Page 21 of Fierce Hope (Hope Landing: New Recruits #3)

The hangar doors groaned open, releasing a blast of frigid mountain air that made Jade shiver despite her thermal layers. Morning sunlight glinted off the sleek Eurocopter, its blades casting sharp shadows across the snow-dusted runway.

“Watch your step up there, Iz!” Ronan called out, his voice echoing through the cavernous space.

Jade followed his gaze to where Izzy, Knight Tactical’s mechanic, balanced on a portable step ladder beside the helicopter. Despite the biting cold, the petite woman’s hands moved with practiced ease as she tightened a loose panel. Her dark ponytail swung with each careful movement.

“I know what I’m doing, boss,” Izzy shot back without looking down. She gave the panel one final check before calling out, “Fuel topped off. Rotor checks complete. We’re good to get this baby outside.”

Near the helicopter’s open door, Kenji nursed a steaming travel mug, his breath visible in the icy air. “It’s too early for a cross-state mission,” he grumbled, though his eyes remained sharp and alert.

Jade watched Ronan and Axel efficiently loading gear into the helicopter, trading casual barbs about trading the freezing mountains for desert sunshine. The whole scene felt surreal—like stepping into a movie.

“Ready?”

She startled at Deke’s voice beside her. He’d finished reviewing the flight plan and now studied her with that steady gaze as if he saw right through her carefully maintained composure.

“As I’ll ever be,” she managed, hoping her voice didn’t betray just how far out of her depth she felt.

The expert way Axel backed the pickup truck with its attached skid up to the multi-million dollar aircraft only added to her feeling of inadequacy.

Kenji didn’t even have a chance to finish his coffee before Izzy and Axel had the helicopter out of the hangar, off the sled, and ready to launch. Ronan slid into the pilot’s seat and waved them all inside.

The helicopter’s engine roared to life, rotors spinning into a rhythmic blur above them. Jade gripped her safety harness, stomach lurching as they lifted smoothly into the crisp morning air. Below, the hangar and snow-capped peaks began to blur.

“Final weather report indicates KAVU once we’re east of the Sierra. Clear sailing all the way, folks!” Axel announced from the copilot’s seat, his fingers dancing across the instrument panel.

“Copy that,” Ronan said. “Don’t forget sunscreen, guys. We’re headed for blue skies.”

Ten minutes later, her stomach began to roil.

“You okay?” Deke’s low voice carried just above the helicopter’s relentless thrum. The question vibrated through her headset, intimate despite the mechanical surroundings.

Jade gripped the edge of her seat tighter, knuckles white against the leather. Her first helicopter ride. Another first she never imagined experiencing. Her stomach lurched as they hit a pocket of turbulence.

She managed a half-smile that felt more like a grimace. “This is ... a lot.”

The metal floor vibrated beneath her boots.

Every slight adjustment of the aircraft sent her pulse skittering.

So different from commercial flights—the closeness of the ground, the tilt and sway with each gust of wind.

Nothing between her and the vast emptiness but thin walls and Deke’s reassuring presence beside her.

“First time’s always the worst.” His smile crinkled the corners of his eyes. “Try looking out, not down.”

Through her window, she watched the landscape transform beneath them.

Snow-covered peaks like jagged teeth gradually surrendered to rolling hills, then flattened into desert plains stretched taut under an endless blue sky.

A world changing in fast-forward. Just like her life since the threats began.

The rhythmic whop-whop-whop of the blades sliced through her thoughts.

Her ears popped as they ascended, pressure building behind her temples.

The air in the cabin warmed degree by degree, the temperature gauge on the dashboard climbing steadily higher.

Hope Landing’s frigid winter became a distant memory with each mile south.

“Almost there.” Deke’s voice again, steady as bedrock. His hand briefly touched her white-knuckled grip on the armrest. Warm. Solid. Gone too quickly.

The helicopter banked sharply, giving her a dizzying panoramic view of their destination. Palm trees stood like sentinels against the harsh landscape. Swimming pools dotted the ground like fallen pieces of sky. Everything below shimmered behind waves of heat rising from the earth.

Her stomach dropped as they descended in tight spirals. Instinctively, she reached out, fingers brushing Deke’s arm. He didn’t pull away.

The helicopter hovered momentarily above a private landing pad nestled between an emerald-green golf course and what looked like a luxury resort.

