Page 45 of Secret Mission

“Oh, fuck!” I shove Ally away from me, hoping my combined force and her swimming will be enough to get here away from it. “Swim as hard as you can!”

“Truck!”

The force of the river plasters me against the trunk of a submerged tree.

Ally’s voice—high and frantic—is barely audible over the chaotic gurgling. “Truck! Truck! Oh my god, I can’t get to you!”

Gulping air, I push against the wood with all my strength.

I’m no match for the river. Mother nature always wins in this war. I’m like an ant caught under a human foot. My only hope is moving along the tree. Maybe I can slip free.

Fire burns in the pit of my lungs. Need to breathe.

Ally’s long gone by now. Alone. Dragged along by the river, farther and farther from my protection with every second.

I surface for another gulp of air.

Think.

No… survive.

All I have to do is keep catching breaths of air, and slide along the log. I’ve been trained on drownproofing.

Not that SEALs can’t drown. But maybe the whole tree will give way because of my added resistance.

Alright, god, or universe, or whoever you are out there, you brought her to me, and now I need a hand. I need a miracle?—

Snap. The force of water shifts. The water sucks at my clothing, my skin. Desperation lights through me, making mesnatch a final breath. Like a giant unseen fish is gulping me down, I’m pulled under.

Down and down. The light above me grows hazy. Murky brown light filters all around as I’m twisted like a ragdoll.

I’ve heard the stories. Life flashing before your eyes.

Mine does. All the mistakes.

Ally could die because of me too.

I’m so damned sorry, Ally. You didn’t deserve this.

Because I was distracted. Because I was selfish and didn’t take her back to the team’s protection.

A dagger of guilt slices my already burning lungs.

I can’t stop fighting.

Chapter Fourteen

Later That Night

Later That Night

Cold. So tired. I can’t… move.

“Hey!”

A hollow voice pierces the darkness inside my head.

Hey, my brain says back, even if my mouth doesn’t move. I try to lift a hand, only to find my fingers covered sloshing around in water.