by Robin Perini
She’d always thought she’d do so many things. Finish college. See the world. Maybe get married and have kids eventually. She never thought she’d be looking at less than twenty-four hours to live when she was only sixteen.
She wished she’d told her family that she loved them more often. And that she’d accepted those kisses from Justin sooner than she had. She wrapped her arms about herself, rubbing up and down to warm her body.
More guards had guns now. They walked the corridors in pairs, making sure no one else would escape. Still, she kept up hope.
She had the screwdriver; she’d planted the virus. Now all she needed to do was be the one chosen for the demo and all the work the Warden had done would be wiped clean. Her virus would erase all those trapdoors the game had been opening for weeks in computers and databases everywhere.
She was sixteen and she would die saving the world. Could be worse.
Never give up.
Never surrender.
Never let the suckers get you down . . . unless you get them first.
Ashley prayed Deb would show up to kick butt and take names, even if she was no longer around to see it.
Gabe checked his watch when Zach landed the Learjet in Black Rock City, Nevada. A couple of hours.
“The chopper should be waiting,” Zach said.
Gabe looked at his brother. “You don’t have to go, Zach. Your wife—”
“Not happening, little brother. Deb can fly the chopper. You and I can shoot, rescue people, or whatever else is needed. You’re not running this op alone, Gabe. This one takes teamwork. Take it from someone who learned that concept the hard way.” Zach exited the cockpit and faced Gabe, a scowl on his face. “Family is about the only thing you have to rely on when life gets tough. You blasted me for going it alone not six months ago. Now I’m throwing your words back at you.”
Gabe raised his hands. “I got it.”
Zach crossed his arms and Gabe had seen that look on his older brother’s face just enough to know Zach was dead serious. “We need the rest of the family to go up against these people, right? If this place is as fortified as the kid says, if the law can’t be trusted—and after Tower, God knows I believe Justin on that—we need everyone we can get.” Zach paused. “Even Nick and Steve Paretti.”
“Not Paretti,” Gabe snapped, shaking his head. “We can’t trust him. Look what he did to Luke and Jazz.”
Zach’s jaw clenched, but Gabe could tell the conversation wasn’t over.
What was Zach thinking? They had enough to go up against without worrying about one of their own team.
“Let’s get the chopper,” Deb said.
Gabe nodded. This wasn’t over. Paretti had proven untrustworthy. They needed to be able to rely on everyone if they were going to save Justin and then get Ashley out of that hellhole alive.
Together, Deb and Gabe entered the lobby of the helicopter company.
“Oh yes. Mr. Montgomery. Everything’s ready.” The owner’s grin nearly split his face.
“Guess that’s what a hefty donation will do,” Gabe whispered while the man finalized the paperwork.
Within moments they stood beside a Bell chopper.
“This okay?” he asked Deb.
With rushed movements, she inspected the helicopter. “It’ll do.”
While Deb completed her preflight, Gabe watched her closely. She was running on empty, they all were, having flown across a half dozen Western states since this morning. Winslow had been a blow, but for the first time since he’d recognized Ashley had been taken and wasn’t on the run, Gabe had to admit he had hope they might actually find Deb’s sister.
If they could find Justin.
Zach sidled up beside Gabe. “She’s something else.” A helicopter pilot himself, Zach studied her inspection. “She’s good at what she does. Doesn’t have to think about the next step,” he said. “How is she holding up, Gabe? Really?”
“She’s strong. She’ll do what it takes to find Ashley,” Gabe said. “Later, she might fall apart, but not until the job’s done. She’s a lot like us that way.”
“God knows I’m not one to lecture—” Zach started.
“I wouldn’t say that.”
“Much,” Zach continued. “But you need to rethink Steve. Nick vouched for Paretti. We haven’t heard the whole story on his undercover status, but I know from you the guy is a good shot. Not as good as Jazz, but good. We could use two positions if the building is as large as the footprint at Winslow.” Zach placed his hand on Gabe’s shoulder. “I know what he’s done, but we need him, Zach. And you need to trust Nick’s judgment on this one.”
