The helicopter’s interior was loud with the steady thrum of the rotors, but the atmosphere was silent, heavy with unspoken thoughts. Claire leaned back against the cold metal wall, her gaze fixed on the girl. She sat huddled between Claire and Ethan, her arms wrapped tightly around herself as if trying to disappear.
“Safe house is two hours out,” Alex said, his voice cutting through the noise. He was strapped into the seat nearest the cockpit, his eyes trained on the terrain below. “We’ll land in a clearing a few miles away and hike the rest of the way.”
Claire nodded, her mind still racing. The mission had been too close for comfort, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that Lucas wasn’t done yet. The man didn’t like to lose, and his reach extended further than most would dare to imagine.
