Page 151 of Stealth Mission

“Sweetheart?”

A hand brushes across my cheek.

I close my eyes and fall back into the darkness.

Chapter Fifty-Nine

Vik’s team medic glances up at me as he holds a stethoscope to Marianna’s chest. He presses the metal circle against her ribs, dragging it along beneath the clean T-shirt I changed her into.

After checking several places he nods and sits back. “Blood pressure and heart rate are good. She’s fine.”

I’ve chewed a hole inside my mouth. Paced a rut in the carpet, and given myself early cardiac disease. “Why won’t she wake up?”

He stands and pulls the blanket over her and I push him out of the way to finish tucking her in.

With a grunt, the man drops his stethoscope into his bag and zips it closed. “It’s trauma response. Not a clinical term—but shegot so angry she lost her mind. Just stay with her. She’s going to come around and I have to warn you, it won’t be pretty.”

Like Vik, he’s a man of few words.

When he walks out I lock the door and resume pacing next to the bed. It’s been hours since she collapsed on the porch. Every minute longer she’s under makes me more scared.

Scared like I’ve never felt before.

Terrified.

I never want to feel this again.

When my phone vibrates, I move to the other side of the room.

“Yeah?” I answer hoarsely.

Scout asks, “Is she awake?”

“No.”

“Shit. I’m sorry, man.”

For a few seconds, I can’t open my trembling lips. “Vik’s medic said she’s just having a trauma response.”

“I’ve seen it.”

“Like this?’

Scout blows out a breath. “Yeah. Just like that. One of the guys in BUD/s had something similar when he had to quit. He’d spent his whole life focused on becoming a SEAL and didn’t make it.”

We’re silent on the phone together. I still don’t like seeing her like this and hate that her life was ripped away from her.

“The backpack belongs to MZ.”

His words snap me back.

“That’s really not good.”

In the background, the sound of the Jeep’s engine whines. “I agree. That cave is already full of water.”

“What now?”

“Beast and Marshall are talking. Don’t worry about this. Take care of your girl.”

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