Page 82 of Fierce Hope
“Listen to me,” Jade insisted. “It’s going to take Sarah and Chad time to deal with me. And then they’ll have to run all the way back inside and start up the SUV. You’ll have a good head start. Plus, they’re way more interested in me.”
“But what about you?” The fear in DJ’s voice was palpable.
“I’ll be right behind you,” she lied, knowing full well her plan would likely end with her death. But if it gave DJ a chance to escape, it would be worth it.
He wasn’t fooled. “That’s stupid. No way you’ll get away from them,” he hissed, anguish in his voice.
“I’ll be fine. Trust me.”
“My dad’s coming,” he said with quiet certainty. “You just watch. He’s coming for us.”
Jade’s heart twisted painfully at the unwavering faith in his voice. She wished she could share his confidence, but they couldn’t stake their lives on a rescue team that might not arrive in time.
“I know. But promise me—if your dad doesn’t make it in time, you’ll follow the plan. Promise me, DJ.”
“I promise,” he muttered, defeated. “But he’ll come. I know he will.”
“Then you get to drive my car for no reason. More practice for your license.”
Jade had every faith in Deke. And in her Savior.
Deke would come. But she couldn’t risk DJ’s life on lucky timing.
43
The helicopter descendedthrough the snowy darkness, Ronan expertly guiding it into a small clearing behind the ridge, half a mile from the abandoned lumber mill. The wind-whipped snow muffled their arrival, the sound of rotors quickly swallowed by the dense forest surrounding them.
Deke was first out, boots crunching in deep snow as he crouched low, scanning the perimeter with practiced efficiency. Izzy, Zara, Maya and Ronan followed, equipment bags slung over their shoulders, faces grim with determination.
An armored SUV waited at the edge of the clearing, its engine idling silently. Christian stepped out, dressed in full tactical cold weather gear.
“Vehicle secure?” Deke asked tersely.
Christian nodded. “Perimeter’s clear. I’ve done initial recon of the approach roads.”
They loaded quickly into the SUV, Christian behind the wheel, rolling slowly with lights off through the forest toward the lumber mill.
“What’ve we got?” Deke demanded, checking his weapon.
Christian kept his eyes on the barely visible forest road as he spoke. “I hiked in close enough to use the infrared detector.Jade’s vehicle is parked outside the main warehouse. Empty. There’s an SUV inside—newer model, black. One moving heat signature inside the building plus two more stationary ones. One heat signature outside, moving around near the back.”
Deke’s gut knotted painfully at the mention of Jade’s empty car. Fear and fury surged through him in equal measure, threatening his focus. He clenched his jaw, fighting for control.
Zara gripped his arm. “Stay focused, Deke. They need you clear.”
He nodded, closing his eyes briefly.God, guide us. Keep Jade and DJ safe.
“We need eyes,” Ronan said, already unpacking surveillance equipment.
Zara flipped open a small case and quickly assembled a small drone in her lap, her fingers moving with practiced precision despite the tension surrounding them. “I’ll have visual confirmation in sixty seconds.”
While she worked, the others concentrated on gearing up, struggling to zip on tactical vests and rezip their parkas in the tight confines of the vehicle.
The SUV rolled to a stop behind a thick stand of trees, still out of sight of the mill. Christian killed the engine, and they moved in practiced silence, gathering around Zara’s tablet as she launched the surveillance drone.
The small device hummed imperceptibly as it rose above the tree line, camera feeding directly to Zara’s screen. Snow fell steadily, but the thermal imaging cut through the precipitation, revealing the heat signatures Christian had detected. While they waited, they checked weapons, ammunition and commlinks.
“There,” Zara whispered, pointing to a figure moving outside the building. “Male subject, digging in the snow near the back of the property.”
