Page 77 of Evening Shadows

She quirked a brow, even knowing she needed to back down and let everyone do their job in this op. She just hated that even though she’d rested and replenished her energy, she couldn’t be an active member.

“Look, Sugar, I didn’t say you weren’t capable. I need you to be away from any threat. That means you get your ass on that bird. No more discussion.” He moved them back in front of Ken and Franks.

Not being able to be part of the protection was a hit to her ego. Yet, she was comforted that the team went to this length to protect her and Ken.

Her heart pounded in her chest. Having Jesse and Nemo covering them bolstered her courage.

“Go, go, go.” As they stepped out into the open, they ran toward their transport home.

With their sharpshooters in the birds and agents fanning out to protect her and Ken’s trip, she had no idea to what extent Bev would go to recapture them or get to both Ken and Jesse at the same time.

Her stomach tightened at the thought she’d almost been a part of this lunacy.

A shot rang out from the bird, and she reacted unconsciously, stopping and spinning with her weapon at the ready. Before she could search for targets, Grits wrenched her back around.

“What the hell did I say? Get your ass on that bird!” he shouted to be heard over the noise of the engines.

Three-quarters of the way to safety, she chanced a glance over her shoulder and almost stumbled at the uncoordinated move. What she saw almost stopped her heart. Ken and Franks had gone down.

Not caring what Grits said, she stopped and ran toward them. Damn if he didn’t stop her by grabbing her arm again. She tried to wrench away, but he held firm. He leaned in close so she could hear. “We’ve got him.” Doc rushed up from his position and helped the two men up. He’d nearly lifted them both himself. Ken had his arms around each of their shoulders, and they hustled forward.

Grits turned her and they raced the remaining steps as their sharpshooters fired off more rounds.

Stepping on the rail and with her heart galloping away on her, she lifted herself to climb aboard. When Grits put a hand under her butt and pushed her in, she sprawled across the floor. Instead of feeling contrite about it, he yelled for her to move. “Now,” he added in a firm yell.

With another adrenaline boost firing through her, she scrambled across the floor, careful to avoid Jesse as he fired again. Once again, she turned and lowered her rifle to take up a support position, but Doc and Franks basically launched Ken onto the floor at her feet. Grits gave her a quick glance that bounced between her face and her weapon, so she set it aside and reached down to help Ken, but Doc leaped in—the big man was amazingly agile—and he quickly got Ken situated. No first-class airplane seats on this trip. Jesse might be kicking himself for running this op pro-bono after adding two cargo helicopters to the final extraction.

Her eyes met Ken’s, and he smiled at her. Her heart fluttered. All the walking and running had to have taken a toll on his leg. Not that they’d helped it the night before. While not a doctor by any means, she suspected the real doctor might have a problem with the wound not being stitched right away. More than likely he’d give Ken that cane he hated back for a while.

The next men to enter took up positions to protect the final agents entering. Those seated donned their headsets, and when Grits—the last to enter—made it aboard, he told the pilot to get them in the damn air or their bird would be decorated with bullet holes.

It wasn’t until they’d flown well away from the area that the team relaxed and switched to a channel for just them so the pilots wouldn’t have to deal with their chatter.

As the fear and excitement from the extraction left her, she trembled with relief and suppressed rage as they joked with Jesse about getting Reagan to change her rule. The fact that they weren’t bound to follow orders from a child hadn’t seemed to occur to them.

Looking at all the men and especially Ken, she’d never been more grateful for the team at her back. Her “friend” had been the one to terrorize them, whether through torturing Ken or men shooting at them as they’d helped her and Ken escape. And Bravo team must’ve done a quick turnaround to be there to assist them. The past ten years, hell, even before that, almost seemed like a lie. HIS and the team who surrounded and supported her, these guys were real. Their connection was everything.

Relief swelled through her. She trusted Alpha team, but they’d been down to almost nothing agent-wise with her and Ken out of the mix.

“Old Man.” Some call signs she couldn’t get used to, but she wouldn’t be the one to disrupt what had already been established. “How’s Cody?”

A smile stretched across his serious face. “He’s good. Kate, Reagan, and Jason came home to be with him. Reagan follows him around and talks nonstop.”

She didn’t doubt it from the little she knew of his daughter. As for Cody, he could probably use someone the same age to be around. She could barely wait until she returned. Gaining legal guardianship might be a challenge, but since Devon had already reached out to the right authorities, she could only hope everything went at a rapid pace. But Bev. Would she fight it? Sam had to find a way to have her sign over Cody’s care permanently. She’d do whatever it took to find the woman and make it happen.

“I want to be included when you find a way to make Bev pay,” Sam said.

The men glanced at each other with unease. “Sam,” Grits said, his voice soft, “before Bravo team came for you, we stormed the compound looking for her and Alejandro. That’s why we didn’t join you right away.”

Her breath caught. “Is she in the other bird?”

At his hesitation, her heart sank to her stomach like a leaded weight. His next words made her think of one person. Cody.

“We found Alejandro dead and her missing. We don’t know what happened, but it’s obvious he’d been murdered.”

Her stomach revolted and she bit back the bile rising in her throat. What had happened to the woman she’d been closer to than her sister? Grief and anger washed through her in a painful gush. Sam could no longer treat Bev as a friend. She needed to pay for how she’d treated Cody and Ken.

Sam would be the person to make her pay.

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