Page 248 of Silver Elite

Xavier and I watch as the helicopter touches down on the grass, its landing gear sinking slightly into the earth as it comes to a graceful halt. The blades slow to a steady rhythm, their whirring gradually fading into the background until eventually becoming silent.

I peer into the body of the metallic frame to try to make out who’s in there. I hear a creak, and from the corner of my eye see the copilot’s door opening. The woman hops out, her ponytail swinging over her shoulder. The pilot’s door is pushed open, too. The two people inside the chopper remain motionless. I think it’s two men judging by the short hair, but I could be wrong.

The woman stalks toward us. “Darlington?”

I nod.

Her sharp gaze shifts to Xavier. “Who’s he?”

“Xavier. He helped me escape the—”

My voice dies in my throat.

I stagger backward, and for one heart-stopping moment, my entire world spins on its axis. A strangled gasp escapes my lips as my mind struggles to process what I’m seeing.

The pilot’s sheepish eyes collide with mine as he strides toward us. His hair looks bright in the morning sun. He rakes a hand through it, then lets his arm drop to his side.

We stare at each other for a moment. The corner of his mouth lifts in a crooked smile.

A thousand thoughts clamor for my attention, but amid the chaos of my mind, one thought rises above the rest.

“You fucking asshole!”

I lunge toward him and, with an angry roar, slam my fist into his jaw.

“What the hell, cowgirl?” Kaine rears back in shock, rubbing his chin.

“What the hell?” I echo. All I can do is gawk at him. “What the hell?How are you alive?”

I bat at his chest, my rage in full control of my limbs now. He lets me punch him, but he’s grinning as I do it, which only makes me angrier.

“We held a funeral for you! Icried!”

That gets me a snort. “You cried at my funeral? That’s actually pretty sweet.”

The auburn-haired woman gives him a warning look. “Not the time, Gray.”

“Who the hell is Gray?” I yell.

I’m so busy being furious with my formerly dead friend that I don’t see Xavier move. The lieutenant rushes Kaine, nearly tackling him to the ground before Kaine recovers his footing and sidesteps him.

“You godfucking prick,” Xavier spits out, lunging again. “You killed Tyler.”

I freeze in shock.

He’s right.

Kaine walked into that building with her. Yethewalked away alive, while Tyler and Noah are dead.

The two men in the chopper jump out to help Kaine restrain an enraged Xavier. I cry out in protest, but they ignore me and get him on the ground, pinning him down. Horror fills my throat as they thrust his wrists behind his back to slap metal cuffs around them.

“Settle down,” one of them barks.

“Fuck you,” he snaps back.

“Stop this,” I tell Kaine. “Let him go. Hehelpedme. He’s helping us.”

My not-dead friend is unconvinced. “We’ll let Adrienne and the Authority decide that.”

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