Page 19 of Wrecked
Hawk flew out over the water and shone the light onto the crowd. Addison hurried through the throngs of people as the music came to an abrupt halt.
“Hey, everyone,” said the band leader. “We gotta lay low for a little. Why don’t you all go play some mini-golf, or hang at a bar for a few. We gotta clear the beach.”
“Oh, no,” bleated Addison. “I hope no one panics.”
“I found a bag.” Cooper said. “Safe to pick up?”
“Don’t jostle it,” Hawk said. “It shouldn’t explode, but I wouldn’t test it.”
As Addison moved around the people, her boots sunk into the soft sand, which made it harder to hustle. “I see a bunch of food trucks lined up on the sand. I’m heading over there.”
“Three minutes,” Hawk said. “Find that bag.”
Addison pushed on, her focus sweeping left and right. She passed a group of guys in line by one of the food trucks. “Hey, beautiful. You wanna wait with us?”
Ignoring them, she continued on. As she ran behind one of the food trucks, she saw a lone black backpack. “I think I found it.”
“Where you goin’?” asked one of the guys from the group.
“Ah, crap,” Addison said. “I don’t have time for this. Hawk, I’m next to the Mexican food truck. It’s called—”
“Tacos and More,” Hawk said. “Whatcha need, babe?”
“Sand in a douchebag’s face.”
The roar of the helicopter, along with the bright light, grew closer. Everyone turned away from the spray of sand. Addison grabbed the backpack.
“I’ve got the second bag,” she said. “Hawk, we need a pick up.”
“I’m gonna touch down,” Hawk said.
“On my way,” Cooper said.
People scattered as Hawk lowered the chopper. Keeping her head down, Addison trudged over, opened the sliding door, and climbed into the back seat.
“A minute and a half,” Hawk said. “Coop, where are you?”
“Twenty seconds out.”
Hawk shifted toward her. The second their eyes met, a calmness filled her soul. They’d been in plenty of pressure-cooker situations before. This wasn’t their first rodeo—or their first one together. She pulled the comm from her ear.
“I’m not letting Cooper in,” she said as she buckled up.
His gaze never strayed from hers. He nodded, once. No point in speaking. They both knew what could happen, what they were facing.
They’d stared death in the eyes before and they’d managed to escape its grip.
Cooper ran over. Breathing hard, beads of perspiration covered his face. Like them, his hair was soaked. “Move over,” he said.
She shoved the comm into her ear. “Give me the backpack.”
After he handed it to her, she said, “Step away from the helo.”
“What the hell are you—” Cooper blurted.
“Thirty seconds, Coop,” Hawk said. “We gotta fly.”
“Fuck,” Cooper yelled. “You can’t—”
