Page 55 of Twister

“Sadie?”

“She’s in treatment right now for the bends. She saved your ass.” He smiled. “You owe her. We all do.” His face grew serious. “You both have been getting hyperbaric treatment on and off once you came back from surgery and plenty of good old oxygen.” He sighed. “You know, buddy. This bleeding-out thing has got to stop. We’re really over it,” Dagger said, his voice low, his words heavy with the emotion Twister could see on his face.

Twister nodded solemnly. His lungs hurt, and the right side of his upper body was stiff and sore. But he reached up andpulled his brother in close, his good arm tightening around Dagger’s shoulders, all too aware that Dagger had already lost one brother and how tough it must be to have to see Twister back in the hospital.

“How are you feeling?”

“Like I’ve been stabbed and got the bends,” he said. “That fucker, Neil?”

“Dead. They found him not far from the sub.”

“That’s good,” Twister said. “He won’t ever bother Sadie again.”

“Yeah, he was a fruit loop, had what’s called erotomania. He thought Sadie was in love with him, but she wasn’t. According to NCIS, he has been stalking her for years, ever since dive school. He killed three of her boyfriends, along with Mercer and Burton. Tried to take you out with that rock, and he was behind the sniper attack. Seven Demands was just his cover story. He underestimated you, my friend, and he most definitely underestimated Sadie.”

He could feel the fatigue and the drugs pulling him back under.

The next time he woke, morning sunshine was streaming through the windows and the one person he most wanted to see was sitting beside his bed. Damn, it was the best thing he’d seen in a long time. His heart filled.

“Babe,” he said.

“Hello, handsome.”

“A better sight than Dagger’s mug.”

She smiled. “There’s been plenty of other mugs through here, namely seven of them,” she said, inclining her head toward the door. “It’s standing room only out in the hall. Tex has been here since you were admitted, through your surgery, and treatments. He looks like hell. You should tell him to get some sleep.”

“You want me to order my CO to stop worrying about me and take care of himself?”

“Yes, exactly.”

“Well, this CO doesn’t take orders from just anyone,” he growled from the door. Sadie moved away to give him room beside the bed.

“I’ll get you some fresh ice water,” she murmured, slipping out.

“There’s a little Déjà vu here.” A flush of some emotion washed across Tex’s face, but Twister couldn’t quite define it. It would only be guesswork, but relief was certainly part of it, and another part of it was pride that his teammate had not only protected Sadie but gotten himself back all in one piece, albeit with a couple of holes.

Twister nodded. “I’m going to work on not getting stabbed in the future.”

“That sounds like a solid plan.” Tex grinned. “Although, in your defense, you did have that bastard gunning for you behind your back. Behind all our backs, and killing civilians and his own dive partners.”

“What’s the damage, and when can I get back to duty?”

“Not so fast. That whack job missed your arteries both times and hit bone both times. The doc repaired your muscles and nerves. How does the arm feel?”

“Good. Not even a tingle.”

“That’s a good sign. We’re going to be holed up here with the team for a week so that the nitrogen is fully exhaled from all of us, including Sadie. Then it’s back to Little Creek, a six-to-eight-week recovery, then you should be able to go back to work.”

“Hoo-yah,” Twister said. His gaze went to the door, and his heart melted again. Tex looked over his shoulder, then gave Twister a knowing smirk, clearing his throat. “I’ll clear out.”

“Get some sleep, LT. That’s a request.”

He nodded. “I’m thankful you’re both all right.”

Sadie squeezed his arm as he passed. “There might be a mutiny in the hall if your team doesn’t get a chance to see you all pink and recovering,” she said when she reached the bed. She poured him a cup of water. “You get a bendy straw, so fun,” she said with a little giggle.

He sipped from the straw. Easy poked his head in, whining, “Sadie…can we come in?”

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