Page 65 of No Going Back

Chapter 11

“Twenty minutes, boys,” the pilot announced.

Gomez had regained consciousness a couple of hours ago. He’d cursed and bitched for a bit, but then he went silent when no one gave him any attention. They left the hood on, and kept his hands and feet tied. CIA were meeting them on the runway at the base to whisk him away.

The team got some sleep on the flight back, taking it in shifts to watch Gomez. Now everyone was awake, ready to land and go home. Tyler glanced at Dex. They hadn’t spoken since boarding the plane. As team leader, Tyler understood Dex’s need to protect his team and why he’d questioned his actions. Dex looked up, catching his eye, then moved to sit beside him.

“I know I was hard on you, but we both know that could have ended very differently.”

Tyler nodded. “I know. Coms were down.” He shrugged. “I made a call.”

“The dogs, the light, the hard drives. You did good.”

Surprised, Tyler sputtered, “Thanks.”

“I don’t like any of you taking unnecessary risks, but I respect that you had little time and made a decision. I guess we’ve all done that at times. Just don’t make a habit of it, OK?”

“You got it, boss.” Tyler smiled, relieved.

“You still feeling OK? That was some shock.”

“Yeah, I feel fine.”

“I spoke with Kelly before we boarded. Mira is with her at our place.”

Tyler’s smile faded and he leaned his head back, closing his eyes. “I know. Kelly texted me before we boarded.”

“Everything OK?”

“I don’t know. That’s the problem. She said Mira needed some space. No calls, no texts.” Tyler opened his eyes, facing Dex. “I need to talk to her.”

“Ty, if she asked Kelly to get you to back off, then maybe you should. If you want my advice, I would give her the space she’s asked for.”

“I’m trying to fix things. How can I do that if I don’t talk to her?”

“Look, let’s get home. I’ll check the temperature and call you. It’s probably a conversation best done in person anyway, right?”

Tyler nodded. “Yeah, you’re right.”

“Alright. Make sure you get yourself checked out when we land. Don’t want any surprises.”

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