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The wreck jolted again.
“Shit! It’s gonna go!” Gunn yelled through our comms.
I looked up to the bird. “Xavier, stop. Stop!”
The winch halted.
Gunn looked at me from behind the pilot’s seat.
I huffed a massive breath. “Can you release your legs, Booker?”
His face contorted with agony as he pushed on the twisted metal over his thighs, trying to wriggle free.
Finally, he met my gaze and shook his head.
“Xavier, send down the second winch,” I said.
“Roger that.” As a second winch and hook lowered toward us, Layla leaned out the open door of the chopper. Her hair whipped around her face. Her mouth was open, but I couldn’t hear a single word.
“Gunn, grab that winch and hook yourselves on. If this wreck goes you’re gonna need it.”
“But what about Booker?” he said.
I met Booker’s gaze. He shook his head and mouthed,leave me.
“No fucking way!” I yelled. “If this thing goes, I’ll take Booker. Wyatt and Gunn, you two hang onto that other winch and dive out that side, and don’t get tangled in this wreck. Understood?”
“Roger that,” Gunn said. Then he yelled the instruction again, obviously for Wyatt’s benefit.
I stepped into the harness and attached the rope connecting to the chopper above. Pushing off the tree, I gripped onto the side of the shattered windshield, reached into the cockpit, and threaded the rope connected to my harness around Booker’s body, under his arms.
“What are you doing, Hunter?” Booker yelled.
“Saving your ass. Undo your seatbelt and grab my vest.”
Booker either didn’t have the energy to argue or knew there was no point because there was no way I would give up.
Once his seatbelt was released, his body slumped forward. He was too weak to fight gravity.
“What are you doing, Hunter?” Gunn glared at me.
He knew exactly what I was doing. It was fucking dangerous. If Xavier had to do a sudden evasive maneuver, I was duckshit.
“Move your asses, guys. We don't have much time,” Xavier said, urgency clear in his voice.
“Copy that.” I focused on the wreckage pinning Booker down.
“This is a bad idea, Hunter,” Booker yelled in my ear.
“Stop your whining and get ready.” I tied the rope off at the front of his chest. “Just make sure your head doesn't get near this rope. Understood?”
“Copy that.” Booker clamped his jaw.
“Let’s try this again.” My heart hammered in my chest. I nodded at Wyatt and Gunn. “You two get ready to move. Xavier, try the first winch again, slow and steady.”
“Roger that.”
The cable attached to the hook around the twisted metal pulled again. Peeling off like the lid on a sardine can, the metal screeched.