Page 12 of His Witness To Love

“The mission didn’t go as planned. It happens, but it wasn’t a total loss. There’s something you might want to see.”

Mack winced. “What’s that?”

“Hang on, soldier, you’re already set to leave this hell hole sometime today. You’ll have enough time to see what I’m talking about. For now, you rest. Heal.”

The two men clasped arms, and Rodery left Mack to his thoughts. Very few of them being good ones, waves of disappointment hit him as the events of the last few days replay in his mind.

Mack chose to shut his mind off; the pain was unnecessary. As Peter said, now was the time to recuperate, mentally as much as physically. The chart at the end of his bed showed he was to be released later that afternoon.

“It’s a waiting game now,” he told himself.

The hours went by fast, and suddenly he was sitting up with Team Six outside. Peter tightened the bandages at his shoulder, ignoring his wince.

“Two days ago, we pulled you out of the rubble unconscious; the spot had been cleared. Just you, and well, one other thing.”

“What was it?” Mack asked.

“Some kind of elaborate wrist band, it basically wraps around the forearm.”

“Some kind of guard?”

“We’re not entirely sure, but there was a bit of blood on it. It’s at forensics.”

“That’s it?”

“Not quite. The lady seemed familiar with it.”

Confused now, Mack asked, “Lady?”

A few chuckles went through the team.

“Fiery thing that one showed up at our designated spot and demanded she is brought along.”

Brie, what were you thinking?Mack thought to himself. “And you let her come?”

“Can’t really stop a woman like that, brother. That woman was on a mission, and you were the objective.”

The chuckles became loud laughs.

“Pipe down, boys; we're still in a hospital. Anyways, Mack, that wasn’t the big news. Your lady friend swears she’s seen the woven guard before. Heck, she thinks she might have even made it," Peter went on.

The room went silent. The situation was extremely implicating for Brie, and Mack knew he wasn't the only one who realized it.

“Where is she?” Mack asked the general group.

“She’s at the safe house. We’re meant to drop you off there, too.”

“What about forensics?”

“Take it easy, Mack; we’ll let you know if anything pops up. It’ll hit you before it gets to old Rodgers at the office,” Peter tapped Mack on the back.

“Let's get out of here.”

CHAPTER NINE

The drive to the safehouse was uneventful; the land was mostly quiet as the truck pulled through.

Mack let himself out and headed straight for Brie. The door swung open to reveal she was not in her room, and he began to search. Door to door, room to room all the way back to the ground floor.