Page 82

That’s when I heard a communicator ping. Then another. Mine vibrated in my pocket.

I groaned. “We’re supposed to be done for the night.”

“Monsters don’t take time off,” Jameson said.

Everyone on Hunter Squad pulled out their comm units, but Jameson was already reading his. He stood, and the grim look on his face made me tense.

“Hunter Squad, we need to go,” he said.

I rose. “What’s wrong?”

His gaze met mine. “Colbie’s Talon went down.”

My ears filled with static. “What?”

“She made a mayday call en route to the supply drop. Her Talon crashed and we’ve lost communication with her.”

“Oh, no,” my mom said. My dad wrapped an arm around her.

I couldn’t breathe.Colbie.Crashed. “Who was with her?”

“No one.” A muscle ticked in Jameson’s jaw. “She was alone. She crashed in the middle of the Blue Mountains.”

My chest burned. She’d crashed in an area infested with monsters.

I pushed back from the table. “Let’s go and bring her home.”

“We’ll clean up here,” Mom said. “Go.”

With a nod, I strode toward the house. Resolve filled me.

I was going to bring my lark home.