“We’ve got five minutes,” Smitty said, his voice somber. “Maybe we should all deploy our shelters.”

Tyler looked down, rubbing the back of his neck. “I don’t … I don’t know. Zeke?”

“We’re out of options,” I said. There wasn’t a worse answer I could give, but we had to make a decision. So many things ran through my head… Brad, Jenn, my siblings, and what would happen if I didn’t make it. I kept coming back to Naomi and how in the fuck she could run into another guy who risked his life every day. I thought about the things we wouldn’t do, the places we wouldn’t walk, and I’d never regretted anything so much in my life.

“Damn,” Taylor said. “Who’s gonna tell my girl?”

“Someone will,” Tyler said, putting his hand on his brother’s shoulder.

Taylor’s lips formed a hard line. “You gotta go, Ty. You gotta climb that cliff and get out of here.”

Tyler shook his head with a small smile. “Not leaving you.”

Taylor’s eyes glossed over. “Dad, Tyler. He can’t lose both of us.”

Tyler looked up at the dirt wall, then back at his twin. “There’s only time to boost up one. You go.”

Taylor looked back at the approaching fire then back at his brother. “Not leaving you here.”

“I’m not leaving you here,” Tyler said, his temper thin. “But we both can’t stay.” He pointed to the cliff. “You’re the better climber anyway. Go. Explain to Dad. Tell him I’m sorry. Tell him I’m with Mom.”

Runt took off his helmet and raked his fingers through his hair, his eyes wide. “Fuck, we’re going to die.”

The heat grew more intense with every passing second, the smoke filtering down the ravine.

Taylor’s eyes met the gaze of each of his crew. He wiped his eyes, his mouth, then nodded. “Okay … okay.”

chapter seventeen

the spitfire

Naomi

W

e followed Trex to the locker room as a team. I hadn’t had time to workout, and that was the only explanation I had for the uneasiness that had come over me in the last half-hour. The guys checked their weapons, scrolled through their phones for a few minutes, then prepared for afternoon orders. We were all restless, walking the corridors day in and day out, and we all struggled with the guilt that we didn’t feel the peace we thought we’d find back together again with guns in our hands and off work by dinnertime.

Trex’s radio scratched, and Saunders came over the speaker. “Trex, report to the control room with your team immediately.”

“Copy that,” he said, gesturing for us to roll out.

We made our way to Saunders, our excitement for a possible mission almost palpable.