He proved correct, and she watched anxiously as two paramedics rapidly descended down a line that swayed in the wind.

The roar of the whirling rotors made only the barest of communication possible. In minutes, the paramedics had Xavier loaded on the stretcher and pulled up inside the aircraft.

Next, Audrey donned a harness so she could be hauled up into the bird. Ordinarily, being rigged to a hovering helicopter and winched upward while wind whipped at her skin might terrify her, but she’d lost the capacity for that type of fear at this point, and she watched the ground with Luke and Jae retreat without so much as a flutter in her belly.

Jae was lifted next, followed by Luke, who was a pro at this sort of thing from his SEAL days.

Her seat location made it impossible for her to hold Xavier’s hand, so she gazed out the window as they banked and rose. First the lake came into view, then the lodge. She spotted another helicopter on the front lawn, between the lodge and the exploded dock.

The injured SEALs were being airlifted out, but she knew Lieutenant Flyte and the others intended to stay with reinforcements to find their missing teammates, assuming they hadn’t been found already.

They would have all the firepower they needed, and as ONP archaeologist, they had her full permission—and for the record, George’s blessing too—to let loose as needed, even if archaeological sites and historic lodges would be destroyed.

It was less than a forty-five minute flight to the Naval hospital in Bremerton. She knew that if Xavier’s condition were dire, they’d have gone to Port Angeles, but he was in stable condition, so he went to the larger, better-equipped Naval facility.

At the hospital, she, Jae, and Luke were quickly routed from the general emergency room to the waiting area for patients undergoing a full CT scan, as the staff was ready and waiting for Xavier and Collins. Paul Cohen had flown in with Collins, but he was in a different treatment area.

Even on the fast track, it was a long wait. Audrey was grateful Xavier had only lost consciousness for a few moments after they’d walked several feet. While blacking out was a bad sign with a concussion, a short incident could indicate it wasn’t severe.

She paced the waiting room while Jae and Luke made phone calls, Jae to the park superintendent, and Luke to the Navy. Audrey had people she should be making calls to herself, but she could barely think, let alone try to explain to anyone what she’d just been through.

After they had word on Xavier, she’d call her parents.

And Xavier’s parents, if he was unable to make the call himself.