Page 50 of Faron
I sat down hard. “No. Not Faron.”
“He’s tough as hell, Blue. Youknowthat.”
“I also know he didn’t want me there because it was too dangerous. And now he’s gone silent, and my gut is screaming at me to do something.”
“You’re not going,” Tag said quickly.
“I wasn’t asking permission.”
He crossed his arms. “And what? You’re just going to fly into a war zone alone?”
“No. I’m going to talk to Emery and see if she’s heard anything. I’ll get my ducks in a row first.”
Tag opened his mouth to argue, then closed it again. “You’re serious.”
“You’re damn right I am. Faron’s out there. And if he’s hurt—or taken—I won’t sit here and wait for bad news.”
He gave me a long look. “Then I’m coming with you.”
I didn’t smile, but I felt the weight in my chest shift.
“Good,” I said. “Because I’m done waiting.”
46
Blue
“Idon’t care what the risk is, River. I’m going.”
River dragged a hand down his jaw, his eyes flicking between me, Tag, and the floor like he was weighing all the ways this could go sideways.
“Blue, you haven’t been on a mission in two years.”
“Exactly. That’s two years too long.” I stepped forward. “You think I forgot how to move through a hot zone just because I run a clinic now? Hell, my clinicisa hot zone most days.”
He didn’t answer. Which was good—because we both knew nothing he said was going to stop me.
I stepped even closer. “Don’t tell me to stay behind. Faron’s in trouble—Ifeelit. And if you were in that cell, he wouldn’t be sitting here trying to talk Kat out of it.”
River exhaled through his nose. “You’re right,” he said quietly. “And I hate it.”
“Then say yes.”
He looked at Tag, then over his shoulder as Gage stepped into the hallway, a protein bar halfway to his mouth.
“What’d I miss?” Gage asked, sensing the tension.
“She’s coming with us,” River muttered.
Gage looked me over, then shrugged. “Good. We’ll need the backup. Might even need a doctor. Especially if Lightfoot got himself shot again.”
“Wait,” came a deep voice from behind. Gideon—quiet, solid, built like a freight train—stood in the doorway. “If Blue’s going, I’m going too.”
“No,” I said. “Too many bodies draw too much heat.”
“I’m the tracker,” he said flatly. “You’ll need me. Especially if they’ve been moved.”
River gave a single nod. “Fine. Just the four of us. No more.”
