Page 52 of Knox's Mission

The chopper had been circling. It landed as Knox scanned the perimeter for Man Two.

“You’re a sight for sore eyes,” Hayes said as Knox dragged Junior over.

“Keep this one on ice for me, would you?” Knox asked his buddy. “I’m not quite done yet.”

Hayes saluted and then strapped Junior in a seat on the chopper, securing him. “Go get the bastard who shot at me, will you?”

“Consider it done,” Knox said.

As Knox got within five feet of the jungle, Man Two came out with his hands up in a move that felt like Christmas morning. It dawned on Knox that an underling wouldn’t leave the president’s son alone. He would be hanged and quartered.

Hayes jogged over. “I’ve got this one.”

He zipcuffed Man Two in a matter of a minute as Knox scoured the trees for any sign of Amy.

“I left her alone, man,” he said to Hayes.

Hayes put a hand on Knox’s shoulder. “She’s Garrett Hunt’s sister. She’ll find her way back.”

Heart pounding, pulse in his throat, he hoped like hell Hayes was right.

True to form, Amy came marching out of the forest wall with Lorna and Donnie trailing behind. Once she made eye contact with Knox, she started running.

Hayes mumbled something about giving the twoof them a minute before leading Man Two to the chopper.

Knox met Amy halfway. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. The camera jabbed him in the chest.

He pulled back and took it off her neck, letting it hang from his shoulder. “I’ll take care of this now.” If anyone else came, they needed to come for him. “There’s something I need to tell you, Amy.”

His heart thundered in his chest now.

“Okay,” she said, studying him and realizing this was serious.

“It’s my fault Garrett’s dead,” he said.

“No, it’s not,” she countered.

“It is,” he said, figuring he might as well brace himself for the rejection that was sure to come. It was going to hurt like hell but he needed to rip the Band-Aid off. “I switched seats with him. It should have been me.”

She shook her head. “We were given a report, Knox. Garrett shouldn’t have been in that seat in the first place. Everyone shifted around, it wasn’t just you.”

“You got a report?” he asked.

“Well, yes,” she said. “My brother died that day. The government thought we deserved as many details as possible.” Her expression softened. “Oh,Knox. You really thought this was your fault all this time.”

He nodded as moisture gathered in his eyes. Tears of relief tried to spill.

“It wasn’t,” she reassured. “Not that it matters, but you couldn’t have known what was going to happen and we all know you would have traded your life for his if that was an option.”

He nodded as a lump formed in his throat.

“Is that why you didn’t come to the funeral?” she asked before feathering a kiss on his lips.

Again, words escaped him. He nodded.

“I’m so sorry,” she said. “You have tried to be strong for everyone else for so long, but this is a burden no one person should have to carry. Ever. Garrett loved the bond between you two. Before you moved next door, he’d been acting out. He always told us that you’re the reason he changed.”

A tear slipped out. Knox coughed, trying to clear the emotion welling in his throat.

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