They finally went airborne just under two hours ago.
The plan was simple. He’d go in early with the hopes of finding Jenna before Ortiz found him. Once she was safe, he and the others would rain hell down on Ortiz and his men.
On the chance that Ortiz crossed his path before he found Jenna, he’d pretend to hand himself over and hopefully buy enough time for the others to get inside and get both he and Jenna out.
Ryker had a chopper waiting somewhere close on standby. Along with the Homeland agent, he, Jenna, and the members of Bravo would use that for their extraction while Ghost and his team would trek back to the van that would be waiting at the pick-up spot.
Apparently, Delta had another op they needed to join ASAP, and the flight back to the States was in the wrong direction.
How Ryker always managed to arrange shit like this inplaceslike this was beyond Adrian’s paygrade. All he needed to know was that the chopper would be there when they needed it, and not a second before.
Adrian had given Ortiz his word no one else would be seenon the property. And they wouldn’t.
What they would see—the very lastthing the bastards wouldeversee—would be Bravo’s and Delta’s bullets heading straight for their heads.
Until then, he was stuck in this cracker-jack jet cruising at forty-one thousand feet with nothing to do but fuckingthink.
About how he’d fucked up.
About all the ways he wanted to make Ortiz pay for what he’d done.
About never having the future with Jenna he’d only justbegunto imagine.
“I get what you’re doing.” Gabe broke the silence, tearing him away from his own, private pity party.
“Yeah?” Adrian sighed before turning to the other man. “What’s that?”
“You’re blaming yourself for what’s happened. Making a list of all the ways you screwed up and beating your own ass for it.”
Pretty damn close, but that didn’t mean Adrian wanted to have a heart-to-heart about it.
“Did you need something, Dawson? ’Cause if not, I’m pretty sure your seat’s over there.” He pointed to the front of the plane.
Adrian knew he was being an ungrateful asshole, but if he revealed his true emotions—the anger, fear, and self-loathing threatening to consume him—he’d wind up breaking down like a fucking baby.
And that was something he wouldneverdo. Especially not in front of these guys.
“You don’t want to talk, that’s fine. I get it.” Gabe pushed himself to his feet. “But you know what Jenna means to me and Elle. And I know a little about what you’re going through. So all bullshit aside, you wanna talk, I’m happy to listen.”
Sliding his gaze back to the window, Adrian prayed the other man couldn’t see how much his supportive words affected him. He held his breath, waiting until Gabe turned his back before swallowing the painful lump that had suddenly appeared in his throat.
He’d worked solo for nearly a decade. Ryker or his CIA handler would pass along intel and instructions for a job, and he’d get to work.
Alone.
Other than when he had to check in, Adrian spent his time pretending to be what the government demanded. He’d converse with the bad guys, act like he was working for them, and then he’d do whatever was necessary to ensure they were taken down.
Either by him or another team like Bravo.
But in all that time he never had anyone to turn to. Never had someone he could just sit and share a beer with. Someone he could behimselfaround.
Thanks to Jenna, he’d found himself again. Or rather, hethoughthe had.
Thought he’d found a way out of the darkness. That he’d found someone to share the light with.
What a fucking fool I’ve been.
Sitting alone, he drew in a deep breath and set his mind back where it needed to be…on the mission.