Page 14 of Wrecked
Ten minutes later, as the twinkling lights of the bustling beach city zoomed into view, Hawk glanced at the tablet, strapped to his thigh, which provided an aerial view of the town. “I’m setting her down on the Pamplona.”
“Confirmed,” Cooper said through the headset.
While Hawk wasn’t going to say anything, he was concerned. This was the first time they had no visual on their target.
How do we take out a domestic terrorist if we don’t know what the hell he looks like?
And what about the thousands of civilians in the crowd? How would they find the shooter before he launched his attack, if they were flying blind?
As Hawk approached the hotel, he glanced around. Mid-July and the beach town was packed. Sidewalks were crowded with tourists, and the lights from the dozens of buildings made night feel like day. Add in the weekend-long concert. It was mayhem. Hawk touched down on the rooftop, killed the engine, and unbuckled.
“Coop, grab my backpack,” Hawk instructed as he unstrapped the tablet from his leg.
They exited—the slowing blades a reminder to keep their heads down—and strode toward the rooftop fire door. Cooper tugged, but the heavy metal door didn’t budge. He made a call. “We’re here.”
“This is insane,” Addison said. “How are we going to find him?”
She stood so close to Hawk, her arm brushed against his. A thrill raced through him. He turned toward her, inhaled her scent. The aroma so familiar, he hardly noticed it. Except that healwaysnoticed her.
“I’ve got a plan,” Hawk said. “I’ll fire up the laptop from the lobby and hack into their surveillance system. Cooper’ll be on the beach. Addison—”
The heavy rooftop door creaked open. A man Hawk didn’t know held it open from the inside.
Cooper tossed him a nod before flying down the stairs. Hawk gestured to Addison. She shook her head, then flicked her gaze to the stranger. “You go. I’ll take the rear.”
The stranger went next.
“Don’t trust him?” Hawk murmured.
“Do you?” Addison whispered.
“If Coop does, I have to.”
“I trust no one.” She gestured with a flick of her chin. “Go.”
Hawk took the stairs, the tap-tap of Addison’s boots echoing off the walls as they made their way down.
At the next set of doors, the stranger swiped a keycard. The light turned green. He opened it and paused. “Good luck.”
Cooper took the door from him, and the man vanished down the hallway. Hawk, Addison, and Cooper hurried to the elevator. They rode down to the lobby with a family of four. The teenaged girl gave Addison’s outfit a double take.
“You look soooo cool,” said the girl. “Mom, that’s what I want to wear.”
The mom smiled at Addison. “Aren’t you hot in all that black?”
“Surprisingly not,” Addison replied.
The elevator doors opened on the seventh floor, another group stepped in, and the crowded cab continued down. It stopped three more times, but no one else got on.
This is taking for-fucking-ever.
On the first floor, the doors opened, and everyone hurried out. They strode out of the hotel, crossed at the light, then continued the half block to the Harbor House Hotel.
Cooper pulled to a stop in the hotel’s circular driveway, handed Hawk the backpack. “Keep me posted.”
“We’ll be in constant contact,” Addison said. “Please be careful. You don’t have backup. Why didn’t you bring Danielle?”
“He thinks it’s too dangerous,” Hawk answered for him. “Nothing’s gonna happen to you,” he said to Cooper. “I won’t let it.”
