Page 53 of Heat Force

CHAPTER 25

Lexi sat slumped on the wooden chair next to the cot, her fingers entwined with Moyo’s. The boy hadn’t stirred for hours, his shallow breaths barely audible over the sound of the wind battering the clinic’s corrugated iron roof. She stared at his pale face, unable to prevent the tears that streamed down her cheeks. His small chest barely rose and fell, each breath a fragile thread tying him to life.

Patrick had gone to find them some food and water, but she couldn’t think about that now. She had failed Moyo. Without proper medical attention, he was going to die.

The realization hit her like a gut punch. For all her veterinary training, her desperate attempts to get him to safety, she’d been powerless to save him. The boy who had risked his life for hers was slipping away right before her eyes, and there wasn’t a damn thing she could do about it.

She gave a strangled sob. “I’m so sorry, Moyo.”

The thought of the rebels still hunting them barely registered anymore. She’d been too long without food, water and rest, and her mind was groggy, her thoughts sluggish and disjointed. Even the fear of what the rebels might do to her if they found them had dulled to a vague background noise.

Her body tilted forward, exhaustion claiming her. She slumped over the edge of the cot, still holding Moyo’s tiny hand, and closed her eyes. Just for a moment. Just long enough to escape this nightmare.

But the nightmare wasn’t done with her yet.

The sound of raised voices yanked her back to consciousness. Shouting. Men. Nearby. Her head shot up, but the sudden movement sent the room spinning. She clutched the edge of the cot to steady herself, her vision swimming. The voices outside grew louder, angrier. Boots pounded against the packed earth outside the clinic. Not the quiet shuffle of villagers, but the heavy, determined strides of men who meant business.

The rebels. They’ve found us.

Her heart raced, but her body refused to move. She stared at the door, unable to summon the energy to get up. Let them come, she thought numbly. She was too weak to fight, too broken to care. She glanced at Moyo’s pale, still form, and a fresh wave of tears blurred her vision.

The pounding of boots stopped right outside the door. Someone barked an order, and for a moment, the world stood still. Lexi closed her eyes, bracing for the end.

“Lexi? Lexi, are you in there?”

Her eyes snapped open. That voice—it couldn’t be. It wasn’t possible. She was hallucinating. Dehydration and despair had finally tipped her over the edge into madness. She clung to the cot, her breath catching in her throat.

“Lexi! Answer me!”

It sounded like him.

“Hawk?” She tried to push herself upright, but the effort sent her tumbling to her knees. The world tilted dangerously, and she put her hand against the wall for support.

“Hawk?” she called again, louder this time, her voice cracking on his name.

The door burst open, slamming against the wall with a force that rattled the windows. For a moment, she thought the sunlight streaming in had blinded her, but then his silhouette filled the frame.

It was him. It was Hawk.

He’d come for them.

Strong, broad-shouldered, and gloriously alive, he stood there like a warrior from another world. His chest heaved as he scanned the room, rifle slung across his chest.

“Lexi. Thank God.”

He crossed the room and knelt in front of her, his hands gripping her shoulders as if to anchor her in place.

“I’ve got you, baby. You’re safe now.”

She fell into his arms, sobbing. “You came for me?”

“Of course I did,” he said fiercely, holding her against him. “I love you. There’s no way I’d let anything happen to you.”

She buried her face against his chest, inhaling the familiar scent of him—sweat, earth, and something uniquely Hawk. Had he just said he loved her? The surreal feeling of relief was fleeting. She pulled back suddenly, her eyes wide with panic.

“Moyo,” she choked out, pointing to the cot. “Hawk, he’s dying. I don’t know what to do. I’ve tried everything—” Her voice broke as fresh tears streamed down her face.

Hawk turned his head sharply toward the boy, his expression hardening. He called over his shoulder, “Phoenix! Get in here now!”