Page 114 of Covert Mission

“SITREP on that alarm…”

“Fuck.”

I go still inside as more alarms start blaring inside the chopper. “Can you set her down?”

In the awful racket of alarms, Evan’s voice is barely audible. “Copy that. I’m looking for a place now.”

He sounds surprisingly calm. “I’m going to land in a field next to the road. You’ll see me?—”

Static fills the line, echoing inside my head.

“Evan? Over.”

Nothing. Pure nerve-singeing static.

I push the gas pedal harder. I’ve aged ten years when I finally see the chopper. In one piece. Sitting in a field. Evan waves a hand from inside the cockpit.

Dirt flies when I skid to a stop and I exit the truck, heading to him. He hops out of the bird, hunkers low, and sprints toward me.

“Man, you scared the shit out of me.”

“The headset broke. Hell, the whole wiring harness was loose. The Evelina National Guard doesn't maintain their shit. I’m working on it.”

That’s when I realize instead of looking relieved, Evan is more alarmed than I’ve ever seen him. “I think we need to keep moving. Once those vehicles hit Carollia, it’s going to be a bitch to find them.”

“Can you fix this thing?”

“Yeah, I’ll let you know when I’m off the ground.”

I’m already running toward the truck before he’s done.

It’s impossible to keep my breathing steady as I scorch the pavement.

A little voice inside my head reminds me:she could have hitched a ride with anyone.

Fuck. No. That idea sends a wave of panic through me.

She’s on that bus, not in the truck with a maniac.

I smack the radio button on the dash and glorious silence fills the cab of the truck. But the whirring thoughts inside my head are louder than any rock concert.

A really bad one. The kind that leaves your head ringing for days and you wondering why the hell you spent all that dough to go get tortured.

I’ve really done it now—resigned my post because of a rogue woman. Why does she have such an effect on me? It’s like I got bitten by something.

I pinch the bridge of my nose, while I really think about punching myself in the face. But I need to stay on the road. Stay alive and get some fucking answers.

Then, I can go back to my nice, simple life. Work. Rest. Work some more.

It’s easy that way. Besides, I have plans for the future, and that’s enough to keep me happy.

I grumble. Happy. Right.

What is that?

The ringtone of my phone surprises me. As I’m answering, the road makes a turn to the right and opens up to twice its former width.

“Beast, here.”