Page 32 of A Rebel's Shot

“What’s wrong?”

“Sunny hasn’t checked in.” Dad’s worried announcement shot Tiikâan to his feet.

Darn his headstrong sister and her solo wilderness “adventures.” He’d told her he had a bad feeling about her trekking through the 40-Mile area north of Chicken. It was too remote. Too vast and crappy terrain for her to just walk through.

“What do you mean she hasn’t checked in?” He paced the small, suddenly quiet living room.

“We haven’t heard from her in two days.”

Tiikâan froze, his stomach threatening to spew theenchiladas verdes. So much could go wrong in two days when out in the wilderness. And the area was so vast, finding her without some pinpoint to go by would be nearly impossible.

“What’s wrong?” Declan stood and came around the coffee table.

“Sunny’s missing.” Tiikâan’s hand shook as he tapped the speaker icon on his phone so Declan could hear. “What’s the plan, Dad?”

“Bjørn and Gunnar are here. We’ve set up a search grid off of her last check-in location, and Bjørn and some of the guys from 40-Mile Air have been out. It’s just?—”

Tiikâan met Declan’s worried gaze.

“A lot of dense forest to cover.” Tiikâan’s words felt like pushing boulders out of his throat.

“Yeah.” Dad sighed.

Tiikâan looked at Merritt. Her fingers rubbed her necklace, and her eyes were so wide she might not have blinked since he stood. He had to go and help find Sunny, but he didn’t want to leave Merritt in the lurch.

“You don’t need to come down,” Dad said, yanking Tiikâan’s gaze to his phone. “Bjørn and the 40-Mile boys have a tight system going, and you’re needed there. I just wanted you to know what was going on.”

Of course they had it covered. Bjørn with his special ops helicopter skills and Gunnar’s entire military existence being saving soldiers from extreme places could probably narrow Sunny’s course to within a few-mile radius.

They didn’t need another bush pilot. Tiikâan would just be in the way.

He swallowed down the sharp ache of jealousy that he wasn’t needed. “You sure?”

“Yeah. For now, at least.” Dad sighed again. “There’s really not much more that can be done.”

“Yeah. Okay.” Tiikâan could hardly get the words out.

“You’ll keep us updated, right, Arne?” Declan had his hands speared in his hair and looked as powerless as Tiikâan felt.

“I’ll keep you updated.”

Tiikâan swallowed. “Thanks, Dad.”

“We’ll find her, T.” The determination that epitomized Arne Rebel was back in his voice.

“Okay.” Tiikâan’s voice wavered, so unlike his dad’s.

“Love you, bud. Stay safe.”

“Love you, too.”

The call ended, and Tiikâan stared at his phone. Declan pulled on his hair with a growl of frustration. Tiikâan was too numb to react.

“You should go.” Merritt’s soft whisper from the couch dragged his stare from his phone to her.

She sat on the edge of the cushion, poised to jump into action. Her eyes were bright with unshed tears. The freckles across her nose stuck out since her skin paled more than usual. He shook his head.

Her forehead furrowed. “Seriously. You really should go.”

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