Page 34

CHAPTER 34

ELLIOT

“I remember,” Nova says, eyes wide as she stares back at me.

“What do you remember?”

“All of it. I—” She stops speaking a moment, and I hold my breath as she stares toward the wall across from me. “I think all of it. I remember Brett attacking me in the woods. I crawled into the creek, Elliot. He didn’t push me. When he shot me, I fell onto the ground, a few feet from the creek. But I heard this voice—” She pauses. “Telling me to get to the creek, and I just knew it was my salvation.” She raises her gaze, staring straight at me. “God saved me.”

“We already knew that,” I tell her.

“I know, but… He really saved me.” She smiles, a blinding smile that radiates. But then it falls. “We have to get to Crew.” She starts for the door, but I grip her arm and pull her back.

“Wait, Nova.”

“For what? You heard Brett. He’s going after Sabrina and the kids!”

“Kids?”

“Yeah, they have two,” she replies then stops and looks up at me. I can see the war on her face, the joy that her memories are returning mixed with fear for her friend and his family. There will be time to go through all of it, but right now, we’re up against a clock.

I check my phone as it dings, signaling an incoming message. “Dylan is heading to their place now. Tucker got him the address. He’ll get them out.”

“He’s just one person,” she insists. “Ivan could have an army waiting to strike.”

“You clearly don’t know Dylan. If there was an army facing me and I only had one man at my side, it would be him.” I retrieve the thumb drive from my desk and shove it into my pocket. My phone dings again, so I check the messages coming through the group chat I share with my brothers. “Bradyn and Riley are loading up right now. They’ll head to the park first.”

“He said to come alone.”

“And he won’t know we’re there,” I reply. “You’re not doing this alone.”

She considers then takes a deep breath. “I remember everything, Elliot. Every late night when I was undercover. Every shower where I cried frustrated and lonely tears because I was in so deep. Even Sam— Oh, Sam.” She closes her eyes. “He’d tried to help me, but he was struggling too.”

“Being in deep like that must have been incredibly difficult,” I reply. “But you’re out of it now, and you’re not alone.”

“I know that. We have to handle this delicately though. Elliot, I don’t want to lose anyone else. First Sam then Milo—I can’t lose Crew.”

“You won’t.” I only pray it’s the truth. That we’re not already too late. “Let’s gear up. Then we’ll head out.”

“Okay.” She turns and heads for the stairs, taking them two at a time, and as soon as she’s gone, I lower my head.

“God, I know You are with me. Even though I’ve struggled with my faith, battling against my own doubts and insecurities. I ask that You protect us tonight. That you bring Crew home to his family and help us stop Brett and Ivan from hurting anyone else. In the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.”

* * *

“If you can hear me, brush the hair behind your right ear,” I tell Nova through the earpiece. I watch her through the scope on my rifle as she does just that then heads deeper into the trees.

Tucker is to my left, camouflaged in some brush.

Bradyn is somewhere in the distance, scanning the surroundings while I watch Nova. Riley is in one of the tall pine trees, hidden well above the ground but prepared to drop down if need be.

All of us working as a single unit, just as we have so many times before.

Dylan messaged us right as we arrived to let us know he got Sabrina and the kids out. There was activity—three armed men sent to capture the family—but Dylan handled them, and he’s headed back to the ranch with the family, where they’ll be safe.

Here’s hoping we’ll be reuniting them with Crew too.

“Where are you, Brett?” Nova calls out. “I came, just like you asked.” The shrill tone of her phone cuts through the earpiece. “What is it?” she asks after raising it to her ear.

“You didn’t follow my instructions,” Brett replies after Nova’s put the phone on speaker.

“What are you talking about? I came just like you asked me to.”

“But you didn’t come alone,” he snarls. Even with the static of her phone being on speaker and coming through the earpiece, I can hear the irritation in his voice. Irritation that undoubtedly leads to instability. Unease snakes up my spine as I realize, with horrible clarity, that this is about to go sideways.

“There’s no one with me.”

“Lies,” Brett replies. “I tell you what, because of our history, I’ll give you one final chance to claim your friend. There’s a car pulling into the park right now. Get in the trunk.”

“First you asked me to come here; now you want me to get into a trunk? Do you think I’m an idiot?”

“I think you’ll do whatever it takes to save your friend.”

Don’t bite, Nova, I urge silently. Please don’t bite.

“How do I even know he’s still alive?” she asks. The moment the question leaves her lips, I know she’s going to do whatever Brett requests. And even though I want to sprint from these trees and run to her, I remain where I am because a man’s life is at stake.

“Talk to her,” Brett orders. When nothing happens, there’s a loud crack.

“I’m going to enjoy removing that hand,” Crew growls through the line.

“There. Now you know. Get in the trunk, Nova. Time’s ticking. And don’t forget to leave your weapon on the ground. You won’t need it. See you soon.” The call ends.

Nova doesn’t hesitate before she starts sprinting through the trees.

“Nova, you can’t get into that car!” I push up from my position and shoulder my rifle then rush after her. “He’s going to kill you!”

“He’s going to kill Crew if I don’t. I won’t lose anyone else.” She’s breathless as she runs faster, and I honestly can’t tell if she’s trying to get to the car in time or outrun me so I can’t stop her. Truthfully, I’m betting on the latter.