With a scowl, Gabe shoved his hands through his hair. Anger still roiled inside him. It had barely lessened at all. “I’m not ready to trust him that much.”
“I am,” Deb said. “I’ll beg him, if I have to. Because my sister’s life is more important than hurt egos at the moment. Betrayal sucks. I know that firsthand. You know I do. But your brother vouched for him. In the time I’ve known you, you’ve bragged about Nick more than once. I’m willing to trust his judgment. It’s my sister’s life at stake. Bring him in.” She crossed her arms. “Now, are you ready to find Justin?”
The truth of Deb’s words slammed into Gabe. Man, what the hell was he thinking? Deb was right. Besides, he didn’t have to trust Steve. He just had to let him shoot.
“I hear you, Deb. There’s only one hitch.” He looked back and forth between Zach and Deb. “What if Gasmerati shows up? Do you think Steve can actually kill his own cousin?”
A tinge of orange bathed the Nevada desert sky. Deb strapped in, her hands steady, even though her heart pounded with anticipation.
“Put on your headsets,” she ordered Zach and Gabe, then slipped on her own. “All set?” she asked through the mic.
“Let’s go,” Gabe said. “We’re running out of light.”
The whirr of the rotors emitted a high-pitched squeal and, a few minutes later, Deb lifted the center control stick. The chopper rose in the air and started north.
Zach set out binoculars and opened a large duffel. A slew of weaponry overflowed. Semiautomatics, a couple of clubs, knives, rifles. God knew what else. “The owner didn’t see your stash, did he?” Deb asked.
“Nah. We’d probably be under arrest if he did, but if we’re in a firefight, we’re going to need it. We’re not leaving without those kids.”
“Have an extra set of binoculars?” Gabe asked while he spread out the map.
“Yeah.” Zach dug around in the bag. He found the second pair and passed them over.
The sun had fallen even lower in the sky. “Maybe an hour or so of daylight left,” Deb said, peering at the ground.
She pushed the steering bar and the bird headed north, veering down slightly. “What are the coordinates for that weigh station? If the trucker they hitched with is dead, the kidnappers aren’t far behind. When they learn Justin and his friend weren’t killed, they’ll call out the troops, en masse.”
Gabe studied the map and circled an area. “Luke’s looking into the weigh station. We’ll have to guess until he calls. From what Justin said, the camp is probably near Saylor Creek Bombing Range. It’s south of Mountain Home Air Force Base. That’s a good eighty miles as the crow flies to the Nevada border.” He shifted the map. “If I were them, I’d head for an area that’s not totally flat. They’d want someplace to take cover, if they need to, though even this area doesn’t offer much.”
“Good eye,” Deb said. “That’s where I would have headed, too. Let’s hope it’s as obvious to Justin and Dave on the ground.”
“Nick is arranging a safe house and guards for the boys to go into as soon as we find them,” Gabe said smoothly. “Plus, I called Caleb and gave him a heads-up. He’s got everyone in our family in Denver packing.”
“So what’s the plan
?” Zach asked, all the while scanning the desert surface with the binoculars.
Gabe did the same on the other side of the chopper. “Luke is gathering the troops. As soon as we know where to go, we’ll finalize plans.”
The sat phone rang. God, she hoped Luke had come through with the location.
“See you there,” Gabe shouted. He twisted in his seat. “A local news report said the police found a truck and weigh station blown to smithereens off of Highway 93. Not a whole lot to identify, but enough of the driver remained to determine that he had been shot through the temple. Before the bomb hit,” Luke said.
Zach cursed. “Any mention of the kids?”
“Nothing. If they haven’t been recaptured, then they’re still out there somewhere.”
“What are the coordinates?” Deb asked.
Gabe relayed them.
She adjusted course.
