Page 64 of Ace

“Help us. Get us out. Come rescue. Please help. We have children. Come to Panau.” Gianna called out the messages she understood. And choked on the last one. “Bad weapons. We work there. People work there. No bomb. Help us.”

His stance went rigid, his training kicking in. His shoulders broadened, and he stood at attention before he even realized what he was doing. But he felt the burden of an assignment, one he would have to give himself. “Have we sent any of this info on?”

“Does my father know?”

Ivy shook her head. “You are hearing some of this the same time as we are. Should I send it on?”

“Of course. We must.” Gianna nodded.

“It will be too late.” Dex frowned.

Dex turned to Gi, knowing what she was going to say, half fearing her words and knowing she was right.

“We have to go. Now.”

“Yes. We have to do something.” Dex ran a hand through his hair. “But what?”

“It doesn’t matter. Let’s go be there on the ground. We need someone on the ground.”

“I’ll call a meeting—”

“No. No more meetings. You sound like my father.”

“We need a plan, Gi.”

“I say we plan on the way. We’ve waited days already. It’s time.” Her stance was stiff, like his. But instead of looking ready to receive orders, she looked ready to bolt.

He held his hands out. “We need to step carefully. What we do matters on an international scale. We could trigger a war.”

“And what about the people who are already in a war zone? What about them? This is war for them already.”

“Right. So we will do something.”

She crossed her arms.

“I will do something, Gi. I heard them too. I can’t listen to that and do nothing. Let’s just talk this through.” His phone rang. “Dad.”

She stepped closer.

“Yes. I hear you.”

“Is Gianna with you?” His dad’s voice sounded distracted, urgent.

“She’s here. Yes.”

“What’s your plan? The Pacific Alliance?”

“We are planning to bide our time. But there are distress calls from the islands.” He looked up at Gi. “She heard.”

Gianna turned from the room.

The senator was quiet for a long time. “Are you going down?”

“Off the record, yes.”

“Keep her safe.”

“With my life.”

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