“Please, Nova. We can find him!” I yell as I sprint.

“If it were anyone else, you’d let them go,” she says. “You know you would. It’s the right play.”

She’s right. But I don’t tell her that.

I keep running as fast as I can when weighed down by the armor attached to my chest. Someone moves in the trees beside me, and Riley comes into view. He’s running, too, his gaze trained straight ahead. “You’re not anyone else,” I tell her.

“I’m a cop,” she argues. “And I have to do this.”

I leap over a chain hung to close off the trail.

“I’ll see you soon, Elliot. I know you’ll find me. You told me you would if I ran. I’m counting on it.”

Her earpiece goes dead seconds before I hear a trunk slam shut.

“Nova!” I bellow and burst out from the trees as a dark sedan spits gravel and races out from the parking lot. I race after her on foot, not wanting to waste time getting into my truck when I could be getting the license plate.

But there isn’t one.

And she’s gone.

Riley’s truck slides to a stop beside me. I jump in, and we take off after the car. He presses the pedal as hard as he can, and the engine growls, but the car is long gone.

“Where are they?” I ask, frustration and fear at war within me. “God, where did they go?”

“They must have pulled off onto a backroad,” he replies. “Let’s double back for the others, and we’ll see if Tucker can track her.”

I know it’s our best bet, but with Nova out there somewhere, doing the smart thing is not a choice I can make. Not when I want to tear apart this town until I find them.

* * *

“The earpiece is turned off,” Tucker says. “I can’t track it, but I can set up an alert so, when it comes back online, we’ll be notified. Until then, I’m searching all traffic and ATM cameras in town and those on the outskirts.”

“Gibson put out an APB on the car,” Bradyn adds. “Everyone is looking for her.”

It should make me feel better, but since it’s been four hours and we’ve got nothing, the pit in my stomach only grows.

“They may have had her ditch the earpiece,” Dylan says. “If so?—”

“No. There wouldn’t have been time for them to make her turn it off.” We found her cell phone on the ground alongside her weapon, but the earpiece was nowhere to be found. “The line went dead before she ever got in that trunk. We have to believe she hid it on her somehow.”

“If she did, they could have found it.” I whirl on Dylan, hands clenched into fists. My younger brother holds his hands up in surrender. “Not trying to be a downer; just trying to consider all possibilities.”

“She’s smart,” I growl then push out of the office, my earpiece still in place. I’ll sleep with it if I have to. She has to make communication. Somehow. Someway. God, please don’t let anything happen to her.

The image of Renee covered in blood assaults my mind. But instead of her face, it’s Nova’s green eyes staring back at me, dulled by death.

I grip the porch railing so hard my knuckles turn white. The door opens behind me. I don’t have to look back to know my dad has followed me out. “I can’t lose her too,” I tell him.

“You won’t,” he replies, coming to stand beside me. “Nova is strong. She’ll make it out.”

“Renee was strong too,” I remind him.

“She was,” he agrees. “But not in the way Nova is. Nova is trained, Elliot. She’s a Marine. A police officer. Which means she’s also resourceful. Have faith, son,” he says, clasping a hand on my shoulder.

“I’ve struggled with my faith for a long time.”

“Then now is a great time to lean on it, wouldn’t you say?”

I look over at him. “I don’t know if I deserve His help. I’m praying. I’m trying. But I turned my back on Him three years ago. When I should have been leaning on Him the most.”

He smiles softly at me, the lines at the corners of his eyes crinkling. “‘We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment.’”

“Romans,” I reply. It’s a verse that’s tattooed on my chest. Right above my heart. I’d had it done right after I got back from my first tour. A fitting verse given I’d had every bit of innocence stripped from me and returned a man tainted by war. Death.

“Romans chapter five,” he says. “And it’s truer each and every day.” He releases my shoulder and faces the ranch. “I wish I could take your pain, son. I wish that it were possible for you and your brothers and Lani to have never suffered, but that’s not what God intended. Not in this life, anyway. What comes next? Now that is going to be perfection.” He smiles at me. “I’m sorry for what happened with Renee, for what’s happening with Nova now, but you have to find your will to push on despite the outcomes. You have to lean on God even when it’s hard—especially when it’s hard.”

“You’ve always been so steady, Dad. I’m not that strong. I don’t know how to hang on to my faith when the world is burning around me.”

He snorts. “Son, you are stronger than I’ve ever been. All of you are. It’s been my greatest blessing to watch you all grow into wonderful adults. As a parent, you never know just how much you’re doing, or how much damage you’ll cause even as you’re doing your best. I’m glad to see that my best resulted in such fantastic adults.”

My chest tightens, and a bit of the weight I’m carrying lifts. “We got lucky with you and Mom,” I tell him truthfully.

He smiles again. “We got lucky with all of you.”

I look out over the ranch, wishing I could picture Nova walking up the drive. Right now, though, all I can see is her lifeless body lying on the ground. My dad covers my hand with his then bows his head.

“Lord, we come to You today asking that You watch over Your precious daughter, Nova. Please, God, keep her wrapped in Your holy light and send Your angels to protect her in this fight. Please guide us to her, Lord, so that we may bring her and Crew home. In the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.”

Another weight lifts, and the pit in my stomach shrinks slightly.

“Amen,” I repeat.

“Keep the faith, son. God always has a plan. Even if we can’t see it.”