Page 108 of Hours to Kill
Snow continued to fall, peppering her body with cold needles. She heard Razo’s footfalls moving across the clearing toward her. The greatest terror she’d never known usurped her good thoughts, and she lifted her face in prayer.
The blades of the helicopter thumped overhead at Noble’s ranch, each spin urging Mack to act and raising his heartbeat. The aircraft hovered and slowly settled down right on schedule. Mack made a mental note that when this was all over, he’d thank his boss for coming through as usual.
The sand and dirt whipped into a frenzy, biting into Mack’s face, and he bent his head to join his team and grab equipment from the back of their SUV and load it into the helo. Thankfully, local deputies had arrived in time to take the senator into custody, and Mack would take care of pressing charges after rescuing Addy.
Mack set the bin with their drone near the seat he would occupy. “Thanks for the speedy response,” he said to the pilot.
“Welcome.” The young Navy lieutenant looked over his shoulder. “Captain has a vehicle ready and waiting for you at your destination.”
Mack wasn’t going to ask how he arranged that. He wasjust going to get in that vehicle and plow through the snow up the mountain to Addy.
He went back to the team, who were grabbing assault rifles and slinging them over their shoulders. They’d finished loading equipment and had donned tactical vests and their comms units. Mack moved to the back seat, disconnected Bear’s leash from the headrest, and dressed him in his body armor. Mack didn’t know if he would need Bear to free Addy, but if so, he wanted to be sure the dog was protected. Mack led him into the helo. He had no idea if the dog had ever flown in a helicopter before, but his calm acceptance of jumping in said he probably had.
Mack looked back at the team. “Let’s move.”
Sean and Kiley climbed into the helo and buckled up. The aircraft lifted from the ground.
Thump. Thump. Thump.The rotors beat through the air.
Just minutes now before they landed. Before Mack had to perform.
He looked at his teammates and signaled a moment of prayer. They all bowed their heads as they rose up through the clouds into what felt like oblivion.
Mack searched for the right words to say. This was too important to get it wrong. He started his plea. Then stopped. Started again.
God, you know my request. Addy needs you. Help me—us—rescue her. And to find the guns before they reachour country.
Bear’s head came to rest on Mack’s knee. Mack’s heart soared for a moment at the close contact with the animal who knew Mack needed support, and he flashed his eyes open. “Good boy, Bear. Let’s go bring Addy home.”
Bear barked his agreement, and Mack smiled despite the heaviness of the mission weighing him down.
“Flying time five minutes,” the lieutenant announced.
Mack slid over to the drone container. He opened the bin, hispulse pounding hard. Just the sight of a drone could be enough to send him into a flashback. The worst thing that could happen. Fear of failing Addy climbed up his throat, threatened to choke him. He swallowed it down, his gaze shooting around the helo.
Kiley squeezed his arm and focused in on him. “You got this. I know you do.”
He gave a sharp nod, but his hands trembled, and that didn’t bode well for a steady hand on the drone’s controller.
Kiley took Bear’s leash and drew him over to her. Bear sat next to her, but she didn’t pet him. This wasn’t playtime. They were heading into a mission.
Mack peered inside the bin and took a long breath, letting it out in a shuddering wave.
You can do this. Youhave to do this.
Their drone wasn’t an off-the-shelf retail system like he’d purchased at the mall, but a custom instrument made for their team. Weighing fifty pounds, it had a range of just over six miles and could reach an altitude of over nine thousand feet. It was equipped with a day/night camera that transmitted real-time video. In this instance, it would also carry a rifle that Mack could use to take out whoever was holding Addy if necessary.
He inspected the gun’s ammo and mounted the gun on the drone. He checked the drone batteries, his stomach churning as fast as the rotor blades overhead, and he thought he might hurl. He swallowed. Breathed. He wouldn’t fail Addy.
The helo thumped away in rhythm, bringing them closer to the time he would have to use the drone. His worst fear could very well play out in slow motion. Using a drone again to take a life and potentially injuring or killing an innocent. In this case, the love of his life.
“We good?” Sean asked, his two words loaded with such meaning that Mack wanted to scream,No, we’re not good!We’re never good. Haunted at times. Still.
Instead, he nodded and closed the bin. The helo began to descend. Mack’s heart started racing faster. Faster. Adrenaline coursed through him.
Once they hit the ground, he was as jittery as if he’d pounded a dozen Red Bulls. They landed in a small field, where a man wearing khakis and a leather jacket stood by a silver SUV, keys dangling from his hand.
Mack hopped out, and the man handed over the keys. “Would be great if you could bring it back to this location.”
