Valor on the Move

Shane cleared his throat. “This is Agent Kendrick. Valor is secure. What took you so long?”

There was a flurry of voices, and then Brent Harris shouted, “Kendrick? Repeat, is Valor secure?”

“Affirmative. Valor is secure and unharmed. You just need to dig us out. Carefully.”

“Thank fucking Christ, Kendrick.”

“What about Pearce?” He knew the answer, but he had to ask.

“Critical.”

Shane’s heart skipped, joy swooping through him. “He’s still alive?”

“Passersby found him. He’s in rough shape. Look, hold tight and we’ll get you out.”

“Thank God,” Rafa said. “Maybe he’ll be okay.” He grasped for Shane, whispering urgently, “When will I get to see you again?”

“I don’t know.” Going up on his knees, Shane quickly hugged Rafa tightly. “But you know we can’t do this. This was only tonight.”

Rafa dug his fingers into Shane’s flesh. “I know. I…thank you. For not dying, and for saving me. And for…” Drawing back, Rafa kissed him hard. “For all of it,” he whispered.

“Okay, we’ve got some demolition guys here to examine the stability.” Harris’s voice boomed through the rocks blocking the cave entrance. “How much wiggle room do you have?”

Shane turned on his phone flashlight and relayed all the information he could. He urged Rafa behind him as far as they could go. Their eyes met as the first rocks were shifted, and Shane reached back to brush a smudge of dirt from Rafa’s cheek. He kissed him one last time for the space of a heartbeat before he took his position, shielding Rafa from harm as they rejoined the world.

Chapter Seventeen

The sky was brightening with the dawn as Brent and a swarm of agents led Rafa along the ravine.

“Watch your step. Can you make it up the hill? We can—”

“I’m fine!” Rafa knew they were only concerned, but he felt even more claustrophobic than he had in the cave. He took another grateful chug of the cold water a medic had given him, then craned his neck over his shoulder. “Wait, where’s Shane? Isn’t he coming?”

“There are a lot of blanks we need him to fill in,” Brent answered. “We’re going to get you to the hospital and reunite you with your family.”

“Hospital? I don’t need the hospital. I just need a shower.” Rafa stared as they passed one of the bodies of the kidnappers, which had been covered in black plastic. Flies buzzed around it, and his stomach lurched.

Up by the smoldering remains of the Suburban where dozens of agents milled around, an ambulance waited. “I really don’t need this,” he insisted, but Brent and the others just nodded and whisked him into the back.

Sighing, Rafa stretched out on the gurney, and he had to admit it felt good to lie down on something that wasn’t rock. Although he missed Shane’s thigh as a pillow. He flushed and glanced guiltily at Brent, who cocked his head. His graying dark hair was mussed, and the lines on his face stood out starkly.

“Okay?” To the medic who climbed in after them, Brent added, “Check his vitals again.”

The ambulance rumbled along the dirt road, and Rafa submitted, wincing at the cold of the stethoscope on his chest. The medic hooked him up to a bunch of little machines, and Rafa closed his eyes. “Is my family okay?”

“Aside from being out of their minds with worry, yes,” Brent said. “We’re all relieved to have you back safely, Rafa.”

He opened his eyes and smiled. “Thanks. Nice to be back. Shane saved me.”

“Seems that he did indeed. We’re so glad you’re okay.”

“Do you think Alan will be all right?”

Brent sighed. “We don’t know yet. But don’t worry about any of that.”

“Of course I’m worried about it. He got shot because of me.”

“No. He got shot doing his job.” Brent patted Rafa’s arm. “You rest up.”

Rafa closed his eyes again, and soon enough the swaying of the vehicle had him dozing off, even with the sirens and the poking and prodding from the medic. He thought of Shane, and when he’d see him again. The cave already seemed like a dream. But no, it had happened. Shane had held him and kissed him and wanted him. Touched him and made him feel so good. There were so many more things Rafa wanted to say. Things he longed to do…

When they arrived at the hospital in DC a couple of hours later, a cacophony of shouts and noise filled the air, but he could only see black draping that had been set up to block the media and agents in suits lining the corridor as they wheeled him inside. The ER had apparently been shut down, and behind another wall of agents, Rafa glimpsed his family. He sat up, and the medic tried to ease him back down.

“I’m fine, I told you. Let me up.”

“Rafa?” His mother rushed toward him, and he swung his legs over the gurney. Then he was in her arms, smelling faded lavender and pressing his face against her neck.