“The other kid sounded sick or hurt,” Gabe said. “They won’t be moving fast. If we start the search pattern near the truck explosion and go systematically from there, we may luck out.”
Deb scanned the horizon, looking for anything out of place. They had to be there. Had to be. She pushed the chopper to its limits. “We should be nearing the explosion area soon,” she said, following the ribbon of highway that dissected the desert landscape. “You see any unfriendlies?”
“Nothing,” Zach said. “Makes me nervous.”
“You got that right.” Gabe smoothed the map over his lap, growing more impatient by the minute. A half hour later, there was still no sign, and the sun had gone down lower in the sky. Shadows started falling over the mountains.
Gabe’s gaze swept across the barren vista.
“Anything?” Deb asked, the pit of her stomach twisting in knots. Flying missions overseas, facing gunfire, was nothing compared to searching for her little sister. Deb couldn’t remember ever feeling quite so much terror as this moment. So close and panicked, they might end up being too late.
“Not yet. Maybe they didn’t get as far as they thought.”
Each minute seemed to inch the sun lower in the sky. “Wait!” Gabe shouted. “Blue fabric came winging out from behind that mound.”
Deb turned the helicopter and moved very low very fast. Gabe caught his breath, but Deb’s hand didn’t waiver.
A blue T-shirt lay on the ground. “Smart kids,” Deb said. “That’s something Ashley would do.”
She circled the area. One of the boys crawled out and yanked the shirt behind the rock. “They know we’re here.”
“I’ll set her down,” Deb said. “Be ready to grab them so we can take off immediately.”
“Two ATVs approaching fast from behind,” Zach yelled. “They’re armed.”
Deb pushed the chopper to cover the distance. She cursed. She couldn’t land between the boys and the ATVs. She quickly landed on the packed earth. She hated this part. Waiting, wanting to help. She sat at the controls, ready to pull up as soon as the boys were inside.
Gabe palmed his weapon and opened the door. “You call out, Deb,” he said. “They don’t know me.”
She cupped her hands. “Justin! It’s Deb Lansing.”
The boys ran toward them, sprinting as the ATV roared closer and closer.
Zach and Gabe bounded out of the helicopter, guns at the ready.
“Run, Dave!” Justin yelled. “Faster.”
Dave fell. Justin hauled him back to his feet.
“They found us!” Justin sprinted out into the open first, heading right toward them.
Dave followed, but it was easy to see how much he struggled. She wanted to get out and run, but she had to stay ready.
The helicopter’s rotors whirred, buffeting them. The ATVs pulled within range, spewing dirt in the air, then split off.
Taking advantage of the dust cloud, Gabe raced toward the kids, firing as he ran. Zach veered toward the second ATV.
Deb leaned forward, straining to see the murky view. Shots rang out. Dave stumbled.
The ATV quickly gained on the boy. He couldn’t seem to get back on his feet.
“South!” Deb shouted.
Gabe shifted, aimed at the gunman pointing his weapon at the boy. Direct hit. The man slumped over. The driver pulled out a pistol and shot Dave where he lay.
“No!”
“Get down, Justin!” Gabe yelled.
Justin dove.
Zach hit the second ATV’s gunman in the head.
The vehicle swerved. Zach’s shot missed the driver’s heart. He turned the steering wheel toward Justin. Gabe and Zach both fired, killing the driver instantly, but the vehicle’s trajectory was set.
The ATV smashed into Justin, knocking him down and running over him.
Deb’s fists clenched the controls. There was nothing anyone could do. God, she hated this part of her job. Useless. Waiting.
Gabe ran to Justin and knelt beside him. Zach ran to Dave. They returned quickly to the chopper, each man holding a boy in his arms.
Zach loaded Dave onto the floor. “He’s bad. You have medical training. Watch him and I’ll fly.”
Deb nodded, slipping into the back beside the unconscious boy. Within seconds Zach lifted off.
While she settled Dave, Gabe checked Justin. One side of his head bore a long cut and a huge bruise.
