Page 35 of Luck Be Mine (The Defenders #3)

The men would see him when they got in the chopper, but there wasn’t any hiding this or waiting for a good moment. He stared across to the alley. Brennan waved the men on.

Carter was the first to the door. His face fell. “No.” He launched into the chopper, going to his knees. “No!” His anguish matched Hunt’s.

“He’s gone, Carter. There’s nothing to do.” He kept his arms in place.

Carter felt for his pulse anyway, then cupped Baxter’s face.

Hernandez came behind him, then Tommy, then K-Rock, then Doogie.

The shock echoed.

Brennan came last and slammed the door. “Stallion, Scout Three. We are at Midnight. Last man out.” He turned to the pilot. “Take off. Last man.”

They lifted off to more gunfire, but the power of the helicopter took them out of range. They jetted through the sky.

“Copy, Scout Three. Blackjack. Midnight.”

Carter reached for his bag. Hunt knew what was coming and couldn’t keep the tears from his eyes. The way Cait talked about flags struck home.

The medic carefully spread the U.S. flag over Baxter’s body, tucking it close.

But Hunt wouldn’t let Bax go. He would hold him. For a bit longer.

§§§§§§§§§§

? Man Down ?

Cait slipped through the admin doors at QM, marveling at the quiet.

This place never slept. But Celissa’s desk was empty, her lights off.

Through the double doors, though, the pace increased.

Quaid had requested her presence. So, after a long night of surgeries, here she was.

She’d rallied once again and taken the time to change clothes.

Navy blue slacks, red QM shirt, leopard print flats.

Muted lights in the hallway went with the early hour. Elizabeth’s office light was on. Mackey’s was not. Neither was Quaid’s. They were both here, but they spent more time in Operations than they did in their offices.

Cait didn’t go into Operations a lot. She had her own lane.

Curiosity snagged, she pushed open the door and stepped into the guts of QM.

Dark blue carpet, white walls, monitors and smart boards spread across all the wall space of the big room.

Computers and info flashing, four people working including Quaid, and the intense hum of productivity defined the room.

Harrison’s office was dark as was Miner’s, his deputy, a former cop.

One board scrolled all the personnel on bodyguard assignments at home and abroad.

Kerry was working a missing person in Mexico City in another area.

Johnson watched line after line of code go over his monitor, some financial crime.

Quaid sat in the back corner – the Delaney hunt headquarters. Where was Mackey?

As soon as she got to Quaid’s side, she spoke. “No luck? Where’s Mackey?”

Quaid turned bloodshot eyes in her direction, his black pants and black QM shirt only a tad wrinkled. “Good morning to you, too. He’s asleep in his office. He was out all night.”

“You were awake, too. I’m sorry about this. I had no idea the man would be so hard to find.”

Quaid waved her to a matching stool. “If, and I say if, we’re going to get deeper into this idea, we have to build a solid process. This is as good a test subject as we’ll find, so the steps we take are exploratory, but they matter.”

“Still, it’s taking a bunch of company time.”

“I’d do it three times over. I haven’t seen this much animation, purpose, and drive in Elizabeth’s manner and emotions since Wylie got killed in Afghanistan. If this is what it takes, I’m in. So is my grandfather.”

“She did seem taken by the idea.”

“Taken? She’s in Operations four times a day for updates. We have an arrangement with your hospital, a rehab center, and imaging services now. Hell, Mackey wants to hire him.”

Cait sank back in her chair, agog. “What?”

“You heard me. He’s impressed with the man’s skills. We’re chasing him all over San Diego.”

“Is he hiding?”

“Don’t think so. He may not have figured out we’re trying to find him. We’re closer, and we’ve identified where he’s not.”

The main door opened. Harrison strode in, black pants, white operations shirt, coffee in hand. He stopped mid-room. “This is not going to be a good day when you two are left alone in here.”

Cait grinned. “Good morning to you. I was summoned. I take no responsibility.”

“These boys and what they get into,” Harrison griped. His eyes went over the boards, and he pulled up a chair. “Status?”

Quaid hit the high points. “Still looking for Delaney, but we’ve eliminated a bunch more areas. Mackey thinks we’re close.”

“If Mackey said it, then it is.” Harrison’s practical sentiment agreed with Cait’s.

Her phone rang. “What is this? Two phone calls before 8 am?”

She checked her screen.

Frogman .

Again, he was calling her at an off time. She froze, trying to prepare herself.

She slid off the chair and answered in one motion. “Hunt? Everything okay?”

“Cait, I need you to listen and not talk. I only have a minute.”

