The helicopter bladesslice through the Montana air, carrying me away from Mason, away from danger, and into a future I never dared to imagine. I stare out the window as mountains and forests blur beneath us, my mind replaying those final moments.
Mason’s promise, the gunfire, and the way he looked at me before turning back to face Steffan’s men.
I’ll be right behind you.
Four simple words that feel like both a lifeline and a lie. I’ve heard too many promises from too many men. Even with the best intentions, words are just that—air shaped by teeth and tongue, carrying no more weight than the clouds we’re flying through.
But I believe those words.
My gaze shifts to Cooper, his ashen face tight with pain as the medic tends to his wounded leg. The stark red of his blood stands in violent contrast to the sterile interior of the helicopter. He took that bullet for me. They all risked their lives for me, a woman they’d never met before today.
Bear’s massive head nudges my hand, pulling me from mythoughts. His dark eyes hold a kindness that seems impossibly deep for an animal. When I hesitantly scratch behind his ears, his eyes close in contentment, massive body leaning against my legs like he’s been mine forever instead of mere days.
“He likes you,” Martinez comments from his seat across from me, barely looking up from his tablet. “Bear doesn’t warm up to many people that fast.”
“He’s a good boy.” My voice sounds strange in my own ears, hollow and distant. The massive Newfoundland responds to my praise by shifting closer, nearly pushing me off my seat.
“Status report,” the pilot’s voice crackles through the comms. “We’ve got company on our six. Range eight miles, closing.”
Jackson tenses immediately. “Reynolds’s people?”
“Likely,” the pilot confirms. “They’re tracking our heat signature. We need to shake them.”
Martinez exchanges a glance with the medic. “We have to get off this bird. It’s too easily tracked.”
My stomach drops. “But Cooper?—”
“Needs medical, I know.” Martinez’s fingers fly across his tablet. “Rerouting now. There’s a fallback position twenty miles east. Emergency landing zone with ground transport waiting.”
The helicopter banks sharply, descending toward a valley carved between two mountains. My hands grip the seat as vertigo washes over me, the abrupt change in altitude making my ears pop.
“What’s the plan?” I ask, struggling to keep my voice steady.
“We’re getting you off this bird and onto the ground,” Martinez explains. “Helicopters are too easy to track. We’ve got multiple vehicle exchanges planned. By the time Reynolds’s people figure out where we went, you’ll be three states away.”
Bear shifts with the helicopter’s movement but remains steady against my legs, his warm weight an anchor in the chaos. The massive dog seems to understand the gravity of the situation;his usual playfulness has been replaced by an alertness that speaks to his training.
“Two minutes to LZ,” the pilot announces over the roar of the rotors.
My heart jackhammers in my chest. I glance toward Cooper, still pale and blood-soaked on the stretcher. “Cooper?”
“Stays with the ‘copter,” Martinez answers without looking back. He’s already unzipping a thick canvas duffel secured beside the door. “They’ll fly him to the hospital. With any luck, the tail we picked up will follow them there.”
I glance out the side window, the Montana wilderness flashing by below. “Won’t they know we landed?”
The two Guardian operators exchange a look that says more than words ever could.
“Hopefully not.” Jackson’s mouth tugs into a grin as he pulls out a second harness.
Martinez hands him a bundle of webbing and turns to face me. “On your feet, luv. Time to earn your wings.”
“Wings? Wait—what are you doing?”
He crouches in front of me like he’s gearing up a rookie. “Can’t land. That bird following us? If they see us touch down, they’ll know this was the drop point. So we stay airborne. Fast, clean exit.”
My stomach sinks as I realize what he’s saying. “You’re not landing?”
“Nope.” Jackson loops thick webbing around Bear’s massive chest. The Newfoundland huffs, more curious than concerned. “We drop.”
