Page 85 of Silver Linings
“I’m fine. You see Stone? I didn’t get a chance to see where he got knocked to.”
Gunner watched his buddy’s head turn on a swivel. “Yeah, man. Looks like he got thrown a bit farther than you. You gotta lay off all the snacks. That dad-bod snacking routine you’ve been indulging in is making you heavy.”
“Shut the hell up. I flew far enough.” Gunner grunted as he tried to sit up. “Fuck, that hurts.”
“Look, Hawk’s got Stone. Max is calling it in, so the paramedics will be here to check you both out soon. The only place you’re bleeding from that I can see is a little bitty cut on your forehead, so try to tough it out until they come, okay?”
That explained the wet feeling on his face.
“I’ll try not to bitch too much, but next time I volunteer to go out into the field instead of staying in the van, I expect you to punch me in the face and remind me of this moment.”
“Oh yeah, I definitely can do that. It serves you right, almost getting blown up, for how much hell you gave me to go out on this assignment.”
“Yeah. Listen, let’s just leave the almost getting blown up part out of conversations when we get back to Silver Springs. Things are strained enough with Lily as it is. I can’t imagine this would be good for us.”
Gage laughed. “God, I miss having arguments with Mel. But take it from one guy who had a successful marriage. You definitely need to tell her you almost got blown up today.”
“We’ll see.” Gage held his hand out for Gunner to grab, and after finding his footing, the two men walked over to check on Stone.
“Fuck.” Stone hissed as Hawk pressed down on his leg.
“Jesus, are you actually hurt?” Gunner asked.
“Cut my leg. Fucking jagged ass rock got me when I crashed back down.”
“Stone got hurt by a…stone?”
“Oh, fuck off with your jokes, Gage. I’d expect it from Hawk, but that was just fucking pathetic.”
“I actually thought it was funny.” Gunner slapped his hand on Gage’s back.
“That’s because you two are dads. Terrible jokes are right in your wheelhouse.”
“Stop moving around or I’m tightening that tourniquet,” Hawk threatened.
“How bad were you cut?”
“Bad enough that this jerk triaged me like we were back in Iraq.”
“Oh, my bad. You want to bleed out after getting blown in the wind like a tumbleweed?”
“Yeah, why can’t you?—”
“Fuck, can we focus, please? The Santoros or that fucking MC clearly knew we would be here tonight, which means Max needs to figure out where the hell the break is in their closed line of communication.”
“Unless they’re following us.”
The team exchanged nervous looks.
“Fuck. Gage?”
“I’ll run a program through our system. Make sure one of us hasn’t been compromised.”
“Good. Maybe for the time being we switch to burners. Ask Mae and Lily to swap to burners, too? It’s not a long stretch to think if they’re going to this length to get to us, they won’t do something to either of them, too.”
Hawk stood and pulled his phone out. “Tracker, take over putting pressure on Doc’s wound. I’ll call Mae and give her a heads up. And maybe she can message Lily. I don’t want to wake her if she isn’t up with the baby.”
“So much for not having her worry about me almost getting blown up,” Gunner grumbled under his breath.