He tested his pulse. “It’s weak, but there.” He ran his hands over Justin’s arms and legs. “He’s in bad shape. I think there are cracked ribs and probably internal injuries. We have to get him to a hospital immediately.”
“I don’t know about Dave,” Deb said. The boy’s lips were blue, his chest covered with blood. Gabe removed his shirt and thrust it into Deb’s hands. She tried to stanch the bleeding. “Look for a medical kit. See what they have.” Wheezes sounded from the boy’s chest.
“After I get the coordinates for the nearest hospital, I’ll tell them to stand by,” Zach yelled.
Deb had no time to answer, no time to think. She and Gabe worked side by side. Her best leads to her sister now lay unconscious. Deb prayed they made it through, so they could tell her where Ashley was, before it was too late.
As Zach flew them through the ever-increasing darkness, Deb shivered.
What if it was already too late?
* * *
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
* * *
DEB PACED IN the waiting room while Gabe spoke to his brother Nick in low tones.
The small town had only one surgeon, and Dave had needed the OR first. The bullet had come close to his heart. He was in a coma on a ventilator. They didn’t know if he’d wake up.
Justin had gone into surgery to repair his spleen. The kid was banged up, but alive. Gabe had gotten hold of both sets of parents. They’d probably be here soon.
If only they could’ve found Justin and Dave sooner. Maybe if she’d flown faster, made better choices.
Deb rubbed her hands over her face. Southwestern Idaho was a huge area. So was the bombing range. How could they find Ashley in time if they didn’t know where?
A surgeon pushed through the double doors and mopped his face. Exhaustion tugged at his eyes.
“How is Justin?” Deb practically lunged in the guy’s face. “When can I speak with him?”
“I should only be talking to his parents, but these are unusual circumstances. I can only give you a brief. He came through the surgery okay. I’m more concerned about his head wound. We’re doing everything we can to keep the swelling down.”
Deb’s tension ratcheted higher, and Gabe joined her, his hand on her shoulder.
“As far as talking to him . . .” The doctor shrugged. “I have no idea when he’ll wake up, or if he’ll remember. In traumas like this, sometimes memories of what happened just before the accident never return. It can vary from losing minutes to days or more. He’s going into re
covery now. If you’re the praying kind, you might want to start.”
The surgeon turned around and headed back to his patients.
“Ashley can’t wait.” Deb rubbed her tired eyes.
“Nick is making some calls,” Gabe said. “As soon as they’re stable, we’ll move them to a more secure location.”
Deb nodded. She walked to the edge of the waiting room and looked out the window. The lights of Reno twinkled, but looming over them, a large, black monstrosity of a mountain shadowed the foothills.
Gabe moved in behind her and rested two hands on her shoulders. She leaned back into his warmth. She knew Gabe’s touch, his scent. Over the last few days she’d become accustomed to him.
He kissed her hair gently. “What are you thinking?”
“That I’m so thankful you’re safe, but Ashley’s still out there.” Deb closed her eyes. “She might be dead.”
He squeezed the muscles and kneaded them slightly. “You can’t give up. She got Justin and Dave out.”
“Stupid girl didn’t come with them. She played hero.” Deb’s voice cracked.
“She did what she had to do. She’s a hero. Just like her big sister.”
Gabe turned Deb around and drew her tightly into his arms. “Our cavalry rented a hotel room across the street to plan and brought some of Zach’s best gadgets.”
“We have to get out there looking.” She could hear the slight hysteria tingeing her voice.
“I know you’re beat, but my brothers have been working on a plan while we were here. They’re close.”
“How?” Deb insisted. “All we know is a warehouse in southwestern Idaho.”
“That matches up with Ernie’s cryptic Idaho message before he died. Steve Paretti spoke with Grace. After getting her and her son to safety, she had written down the name of the construction company in her notebook. I guess she’s been trying to nail Jeff Gasmerati for a long time.”