“We found their vehicle a couple klicks down the road and got concerned about a lonely car in the middle of nowhere,” Logan said. “We followed our gut and split up. Clearly we were late to the party. Pete got close enough to do a looksee through the window.”

“There’s a man down on the sofa, another on the floor.” Pete had also walked to the door, filling in the space that Dodge had vacated.

“We were just putting together a plan when you showed up.”

A man down.

“They shot Ranger,” Colt said.

“That’s what I’m thinking too,” Dodge said.

“We need a distraction. And a way in.” Now Colt walked to the hangar door and stared at the house.

The picture window across the back would hide nothing as they tried to approach. But maybe if they were looking one direction . . .

“C’mon, guys, this is easy,” Echo said from behind them. “Use the fire ladder.”

A smile hitched up one side of Dodge’s face. “E, you’re a genius.”

Yes, she was.

“Fire ladder?” Tae said.

“My dad built a ladder on the outside of our house, from our bedroom window to the ground. He always had a fear of us perishing in a house fire. Or maybe our mom did—that seems more like her. Anyway, it’s been used a few times for, um, non-fire-related escapes.” He shot Dodge a grin. “Mostly by me.”

“So now we just need a distraction,” Pete said.

“How much ammo do you have?” Colt asked Logan.

“Not enough. We need something big, like . . .”

“A fire,” Tae said. She nodded to the downed plane. “The kind of fire that creates black smoke, aka, cover.”

A ripple of pain flashed across Dodge’s face. But he nodded. “Yeah. Good idea, Tae. We’ll get in the house, and we’ll all deploy together. Do you have coms?”

Logan walked over and handed Dodge an earpiece. “Just the one.”

So, Colt got the gun, Dodge got the earpiece. Sorta sounded right.

“Let’s go,” Dodge said. He walked over to Pete. “Gimme the gun. I’ll do it.”

It sort of felt like Travis shooting Old Yeller.

Pete surrendered the AR-15 and stood back as Dodge walked to the door.

Colt turned to Tae. “Stay here. Please.”

She met his eyes, nodded. “But please don’t die.”

“You’ve met me,” he said and winked, and yes, it felt silly, but he couldn’t help himself.

Maybe after all this, they could go back to something that felt easier. Flirting. Maybe he’d even take her out on a date, see if he could talk her into a dance . . .

Whatever. Head in the game.

Her mouth pinched. “Yeah, I’ve met you. Again, I say, please don’t die.”

Echo walked up to Dodge, took his face in her hands. “You too. Because I’ve waited for you too long to lose you now.”