“What’s going on?”

“We’ve had a casualty, Doc. It’s Baxter.”

Time blurred. Her hand flew to her chest, holding herself in. Her eyes filled with a rush of tears. Her throat seized with pain and disbelief. She sank back into her chair. “What?”

Harrison reached for her arm and helped her settle firmly in place. “What happened?” he whispered.

Hunt’s raspy voice sent shivers down her spine. “The Navy has notified Bess. Baxter’s on the way to Dover. We’ll be landing in approximately fourteen hours. Central Command will be releasing the information soon. Do you remember who to tell before that happens?”

Cait yanked hard on her emotions and tried for comforting words, searching for what she’d said after Afghanistan. “Yes, I do. I’ll take care of it. Anyone else hurt?”

“No.” Flat tone. Like someone who’d already wept and run out of places to put the pain.

“I’ll be right here. Right here waiting, you hear me? I’ll meet your plane when you land. Does Senior Chief’s wife know?”

“He called before I did. Do you have the protocol for this?”

“Yes, I do.” She couldn’t stop the tears.

She looked at Harrison and mouthed, “Baxter. Down.”

His eyes closed in agony. He got it. He’d been Baxter’s commander for so many years.

Quaid took her hand. “Fuck,” he whispered. He’d gotten it, too. The mountain mission from hell flashed in his eyes.

“Where are you?” Hunt’s voice was too steady. Like trying to keep extreme control.

“QM.”

“Good. Tell Harrison traveler. He’ll understand.”

“I can do that.”

“It’s hard, honey.” Unlike Afghanistan, there was no choke, no slip, only hard edge.

“I know. I love you.”

“I love you so much.”

Disconnect. He was gone.

For a second, Cait thought she could hold it together.

Not to be.

The tears came hard and fast in sobbing gasps.

Harrison wrapped her in a fierce hug.

Quaid grabbed tissues and put one in her hand. “Go wake Mackey,” he ordered.

She didn’t see who he’d asked.

“Somebody has to tell Elizabeth,” she whispered, her stomach turning.

Harrison groaned.

Quaid swore. “Here I thought we were finally over the hump. She is friends with Bess. She’ll want to be with her for this. It’ll bring Wylie’s death up again.”

Cait pulled back to wipe her face and eased out of Harrison’s hold. “Hunt said to tell you traveler?”

Harrison shut his eyes briefly, then squared his shoulder. “Got it. I’ll take care of it.”

“I don’t even know what that means.”

“You don’t need to.”

She didn’t ask. SEAL stuff, she presumed. At the moment, she hated Hunt’s job with every fiber of her being. “I hate this.”

Harrison rubbed her arm. “We all hate this, Doc. But it’s the risk we take. We train for it. They’ve been fortunate over the last few years to have injuries and not deaths. It’s because your husband is exceptional at what he does.”

“Yes, he is. I’m proud of all of them, but this will devastate Bax’s mother. I’m sick of hard stuff.”

Mackey flew into the room. “What happened?”

“Casualty. Baxter’s down,” Harrison answered, choking up.

Mackey froze mid-step, mouth tightening.

He came to them, and put a hand on Harrison’s shoulder and another one on Quaid’s.

The four of them had met Baxter in Afghanistan, and the friendship had only deepened in the years since.

He leaned to her and kissed her forehead.

“I’m so sorry, Doc. He was a good, good man. ”

“Yes. He was. I have to go. I need to see Rachel Hernandez and go to Bess. I’m the designated one to call Adele Dugan and Patsy Brennan.” She turned to Quaid. “I might need Niles, too.”

“Done.” Quaid took his phone and started a text.

Cait wiped her eyes, struggling to control harsh emotions.

“What can we do for you, kid?” Mackey grabbed another tissue and handed it to her.

“I need coffee and a driver.”

“We can pull Remy?” Mackey looked to Harrison.

He nodded. “Yeah, I’ll get him.” He sent a text message.

Quaid slid his phone in his pocket. “I’m going to tell Elizabeth before word gets out.” He left the room.

Cait remained motionless, aching for Hunt. It was one thing to be notified and another to put plans into motion.

As if sensing her dilemma, Harrison guided her back to her chair. “Let me describe for you what happens next and in what order.” Harrison covered every step and what took place behind the scenes. Mackey stayed close and added his experiences. The quiet discussion oriented her.

The three of them left Operations and stood in the hall discussing her work hours, leave, and next steps.

Elizabeth’s sobs echoed down the hall.

§§§§§§§§§§