The contrast between the machine’s violent downdraft and the manicured perfection below struck her as absurdly symbolic of her own life—chaos circling just above a carefully maintained facade.

The skids touched down with a gentle bump that belied the machine’s power. The engine’s pitch changed, whining down as the rotors slowed. When Deke removed his headset, the sudden absence of noise felt like a physical pressure against her eardrums.

“Welcome to Palm Springs.” He reached across to help with her harness, his movements efficient but gentle.

Jade blinked against the assault of brightness as the door slid open. Desert heat rushed in—a physical wall of dry, scorching air that stole her breath. The transition from Hope Landing’s winter chill to this furnace-blast warmth sent her senses reeling.

She stepped onto the tarmac, legs unexpectedly wobbly. Heat radiated through her boots, the ground seeming to pulse beneath her feet. The scent of hot concrete, aviation fuel, and somewhere distant, chlorine and blooming bougainvillea.

A different world entirely. A world from her past rushing up to meet her present.

Izzy was first out, tool belt already in hand as she circled the aircraft for her post-flight check.

The rest of the team followed, shedding layers as they stepped into the scorching sun.

Ronan, Axel, and Kenji stripped off their heavy jackets while Deke slipped on dark sunglasses, his gaze sweeping the perimeter with practiced ease.

Jade tugged at her lightweight sweater, taking in the perfectly manicured landscape. Palm trees swayed in the warm breeze, their shadows dancing across geometric hedges. Everything about the setting screamed wealth and careful cultivation.

A sleek black SUV waited for them just beyond the private helipad. As they climbed in, Jade felt the full blast of the desert heat. The temperature display read 85—a delicious contrast to the snow they’d left behind.

Kenji took the wheel, with Ronan riding shotgun.

Through the tinted windows, Jade watched Palm Springs unfold: pristine golf courses, rows of swaying palms, and perfectly preserved mid-century modern architecture.

As they wound their way toward the San Jacinto mountains, the homes grew increasingly grand, hidden behind elaborate gates and towering privacy hedges.

But beneath her wonder at the scene’s beauty, anxiety churned in her stomach. Somewhere in this sun-drenched paradise waited Sebastian Deveaux—the man who’d once been like an uncle to her, before she’d walked away from her father’s world. She wasn’t here to admire the view.

She was here to face her past.

“Sebastian’s place is up ahead,” Deke said quietly beside her. “You doing okay?”

She nodded as they turned onto a private drive that curved up into the foothills.

The SUV climbed past cascading bougainvillea and immaculate desert landscaping, finally stopping before a sprawling contemporary mansion.

Floor-to-ceiling windows reflected the mountain views, and a fountain burbled in the circular drive.

A uniformed staff member appeared as they exited the vehicle. Jade’s heart thundered against her ribs, her palms growing damp. She noticed Izzy and Ronan exchanging subtle glances, their trained eyes no doubt cataloging exits and security risks.

Her uncle Seb stood waiting at the top of the steps—tall, trim, and deeply tanned, his silver hair swept back with casual elegance.

His tailored shirt probably cost more than her monthly rent, but the way he carried himself—shoulders squared, chin slightly raised—spoke of someone who’d fought his way to the top.

Time had etched lines around his eyes that hadn’t been there before.

“Little Jade. Look at you,” he breathed, reaching for her hands. “It’s been way too long, sweetie.” His voice carried the polished tone of wealth with just enough roughness underneath to reveal his roots.

The familiar gesture, the warmth in his voice—it all hit her like a physical blow. Memories flooded back: perched on the edge of his desk while he taught her card tricks, the rich taste of desserts he’d sneak her from the kitchen, his fond “kiddo” when she’d made him laugh.

All while her father worked in the next room, planning cons that would eventually tear their world apart.

She let him hold her hands for just a moment before stepping back, feeling Deke’s steady presence behind her. The little girl who’d once idolized her charming “uncle” was gone. She was here for answers.

Sebastian’s smile dimmed slightly, reading the shift in her posture. His eyes—sharp and assessing despite their warmth—flicked briefly to Deke before returning to her face.

“Come on in,” he said, gesturing toward the living room with a smooth sweep of his hand. “I think we’ve got some catching up to do.” The slight hardening of his jaw suggested he understood this wasn’t a social visit.

As she followed him deeper into the house, his expensive watch caught the light—the same distinctive timepiece he’d worn twelve years ago when she’d walked away from her old life.