Page 67 of Robb

Well, that would be one way to end a relationship once and for all, she thought with a grimace.

On the other hand… she didn’t think that Robb’s team would judge him for any of this. And they were incredibly good in a tight situation.

Maybe I’m just hoping I can keep the Agency at arm’s length so that I can rescue Robb from Hargreaves’s clutches and princess carry him out of their lair, she thought wryly. And then I’ll set him down in a bed of rose petals and gently tend his wounds, And then he’ll say that he’s quitting his job and I was right about criminal justice all along.

The brolga heaved a long-suffering sigh. And then everyone will applaud, and the Prime Minister will give you an honorary title that comes with no responsibilities and lots of public adulation.

Maybe he will, Tahnee said mutinously. You don’t know how the PM’s mind works.

I know it doesn’t work like that, the brolga muttered.

Liam’s voice broke her out of her pointless but distracting thoughts.

“Fifteen minutes,” he said.

Tahnee peered out the window. Even without Liam’s heads-up, she would’ve been able to tell they were getting nearer – the streetlights on the ground now outnumbered the stars in the sky, which were starting to fade into obscurity amongst the light pollution. Leaving the sanctuary for the big smoke always made Tahnee a little sad, even as she enjoyed all the things on offer that she couldn’t get back home.

Her breath quickened as they approached the city, and the reality of what she was about to do hit her in the gut. Hard.

Liam’s voice came over her headset.

“You’re sure you wanna go through with this?”

Tahnee looked over at him. His expression was sincere, not a trace of judgment on his face.

She knew she was lucky as all get-out to have a work colleague who was also her best friend, and who supported her unconditionally when she was in the right, while also being willing to call her out when she was in the wrong. Not many people had that.

And in a way, it was tempting to call the whole plan off. God, was it tempting.

Walking into the lion’s den, and serving myself up on a platter? What the hell am I thinking?

But in the end, she knew the path she had to take. It wasn’t even a question.

“Yeah, I’m sure,” she said with a smile, before giving him a not-entirely-gentle punch in the arm. “But I appreciate you giving me an out.”

“Punch the guy who’s flying the helicopter, why don’t you,” he grumbled, rubbing his arm exaggeratedly. “What if we went plummeting to the ground?”

“Then I would just fly away to safety,” she said breezily, attempting to dismiss her nerves by giving a bit of attitude. “Speaking of…”

“Yeah, we’re pretty much in position now,” Liam said, as the helicopter continued to slow its forward movement.

Then, the door next to her opened.

Tahnee peered down at the ground far below, and gulped.

She’d never had any sort of fear of heights, given that, well, she could fly.

But she’d also never jumped out of a helicopter before. And those giant blades above her were moving really, really fast.

“Just don’t jump upwards when you go out, and you’ll be right,” Liam said cheerfully.

“Thanks,” Tahnee muttered. “That’s reassuring.”

“Seriously, you’ll be fine,” Liam said. “This is the least dangerous part of the whole thing.”

He had a point. If she was struggling to bring herself to do this part of the mission, then she might as well give up right now, because things weren’t going to get any easier.

It’s just that I really don’t want to end up as mincemeat, she thought with a wince, as the blades pounded right over her head.