Page 20 of Hero's Heart

It wasn’t fear; it was the awareness of time, the way it had shaped him and slowed him just enough to remind him of his limits.

And he was very aware that death could steal anyone at any time. Seven years ago, cancer had taken Amelia fast and brutally, a fight neither of them could win.

She would have supported this rescue mission. He could almost hear her teasing him about being a thrill-seeker but reminding him, in her calm and steady way, that if he could help save someone, he had to try.

“Callum? What are you thinking?” Lincoln’s voice snapped him back.

“Let’s do it. Mission parameters are officially changed as of right now. We get in, secure the hostage, and get out clean.”

Lincoln nodded. “I’ve uploaded everything I’ve got to your system—guard habits, Kozak profiles, even blueprints of the property. It’s not perfect, but it’s the best we’ve got. You’ll be wheels down in less than two hours. Make the most of it.”

“We will,” Callum said.

“Okay, well…don’t die, I guess. And, uh, remember to check in once you’ve got her.” Lincoln’s smile was awkward now that his words had turned to personal stuff.

Bear grinned, shaking his head. “Solid pep talk, cuz. Have you considered moonlighting as a motivational speaker?”

“No, I haven’t. Interpersonal communication and motivational speaking of any kind are not my forte.” Every syllable was completely serious. Despite a genius IQ, conversational nuances were almost always lost on Lincoln.

Everyone on the plane grinned but let Lincoln’s statement go. Callum nodded at the screen. “Thanks for the intel, Lincoln. We’ll let you know if we need anything else.”

“And when we don’t die,” Bear continued.

The screen went dark as the call ended, leaving the three men in the muted hum of the jet’s cabin. As the plane soared through the night, the men bent over their screens again, reviewing the intel, refining their strategy, and preparing for the storm waiting for them on the ground.

Chapter 8

The tree line offered solid cover, shrouding Callum, Bear, and Theo in the nighttime shadows as they moved silently toward the farm compound.

This was happening right fucking now.

This wasn’t the way Callum would’ve run a mission. He had a team that was too young and green, limited weapons, incomplete intel, and no backup.

Normally, he would’ve taken the afternoon and done loops around the property to make sure they were completely familiar with the layout. They would’ve monitored for any changes in the guards’ behaviors and watched for anything Lincoln’s intel had left out.

But with the drop deadline looming, they didn’t have the option to do any of those things. Their chance to get Marissa out was right now. And fucking it up could cost her her life.

Fifty percent was better than zero percent.

“You good, Callum?” Bear asked. Callum looked over to see both of the younger men studying him.

Fuck, if he got these boys killed, their parents—some of Callum’s closest friends on the planet—would skin him alive. Literally.

“Not going to lie, I’m not sure we’re not about to make a big fucking mistake. Maybe we should just take our chances with the drop.”

It was Bear who reassured him. “I can handle myself. I don’t have the experience of either of you, but I’d rather keep our choices more closely under our control than give the choices over to the Kozaks to make.”

Theo nodded. “I know this is messy, but we have the element of surprise on our side. We lose that tomorrow. I say we go.”

Callum hadn’t lived in Oak Creek but for the past seven years, but he’d known these boys since they were in diapers. They’d turned into fine men.

“Then let’s do this.”

The night air was damp and heavy, filled with the scent of rotting vegetation and distant wood smoke. The moonlight barely penetrated the thick cloud cover, leaving the overgrown fields and dilapidated buildings in darkness. All of that worked in their favor.

Callum was literally getting ready to move when he got a message from Lincoln.

New intel. 911.

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