He waited, nodding along. “You can meet me in one of your ambulances at the forest service road junction north of town. Come alone. I’ll explain everything once I see you. And Prewit… Thanks. I owe you.”
Neve shook her head, stepping between the men and the door as they lifted the board, turned. “No one goes anywhere until you tell me where you’re taking him.”
Darwin glared at her. “The Elysium Neuro and Spinal Institute. The medical director’s an old friend. He’ll insure no one knows who Kane is, but your captain’s injuries are more than I can treat here.”
The general shouldered in beside her. “Easy, Monroe. Darwin specializes in these kinds of injuries, and Jeremiah Shepherd’s been my right-hand man for longer than I care to admit. I trust them with my life.”
“After all we’ve been through, trust is in short supply, General.” She clenched her jaw, stepped aside. “Wynn’s going with you. That’s non-negotiable. And if she thinks, for one second, you’re part of whatever this is, that you’re walking Kane into another ambush, she’ll put a bullet through both your heads.”
Darwin nodded. “Deal. Now move. We don’t have much time.”
They rushed out in a blur of fatigues and denim, the lights on the truck cutting through the night a moment later. The tires slipped on the mud as Shepherd spun the vehicle, vanished in a wash of rain and fog, the glow of taillights fading into black.
Neve stood on the porch, chest heaving, everything spinning, the gun strangely heavy in her hand. She took a step, tripped onto one knee, every cut and bruise burning to life. She leaned against the doorframe, ribs grinding, that graze on her arm a constant throb until Scout moved in beside her — nudged her hip.
She sighed. “You need to sit down before you fall down.”
Neve inhaled, hissed out a breath as her chest squeezed a bit too tight, then inched back inside, looking at the general as he closed the door behind them. He didn’t talk, just motioned down the hallway, then struck off.
Scout stayed at Neve’s side, Zadie covering their six as they walked down the hallway, through a sliding panel door and down a couple flights of stairs, finally stopping at the entrance to a massive bunker. The walls opened, hallways and doors branching off the main area.
Gus waved them inside. “I realize you have a thousand questions, and I promise, we’ll answer everything once the others return. In the meantime, shower, eat, get some rest. The sleeping wing’s off to the right. Each room has its own bathroom. Shepherd placed clean sweats on the beds to tide you over. And there’s food in the kitchen. Just do me a favor and don’t break ranks until you hear us out. I’ll be back in a few hours.”
Neve watched the man leave, the aftermath of the nonstop adrenaline finally catching up with her. She leaned against the wall, studying the room, fully expecting Fraser to step out of the shadows.
Zadie had her tablet out, her fingers flying over the screen. “My algorithm isn’t picking up on any unusual frequencies that suggests it’s been bugged. The place seems secure.”
Neve huffed. “And I thought Fraser was one of us, so…”
Scout crossed her arms. “He had us all fooled, Neve, Kane included, so cut yourself some slack.”
Neve let her head fall back. “Remind me about that once we know Kane’s gonna be okay. But the general’s right. We should take advantage of the down time. Wash off the night’s stench. Rest. I’ll take first watch.”
“We’ll all stand guard.” Scout gestured to the hallway. “That wasn’t a request.”
“Someone’s bossy.”
“Someone has to be, or you’d never stand down.”
Neve squeezed Scout’s shoulder, followed her along the hallway. The bedrooms were like the rest of the place. Neat. Well appointed, with soft lighting that made the windowless interior seem more cozy than claustrophobic. They each picked a room, showered, regrouped in the kitchen, nursing endless cups of coffee as they waited, the uneasy silence an annoying whine inside Neve’s head.
She stared down at her cell, Coulter’s number glaring up at her. She’d been fighting the urge to call him since she’d hopped out of the shower, if for no other reason than to hear his voice. Have him tell her everything would be okay. That he’d be on the next flight out. Which she knew was crazy. The guy was in charge of one of the military’s top tier special operations unit — was in the middle of some black ops mission. He couldn’t simply jet off because the voice inside her head wouldn’t shut up.
Because she feared it might be the last time she talked to him.
Scout slid in beside her. “Have you called Coulter yet?”
Neve laughed. Scout knew her in a way few did, and her friend never backed down.
Neve held out the phone. “I’ve had my thumb over the call button for hours, but…”
Scout nodded. “I won’t tell.”
Neve grinned, still staring at his number, quickly reaching the breaking point when footsteps sounded along the stairs, Wynn and the others rounding the corner before crossing the floor.
Neve turned off her phone as she shot to her feet, her left hand hovering over her Sig, gaze locked on the three men standing on the other side of the room. They looked equally exhausted, Darwin’s hair spiked up in every direction. “Kane?”
Wynn all but fell onto one of the stools, thanking Scout when she handed her a mug. “Stable. But…”