Page 68 of Viking

“We’re still assessing everything,” Nick continues, his words clipped, like he’s forcing himself to say them. “Logan wanted me to call you. He can’t right now…he’s in the medical bay. Took some shrapnel to his shoulder and had surgery last night. He’s with the doctors, going over his treatment plan. They’re making sure he’ll be good to get back in the cockpit once he’s healed up.”

My breath catches, tears stinging my eyes. “Shrapnel. Surgery. Is he…” I stutter as the tears begin to fall. “Is he okay?” What a stupid question. I close my eyes, biting down on my thumb.

“Physically, he’ll be okay, Lila. It was bad, almost lost his arm, but they expect him to recover. He asked me to call you because he didn’t want you waiting any longer. He’ll call as soon as he can, I promise.”

I press my hand to my chest, trying to breathe past the crushing weight of his words. “Six people,” I whisper, the number sticking in my throat. “Ryan…”

“I know,” Nick says softly, his voice raw. “He was one of the best. We all…we all feel it.”

Tears blur my vision, and I blink them away, clutching the phone like it’s the only thing tethering me to reality. “How’s Logan handling…” I trail off, my voice barely audible.

“He’s in shock, I think,” Nick says after a pause. “It hit him hard, Lila. Carter was…he was family to all of us, but Logan—” He exhales sharply. “He’ll need you when he can get back in touch. Just…be ready for that.”

I nod, even though Nick can’t see me. “Thank you,” I whisper.

For a moment, there’s silence between us, thick with grief.

“Take care of yourself, Lila,” Nick says finally. His tone softens, just barely. “And take care of him when he gets home.”

“Is that happening soon?” My voice pitches with hope.

“Yeah, we’re being granted emergency leave for Carter’s memorial. Only a few days. But we’ll be home at the end of the week.”

“Okay, thank you for telling me.”

“I’ll have Logan call you today.”

The line goes dead, and I sit there, staring at the phone in my hands, trying to process what I just heard. Logan is alive. He’s okay. But Ryan…Ryan is gone. Six people are gone. And even though Logan survived, I know this will leave scars on him, on all of them.

Tears spill over, and this time I don’t bother wiping them away. The relief that Logan is alive is swallowed by the grief and fear I can’t seem to shake. He’s safe, for now—but I know this isn’t over.

And neither is the waiting.

FOB near the Spratly Islands

June 17, 2024

2046

Logan

I sit on the edge of my cot staring at the floor like it holds answers I can’t find anywhere else.

My left shoulder throbs with a relentless, deep ache, the kind that no amount of grit can silence. The bandages are tight, the stitches pulling against raw skin. The sling holds it against my body so I don’t accidentally rip open the carefully threaded wound. It’s just shrapnel. Just a scratch compared to what Ryan endured. Compared to what he gave.

My hands still feel dirty with the residue of a battle I can’t scrub away. My head is pounding, my chest heavy, and not just from the physical pain. The guilt is worse. A jagged weight pressing down, making it hard to breathe.

The room is quiet, save for the low hum of the base generator in the distance. Dalton and Townsend are trying to grab whatever sleep they can, their exhaustion outweighing the grief for now.

I should be doing the same, but I can’t.

Not with this weight crushing me.

Not with Ryan’s face still burned into my mind, his voice echoing in my ears. He saved me. Threw himself into the line of fire without hesitation, and now he’s gone. And I…I’m still here. Hurt, but breathing. Alive when he isn’t.

First, Reaper. Now…

I grab the phone Townsend left on the table for me to use, the cracked screen glowing faintly in the dim light. Reception’s even worse since the attack. I dial Lila’s number and press the phone to my ear. The call rings once, twice, and then her voice cuts through the static in my head.