Page 50 of Rescuing Rebel

Stitch’s knowing look tells me she senses where my thoughts go. She smiles at Jeb, but when he taps the back of his watch, she takes the last swallow of her drink and pats me on the arm.

“That’s my cue. See you in the morning.”

Soon, I’m alone with my memories and regrets. The ghost of Rebel still haunts me, no matter how I try to outrun her memory. Some wounds take time to heal. With a sigh, I settle the tab, leave a generous tip, and head home to grab a few hours of sleep before wheels up.

The next morning, we gather at headquarters, boasting loud and proud to mask our pre-mission nerves. We bump fists, shoot the shit, and fill the air with bravado before loading up.

There’s no fanfare. The jet engines rumble to life, and we roll out, headed toward Haven.

Let the games begin.

I take my seat and immediately lean back, close my eyes, and catch a few more Zzzz’s.

EIGHTEEN

Ethan

After Ally’s rescue,I thought Haven would be in Florida, but it’s hidden in the remote mountainous countryside of Montana. I take Charlie team, along with Stitch, and board a plane to Montana. Once we land, the mood shifts. The guys stretch and loosen up as I’m handed the keys to an SUV by a waiting attendant.

"Stitch, you're in front with Jeb and me. The rest of you…” I glance at the two rows of bench seats in the back. “Stow your shit and find your seats.”

The guys unload their gear from the jet and transfer it to the SUV. I grip the wheel and settle in for the long drive ahead.

The Montana landscape rolls out before me, a tapestry of undulating grass beneath a wide-open sky. Where the plains give a silent nod to the sky, the Rockies rise like ancient guardians. These mountains know no allegiance; they stand proud, a fortress for all—whether saint or sinner, the wild or the haunted. Within their stony embrace lies Haven, a reminder that beneath beauty often lurks danger.

Hours bleed into each other as we abandon highways and plains for mountainous roads forgotten by time and care. The SUV bucks under my control as the rutted roads challenge our advance. The vehicle groans as we tackle a particularly nasty stretch: the remnants of a rockslide.

But we make it through.

Pines and spruces surround us, a dark audience to our ascent. We climb higher, spiraling up the mountain's spine, each turn drawing us closer to clouds that eventually engulf us. I barely see a few feet of the road in front of us for a time, but then, we breach the clouds and the world explodes in a canvas of brilliant blue.

Haven reveals itself.

A monolith of concrete and cold angles, it dares the wilderness to challenge its authority. Towers jut upwards, sparse windows glint like the eyes of predators, and fences crowned in barbed wire surround the perimeter. The signs screaming 'keep out' are as superfluous as they are clear.

Our SUV jostles over the deeply rutted road leading to a gate, spewing plumes of chalky dust. Loose gravel pings against the undercarriage and sets my teeth on edge.

Evil festers within those imposing walls, but it feels as if there’smore. What thatmoremight be is beyond me. It’s one of those gut instincts no one understands. But I trust my gut and prepare for the worst.

Stitch is jammed tight between me and Jeb in the front seat. Her slight frame dwarfed by our much larger ones. She meets my gaze, eyes grimly determined, and nods. She understands the risks of this infiltration, as we all do. It’s her first mission as an operator rather than tech support, and I’ve asked Jeb to keep an eye out and protect her if need be.

Failure is not an option.

I meet Jeb’s steely gaze beside me, exchanging a terse nod, then scan the faces of my team wedged into the back seats—Hank, Gabe, Walt, and Blake. With their jaw muscles clenched tight, eyes hooded and alert, they look like coiled springs ready to unleash calculated violence.

Good.

We need that edge.

The SUV lurches over the last rut, and the gate looms before us. Two armed guards emerge, their boredom evident as they check our forged credentials. We have no illusions about what goes on inside those fences, but the bland mannerisms of the guard checking our IDs grates, betraying no hint of the vile enterprise lurking within.

His gaze pauses on Stitch’s credentials, thick brow furrowing. “We don’t allow—her kind here.” His meaning is clear as his gaze sweeps lewdly over her.

My jaw clenches, but I keep my tone bored, almost annoyed. “Stitch is one of my most valuable assets. I was assured having a female on my team wouldn’t be an issue. If that’s a problem, we’ll take our business elsewhere.”

The guard’s eyes flick uncertainly between Stitch’s stony face and mine. She stares straight ahead, refusing to be cowed. After an interminable pause, he recovers and hands back the IDs with a smirk. “Of course, sir. My apologies. Right this way.”

As the gate screeches open, I meet Jeb’s satisfied gaze. First obstacle down. Ten thousand more to go.

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