily. We’ll get her to the hospital and they’ll be able to take care of her.”

“Go over it again.” Gunner had heard the plan twice now, but he wasn’t taking any chances.

“There’s a small compound about a mile up the road from where we are parked now. At midnight, a group of Chaos Knights members are supposed to be arriving to meet with their Xyn suppliers. Gunner and Hawk will drive to an unmarked spot past the compound and walk back on foot, setting up the surveillance equipment. The most important part of this mission is getting confirmation of who their supplier is and what members of the Santoro organization show up tonight.”

“What’s going on in Dallas?”

“The team there is already in place and the other team lead, Special Agent Finnegan Arroyo, will be in direct communication with me tonight. We’re going to take every single person in that warehouse into custody and pray that we can help the women who they are trying to sell.”

“Fuckers.”

“Hold on to that rage, Gunner. We need all the evidence we can get against them, and that’s what tonight is about. If we walk away without obvious proof of these guys working with the Santoros, we can’t move forward with our plans to wipe both groups out on RICOs.”

“Yeah, Hawk and I get it. While the rest of you sit cushy in this van and watch our backs, we’ll be laying in the dirt getting the evidence.”

“Isn’t it good to be back, buddy?” Hawk slapped his shoulder. “And actually, there’s been a last-minute change of plans. Doc’s going with you instead of me.”

“Why? You getting too old?”

“No, dipshit. Maybe it isn’t about me. Maybe it’s about you.”

Gunner looked at Stone and rolled his eyes.

“I don’t need Doc analyzing my head.”

“I’m not even licensed to do that, Reap. I’m just making sure you’re really ready to be back with the team after your time away.”

“I’ve passed all the exams and had the counseling session with that quack Cap hired back in DC. I’m good. There aren’t any ghosts walking out in the field with me tonight.”

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