Page 33 of A Rebel's Shot

“No. Dad’s right.” Tiikâan shoved his phone in his pocket. “My brothers are practically Avenger-level heroes. If anyone can find her, it’s them.”

Declan nodded and clapped Tiikâanon the shoulder. Merritt pressed her lips together and shook her head. If his family needed him, which he doubted, they’d let him know.

FOURTEEN

As the small plane approached Shungnak, Merritt’s nerves twisted her stomach into a tight knot. The closer they got to the remote Alaskan village, the more the walls of the cramped cabin seemed to close in on her.

Tiikâan’s muscular arm pressed against hers, radiating a searing heat that made it hard to breathe. She shifted in her seat, desperate for some space, but there was nowhere to go.

While it hadn’t bothered her before, the confines of the cockpit forced an intimacy that overwhelmed her, especially since it was getting harder and harder to ignore the way her pulse raced with a single glance from him.

She focused on the view out the windshield, hoping to distract herself from feeling suffocated. The vast wilderness stretched out before them, a breathtaking expanse of pristine lakes, winding rivers, and lush green forests.

In the distance, the village of Shungnak came into view, a small cluster of buildings nestled along the banks of the Kobuk River.

Merritt’s heart raced as she realized the magnitude of the task ahead of her. She had to convince these people, whose way of life depended on the very land her father’s company planned to mine, that HGR had their best interests at heart.

Responsibility drummed into her shoulders like the buildingthrum-thrum-thrumof an oil drill, and she fought the urge to crumble under the pressure.

Behind her, Nolan shifted in his seat, the hair on her neck moving with his huff. His presence was both a comfort and a source of frustration.

While she appreciated his support, a part of her bristled at the idea that he thought she needed his help. She was determined to prove herself capable of leading the company, even if it meant facing her fears head-on.

Tiikâan adjusted a knob on the control panel, then reached over and squeezed Merritt’s knee. The unexpected touch sent a jolt of electricity through her, and she snapped her gaze to him. His warm brown eyes held hers, and he winked reassuringly.

“You’ve got this,” he murmured, his voice low and soothing through the headset.

Merritt took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves as the plane began its descent. Through the windshield, she took in the brightly painted houses and buildings of the village below. Children played in the streets, pausing to watch the plane’s arrival, and Merritt felt a pang of doubt.

What if the rumors were true?

What if the mine hadn’t properly accounted for the risk of AMD? The possibility of polluting the pristine waters that sustained this community’s way of life made Merritt’s stomach twist with unease.

She had to believe that her father and his team had done their due diligence, that the mine was safe. Too much was at stake if it wasn’t.

The company.

Her dad’s legacy.

The villages along the Kobuk River.

Until she was shown evidence of the contrary, she had to move forward with the reports she had.

Tiikâan brought the plane to a smooth stop, shut down the engine, and came around to help Merritt out. As he offered his hand, she felt herself slipping back into the cold, professional persona she’d adopted around her family.

The need to project confidence had her building up those walls, even as a part of her longed to let her guard down.

“Remember, these folks are a lot more mellow than the Iranian government,” Tiikâan said with a squeeze of her hand. He leaned in and whispered in her ear, “Just be yourself, and they’ll listen.”

Merritt nodded, but the uncertainty must have shown on her face.

Which version of herself was she supposed to be? The poised, analytical CEO? The compassionate humanitarian who had spent years working in crisis zones? Or the vulnerable young woman who was in overher head, desperately trying to live up to her father’s legacy?

As Merritt scanned the land surrounding the airstrip, she inhaled deeply, the crisp, clean air filling her lungs. The scent of fresh spruce and wildflowers mingled with the earthy aroma of the tundra, a stark contrast to the recycled air of the plane.

A mama moose and her calf grazed in the pond next to the airstrip, their massive forms seemingly at peace in the untouched wilderness, and she gasped at the sight. The two seemed completely unconcerned with the plane that had just landed.

She had to drag her attention away as two Iñupiat men drove up in a side-by-side ATV. The driver, a man in his thirties with a scowl etched on his face, brought the vehicle to an abrupt stop. His companion, a much older man, leaned heavily on his cane as he climbed out of the ATV.

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