Page 80 of We Will Rise

He catches himself on the chair I’m standing on before he falls to his knees and takes a moment to collect himself.

I climb off the chair and return it to its place at the edge of the room, ignoring the way blood seeps from my wound and my wrists and thumb scream at me.

As quickly as I can manage, I move back to Crew and drop down in front of him, allowing myself a single moment of reprieve. I block out the pain, the despair, and the hopelessness, and rest my forehead between his neck and shoulder, dragging in the familiar scent.

He wraps his arms around me and holds me so tight it hurts my aching muscles, but I don’t care. For days I’ve imagined this moment, I’ve hoped for this moment, and finally I allow my unshed tears to well in my eyes and fall against my cheeks with a rough sob.

“I’ve got you, Little Menace,” he murmurs. “We’re getting out of here.”

I nod, but I know whatever lies beyond that door would be hard for two fit people to make it through. Two people who have been starved for days, who have been hanging in a single uncomfortable position, and one who has been losing blood for hours, is a tough ask, even as highly trained as we both may be.

“Let’s do it.”

CHAPTER SIXTY

KAOS

“They’ve spotted them,” Bishop announces, and the whole room falls silent for the first time in what seems like days.

“Where?” I ask, shoving myself to my feet. “The estate we’ve been watching?”

He shakes his head. “A warehouse deep in Davenport territory. One of our moles called it in after he was called to replace a guard that had to go home sick.”

“Fuck yes,” I breathe, immediately moving toward the gym where Kovu has been holed up for days apart from his small escape attempt that Elijah of all people talked him down from.

His eyes lock with mine as soon as I push the door open, and I don’t miss the way his breath catches in his throat. “We have Caleb and Davenport in our sights.”

Kovu’s entire body hunches in on itself, and a sound I haven’t heard from my best friend in many years escapes his chest. A sob.

Without hesitation, I cross the room and wrap my arms around him, showing him affection he’s rarely allowed from any of us. “We’re bringing them home,” I promise. We have no way of knowing if Crew and Camilla are hurt or even alive, but regardless, we’re getting them back.

He swallows heavily as he nods against my shoulder.

“We’re moving out in five,” Bishop says from the doorway. “Get your shit together because we’re going in hard and fast.”

“You ready?” I ask Kovu.

“Camilla’s never leaving the compound again after this.”

I chuckle, the sound devoid of humor. “Good luck with that.”

“I mean it.”

“I know you do, bud. But I think she’s going to have something to say on the matter.”

I look over my shoulder at where Bishop is watching us closely, and I tip my head back, beckoning him over. He pushes off the doorframe and strides across the room before immediately wrapping his arms around the two of us.

Before Camilla came along, we never would have embraced like this. But she’s softened us in the best possible way, and I can’t wait to have her back between us.

We pile into a series of vans we keep for operations just like this one, kitted up in more combat gear than the military going to war. But we’re no good to Camilla and Crew if we’re dead, and therefore we’re doing everything in our power to ensure we get to them safely.

Kovu is a ball of nervous energy, his leg bouncing restlessly as he checks his guns for the third time in the last five minutes, but I don’t say anything.

I’m just as on edge as he is.

We have no way of knowing what we’re walking into. No way of knowing if they’re okay, or if we’ll be finding their bodies. And I’m trying my best to steel myself for that possibility. It’ll come as a shock regardless, that much I’m sure of, but at least if I’ve considered the possibility, perhaps I can still be a useful member of the team.

Bishop and Storm speak in hushed voices as Elias drives our van closer to Davenport territory. As soon as we cross over, Charles and Caleb will know we’re coming. Hell, they probably already know, but our mole will let us know as soon as they get the order to lock the warehouse down.

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