Page 132 of Wrecked
“You know he will,” Sin replied. “He never says no to close friends or family.” He stopped in front of the oversized hangar and the door began to roll up. “Ever wonder why?”
“No,” she replied. “Do you?”
“I don’t have to wonder. Iknowwhy.”
18
ADDISON’S SHADOW
Hawk’s guts were in knots and his chest hurt where the armor had stopped the bullets. But he’d never complain. He was alive. His teammate was not. And that was all on him.
As he drove out of ALPHA, he started running through the mission. What could he have done differently? How had things gone to shit?
I fucked up, big time.
He couldn’t go home. The silence would be deafening. His mind would wander to dark places. He’d be on the phone with Prescott in seconds. There was nothing his brother could do to erase the past. He couldn’t fix the present either. He’d have to manage through the emotional backslide until it passed. No other option.
He wouldn’t burden his parents either. They had enough on their plates with his grandparents.
On his way home, his phone rang. It was Sin.
“Hey,” he answered.
“How you doing?” Sin asked.
“My answer depends on how much you know,” Hawk replied.
“Assume I know.”
“Not good.”
“Meet me at the black site,” Sin said.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” Hawk pushed back.
“I’ve got an assignment for you.”
“I’ve been sidelined.”
“This overrides that,” Sin said. “How far away are you?”
“Ten.”
“Good.” The line went dead.
How badly had Barry’s death fucked with Tommy’s psyche? What about the fugitive who got away? After a mission, he always checked to see how his team was doing. This time, he already knew they weren’t okay.
Like years ago, he couldn’t fix this either.
He drove to the black site, parked in the hangar, made his way inside. Sin was leaning against the wall outside the conference room.
“I’m sorry,” Sin said.
“Not as sorry as I am,” Hawk replied.
“Barry’s death isn’t your fault.”
“My mission, my team. Six go in, five come out, so yeah, it’s my fault.” He glanced around. “Why am I here?”
