She knew Gracie had initially remained on base. hoping O’Neill would return to train with her. When he hadn’t, her mood had soured. She’d accused Muriel of driving him away again, even claimed Muriel was purposely wedging herself between them.
She knew it was Gracie’s disappointment talking. And while she loved her daughter, she’d been relieved when Gracie left for The Neighborhood. Life was much more peaceful with a chopper ride’s distance between them.
“I’m sorry I bailed on you.” O’Neill’s apology was quiet, but sincere. “Something came up. Something that couldn’t wait.”
“The text.” Muriel had already figured that out. All those quick phone checks. He’d been waiting for something to drop. Something important.
She understood the situation though. Wolf had explained the terrifying new reality barreling down on them. Wolf, O’Neill, and the rest of the Shadow Warriors were desperately trying to stave off theWanatesa. Anything concerning the nanobots had priority. She’d explained what was happening to Gracie, but her daughter had brushed it off, accusing her of being melodramatic.
“The text.” O’Neill echoed with a nod, followed by a deep breath. “The info the text provided was critical and could not go unanswered.” He led her to an elevator and pressed the up button, before turning to face her. “The Chinook will spin up within the next few hours. And I’ll be on it.”
Muriel flinched. The last time a chopper had taken to the sky, she’d lost her son and her brother. While physically, Samuel was still alive, he was not the brother she’d known—mentally or physically. The thought of O’Neill facing a similar fate stung her heart.
She’d finally found him, and there were still so many unanswered questions. And what of Gracie? Was her daughter about to lose her father, after losing her brother?
“Do you have to go on this mission?” she asked, the question startling her. As the sister of a Warrior and the mother of another, she knew better than to ask such things.
The look O’Neill turned on her held surprise.
“Yes.” He hesitated, as though he was about to say more, then closed his mouth.
She couldn’t tell whether irritation was mixed with the surprise. The elevator chimed, the doors opened, and they stepped inside. He pressed the button for the third floor.
Before the silence had a chance to lengthen and harden, Muriel started talking. “Can you talk about this mission? Where you’ll be? What you’ll be doing?”
O’Neill’s eyebrows climbed higher with each word. “Would knowing this help with…” Furrows dug into his forehead. “Whatever you’re feeling?”
Good question. “Probably not.” She sighed. “I’m not even sure what Iamfeeling.”
Although that wasn’t quite true. She recognized anxiety. And fear. But the emotions weren’t connected to the end of the world. They were more specific. They were connected to O’Neill. It was fear for his safety. And anxiety over the danger he was walking into.
Anything could happen to him out there and steal him from the waking world, steal him from Gracie.
“Is this mission connected to thewanatesaweapon Wolf spoke of?” The last time the Shadow Mountain warriors had gone after one of the nanobot bombs, her family had faced catastrophic consequences.
Her throat burned as Daniel’s smiling face filled her mind. Her beautiful baby boy, taken from her by the same people who’d created that horrible weapon.
O’Neill hesitated, as if considering how much to tell her.
“If Wolf told you of this weapon and it’s disastrous effects, then you know how critical it is that we…acquire it…and lock it down,” he said, without admitting anything.
The bell chimed, the elevator stopped, and the doors opened. She sighed and nodded, following him into the hallway.
“I get it, but you better return, Angus.” His step caught and he turned to look at her. Surprise flickered across his face. She wasn’t sure it was because of the nickname she’d used, one that had once been a joke between them, or whether it was because of her demand. She ignored his reaction and continued talking. “If you die on me, I’ll follow you to the land of your ancestors and drag you back to the waking world. Gracie is already attached to you. I don’t want to have to tell her you died.”
Her breath hitched at the memory of telling her daughter about Daniel’s death. The cold she’d felt back then returned. It chilled her innards, extinguishing the faint warmth coming from O’Neill’s body.
Gracie had absorbed the news with stillness, with a blank face and empty eyes. With resignation.
“I already know, Mom. I felt him leave,” she’d said, her voice as empty as her eyes.
Was that when this emotional chasm had deepened between them? Did Gracie blame her for Daniel’s death?
O’Neill didn’t respond to her theatrical threat, but then what could he say? He couldn’t promise to survive this mission. Other than the Shadow Warrior himself, no one could promise her that.
Their footsteps echoed along the metallic walls as they walked down the corridor, doors stretching to either side.
“How is Gracie?” O’Neill asked as he stopped in front of one of the doors and pressed his thumb to the security panel.
