Page 95 of Leading Conviction

Eagle glanced at Devil, who still held the syringe. Guilt and pain glittered in his green eyes, but his lips flattened into a resolute line, no doubt seeing the earnestness in Eagle’s face. The medic nodded once before capping the syringe.

Eagle flicked his eyes to meet Hawk’s gaze again. “Imean… ‘no.’”

Confusion etched into Hawk’s face, but he must’ve seen Devil put the syringe away out of the corner of his eyes because he jerked up to face their friend with a murderous expression.

“What’re you doing? He’s obviously out of his damn mind—”

Eagle squeezed with all his might. “I’m not,” he choked, bringing Hawk’s attention solely on him.

Fear returned to his best friend’s expression, and sweat dripped into the creases underneath his helmet down his furrowed brow.

“Fuck, Eagle, take the drugs, man.” Tears brimmed in Hawk’s eyes but Eagle held firm.

“If I… take those… I’ll pass out… right now. Never wake up.”

“You’ll die without them!” Hawk yelled.

“I’m gonna die with them, brother.”

The words landed in the cabin as brutally as any bomb. Somber truth leadened the air, but Eagle felt his body lighten as he spoke to his best friend.

“You… were the brother… I always wanted,” he coughed.

Hawk cursed through gritted teeth. Eagle could tell the grip on his hand should hurt, that he was practically crushing bone, but he could hardly feel anything at all.

“Eagle…” Hawk shook his head violently as if he was fighting the truth from entering his mind, hoping reality wouldn’t catch up to them. “Eagle, youaremy brother. You saved my life out there, you know.”

“Any… time.” He laughed, despite the growing sensation that his chest was caving in. He couldn’t tell if the weight was due to his collapsing lung, or the realization that this was really it.

His thoughts jumbled together. His past, present, and all the dreams he’d ever had swirled to create one confusing scene. Like his life was a photo album of slightly transparent pictures. Page after page flopped one on top of the other until they all blurred together.

“What will we do without you?” Hawk whispered, bringing Eagle back to the present.

You’ll lead them with conviction… better than I ever could.

“That security firm… didn’t sound… so bad. You… and Jaybird… could start it… BlackStone sounds better than… Black and Greene Security… anyway.” His snort ended in a moan.

“Fuck, don’t hurt yourself more than you already are,” Hawk scolded him.

Eagle wanted to retort but all the important things he never got to say bombarded his mind all at once, with one coming to the forefront.

“Protect… them…” he pleaded, unsure whether his fingers were squeezing Hawk’s hand still or not.

“Of course, brother. I’ll protect this team with my life.”

Eagle tried to shake his head, but his neck muscles didn’t respond, forcing him to stare straight up.

His vision grew hazier and hazier at the edges. Instead of the ceiling of the bird, Hannah and their son splashed in front of him like watercolors.

He’d dreamed of them so many times since that day in the General’s office, but this time they weren’t alone in his vision.

Hawk appeared too, holding Hannah’s hand in his, gazing down at her with the love he’d always shown her, even when it’d broken his heart to leave her behind.

The blurry image made him relax against the metal floor of the bird.

“Eagle?” Hawk’s muffled voice filtered through the fog. It sounded like he was speaking through a pillow, but Eagle could still hear the anguish and grief weighing his words. “We love you, brother.”

Eagle closed his eyes as his heartbeat slowed. He gave in to the vision, praying for it with every fiber of his being. Peace embraced him as his family found happiness in this broken, fucked-up world.