Page 178 of Chalk Outline
“Did you see who shot me?”
They nod.
“One of the men who took Reeve,” Braxton forces out. “I followed them with my drone when I saw them approaching.Reeve gave me a signal not to intervene. One took him to the prison, and the other went toward the tower.”
The light blinks, and we snap our heads up in unison. I turn my head to the closed window, darkness encircles the tower, and a hiss grabs my attention.
Mona crawls inside a terrarium behind Mitch.
“She has a tracker,” Braxton explains. “I took her after you left.”
“Were you watching us with your drone?” I raise my brow at him, tilting my head to the side.
“Busted,” Mitch singsongs with a sly smile.
“I swear I didn’t.” Braxton is quick to eliminate my suspicion, but that’s the last thing on my mind right now.
“How long have I been out?” I ask.
“A few hours.”
“We need to go. If one of the men who took him is out there waiting for me, it’s not over. They want to kill or use me no matter what.”
Winona, we have to get you back home,“ Braxton says as he moves closer, looking down at me with pleading eyes. “He did all of this to protect you.”
“I know.” I smile softly, trying to stand up again without falling. “It’s time for me to protect him.”
Braxton’s eyes flick to the laptop screen as it beeps. “The first rescue squad just flew away with the bear. It took them a while to sedate him. Our rescue has just landed on the airfield.”
“It’s your choice,” Mitch says, looking at me. “Make a choice that you can live with.”
Every choice we make has consequences.
Reeve said it countless times.
“I’m going to the prison with or without you. Reeve is not collateral damage. I won’t abandon him to save myself when heneeds me the most. He did all of this for me. I have to do this for him. He deserves it.”
“Getting into this prison is suicide,” Mitch clarifies, warning flashes in his pale blue eyes as he steps toward me.
“Then I’m suicidal.” I shrug.
“Me too,” Braxton says, placing his laptop in his backpack.
“Reeve means everything to me. I’m not leaving this forest without him.” I look up at Mitch. His tall, lean frame towers over me. His eyes soften as a grin slowly splits his lips apart.
“You don’t need to convince me. I would do anything for him.”
I mirror his smile. A wave of emotion catches in my throat, and I turn to Braxton just before the tears reach my eyes.
“There has been a reception all along?” I ask.
“A good hacker never reveals his secrets?” his face scrunches up, and his mouth twitches to the side.
A smirk curves my mouth. “Nice try.”
“You really gave it your best,” Mitch chuckles endearingly.
“I sent messages to Reeve with the drone while we stayed in a bunker near the airfield. Last night, we detected suspicious activity on the other side of the forest, so we came here to warn you and offer help, but Reeve told us to stay hidden in your tower before you left this morning.”
