Page 104 of Rescuing Sophia

“Zephyr!” she screams, struggling against her harness. “Let me go to her!”

“Ma’am, please,” Gabe pleads, struggling to keep her still. “You need to stay calm. We’re getting you both out of here, I promise.”

“Everyone hooked up?” Ethan calls out, his voice barely audible over the storm and gunfire.

A chorus of affirmatives rings out. I move toward Sophia andLuke, my heart pounding so hard I can feel it in my throat. I reach for Sophia, intending to secure her to my harness, but Sophia’s hand on my arm stops me.

She looks up at me, her eyes blazing with an intensity that takes my breath away. Despite the chaos around us, despite the bullets whizzing past and the howling wind, time seems to slow for just a moment.

“You take Luke,” Sophia says, her voice steady and sure. “I trust you with his life.”

After everything she’s been through, everything she’s endured to protect her son, she’s willing to entrust him to me? The faith in her eyes is almost more than I can bear.

I nod, unable to speak past the lump in my throat. With quick, efficient movements, I secure Luke to my harness. The boy wraps his arms around my neck, his small body trembling against mine.

“It’s okay, buddy,” I murmur, hoping he can hear me over the storm. “I’ve got you.”

Sophia gives Luke a quick, fierce hug before Walt helps her into position. Around us, the team is pairing up with their charges. Ethan has the little girl secured to his harness. Gabe is with Violet, speaking to her in low, reassuring tones as he double-checks her harness.

“On my mark,” Ethan shouts, his hand raised. The gunfire intensifies, Malfor’s men making one last desperate push to stop us. “Three... Two... One... MARK!”

We step off the cliff edge into howling oblivion, the storm enveloping us as we begin our descent. The world becomes a blur of wind, rain, and the terrified cries of our charges.

Luke’s arms tighten around my neck, his face buried against my shoulder. I can feel his rapid heartbeat, or maybe it’s my own, pounding in time with the adrenaline coursing through my veins.

Through the chaos, I catch glimpses of the others. Sophia, her face set in grim determination as Walt guides their descent. Ethan, somehow managing to look both fiercely protective and deeply troubled as he shields Zephyr from the worst of the wind. Gabe andViolet, the woman’s eyes locked on her daughter even as they plummet through the air.

Bravo team remains on the ground, protecting our descent. The cliff face rushes past us, a blur of wet rock. Every few seconds, a bullet pings off the rocks nearby, a stark reminder that we’re not out of danger yet.

Suddenly, a particularly strong gust of wind slams us against the cliff face. I twist, taking the brunt of the impact to shield Luke. Pain explodes across my back, but I grit my teeth and keep going. Luke whimpers, and I tighten my hold on him.

“Hey, Luke,” I say, “have you ever seen any superhero movies?”

He nods, a flicker of interest in his eyes despite the fear.

“Only superheroes get to scale down cliffs like this.” I gesture to the daunting drop before us. “Guess what? Today, you get to be a superhero too.”

For the first time, a small smile tugs at Luke’s lips. “Really?”

“Really,” I confirm, grinning back at him. “And you know what? I bet you’re going to be even braver than Captain America.”

To my left, Walt struggles with Sophia. She’s weak from her captivity, barely able to hold on. Walt has her secured tightly to him, practically carrying her down the cliff face.

“Stay with me, Sophia,” I hear him growl. “Don’t you dare give up now. Your boy needs you.”

On my right, Gabe is managing our mystery woman. She seems to be in better shape than Sophia, but the terror on her face is apparent every time lightning illuminates the sky.

“Don’t look down,” Gabe advises her. “Just focus on me. One step at a time.”

The RUFI move around us, their mechanical bodies unaffected by the wind and rain. They set anchors, adjust ropes; their tireless efforts the only thing making this insane descent possible.

I keep talking to Luke, turning each terrifying moment into an adventure.

Suddenly, another massive gust of wind slams into us. My grip slips, and a moment of heart-stopping terror fills me. Luke and I swing out over the abyss. The boy screams, the sound piercing eventhrough the storm’s fury, but it’s not a cry of fear. The little shit is having the time of his life. I play it up and milk it for everything I’ve got.

“Whoa, did you feel that?” I say as a gust buffets us. “I think Thor’s trying to help us fly.”

Luke giggles, his fear momentarily forgotten. “Thor doesn’t fly, silly. He has a hammer.”

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