Page 79 of Code Name: Grit

A small smile touched her lips. “Someone you care about.”

I wanted to press her, to hear the words I suspected she’d almost said, but Dante chose that moment to enter the room.

“Transport’s ready,” he announced, eyes darting between us. “Helicopter’s waiting on the roof.”

Lumi walked to the door. “I’ll get the discharge papers.”

When she left, Dante sat in the vacated chair. “You two doing okay?” he asked casually.

“Better than okay,” I replied, unable to keep the warmth from my voice.

He nodded, his expression softening. “Good. She deserves that.”

“So do you,” I said, gesturing toward the door. “How are things with Lark? The baby?”

A smile transformed his face. “Good. The doctor says everything’s on track. We find out next week if it’s a boy or girl.”

“Betting on a girl,” I said. “With her mother’s looks and your stubborn streak.”

He laughed. “God help us all if that’s the case.”

The helicopter rideback to Canada Lake was smooth, the pilot taking extra care to avoid turbulence. Lumi sat beside me, her presence a balm more effective than any painkiller. Dante occupied the opposite seat, filling me in on the team’s movements since the hunting-lodge incident.

“Ranger’s been coordinating with the local authorities,” he explained over the headset. “Making sure Giovanni remains in custody and the area is properly processed for evidence.”

“Any surprises?” I asked.

He hesitated. “A few, but Admiral wants a full briefing once you’re settled.”

The helicopter touched down at Kane Mountain Great Camp just before noon. Admiral met us in the open field, his face creased with concern as he helped me from the chopper.

“Good to have you back,” he said, gripping my good arm. “How’s the shoulder?”

“I’ll live,” I replied. “Heard there are developments I should know about.”

“That’s putting it mildly. Let’s get you inside.”

The command center was bustling. Alice and Atticus worked at adjacent terminals, while Ranger coordinated with a team via videoconference. They paused when we entered, a chorus of greetings and relieved expressions highlighting how close-knit our unit had become since its formation.

Atticus hobbled over on crutches, his injured leg wrapped in a supportive brace. “Finally decided to join the party,” he said with a grin. “Now, I’m not the only one getting fussed over.”

“How’s the leg?”

“Hurts like hell,” he admitted cheerfully. “But I’ve been assured I’ll make a full recovery. Same goes for you, I hear.”

“If he follows medical advice,” Lumi interjected, giving me a pointed look.

“When have I ever not followed orders?” I asked innocently.

The laughter that rippled through the room was exactly what we needed—a moment of normalcy amid the chaos we’d been living in.

Admiral allowed the levity to continue for a moment before directing us to the briefing area. “Now that you’re back, we need to bring everyone up to speed.”

We gathered around the central display, where Ranger had queued up footage and data related to the hunting-lodge incident.

“Let’s start with what we know for certain,” he began. “The explosion at the hunting lodge was caused by pre-positioned charges.”

“By Giovanni?” I asked.