Chapter 26

Grim was the happiest woman in the American base of Kabul. Sam had kissed her! He said that he loved her! Even if the situation was very serious, she felt elated. He had fallen asleep right afterwards, but she knew he would be okay. Nevertheless, what he said about not going back on the field was bothering her. She knew he shouldn't put an end to his career on such a fail. She would convince him to do one more mission: Alpha's rescue.

The day had passed in a blur. The sun was setting in the horizon, and she was feeling exhausted. But she wanted to see Briggs and Kestrel. When she entered Briggs' room, she saw him snoring softly under his blanket, his features relaxed. Smiling a little, she left quietly. But when she came to see Kestrel, she felt worried. He lay on his bed, unnaturally still, an oxygen mask helping him breathing. His vitals were low. He was pale, and the top of his head was covered with a thick bandage. She came next to him, and gently touched his hand. He didn't stir. She decided to talk to him, since some people in a coma could hear what was happening around them.

_ Hi, Kestrel, it's Grim. You're in a coma, but please wake up. We need you. Alpha needs you. She's been captured after she saved you. We'll rescue her, but we really could use your help. So please, wake up soon.

He lay still, apparently unaware of her presence. She wished him goodnight, then had a sudden urge to see Sam a last time. She sat on the edge of his bed, taking his hand. He was breathing slowly and deeply, but when she touched him he muttered "Grim". She was afraid he was waking, but he just turned his head and kept sleeping. She brushed her lips against his, and left.

She came back to the Paladin, wished Charlie, exhausted like her, a good night, then went to her cabin. Without changing clothes she crashed on her bed, and fell asleep instantly.

When she lifted her head again and saw her alarm clock, she was stunned to see that it showed 9.45 am. She had slept around the clock. She got up and hit the shower. The hot water reinvigorated her and dissolved her last fears. Kestrel would be okay. They would find Alpha very soon. And they would bring Meggido down. And after that... well, maybe she and Sam could take a few days off and see if they could have a future together.

When she entered the control room, Charlie was obviously waiting for her, bouncing on his feet. She suspected him to have stayed awake all night, given the large bags under his bloodshot eyes, and drunk too much caffeine. But he was grinning at her.

_ Hi Grim! Guess what? Kestrel is awake!

_ What? That's... that's wonderful!

Some of the lead burdening her shoulders lifted, and she smiled too.

_ Is he okay?

_ He got out of the coma at three in the morning, but he had lost recent memories. He only spoke in Russian. Fortunately, a nurse was Russian-born and talked with him. Now he's back in his right mind, and wants to get up and strangle Sam. I told him about Alpha. He's worried sick, and I can't blame him. To lose the woman he dates so suddenly...

_ Wait! Grim interrupted him. Kestrel dates Alpha?

_ Yes, Charlie said, didn't you know? They kissed in front of Briggs, Sam and I a couple of days ago. I thought everyone aboard the Paladin knew by now.

_ Not I, but I'm not surprised.

_ Speaking of that, Charlie winked at her. Where are you with Sam?

_ Oh! erm... nowhere, she stammered, blushing furiously. What do you mean?

But Charlie, blast him, seemed to understand, and he grinned broadly.

_ Congratulations! It took you long enough!

_ How do you... ?

_ Please! I'm a geek, that's true, but I'm also a man, with eyes that can see pretty normally. It was obvious, and I'd say you both deserve to be happy.

Her cheeks were red and hot, she felt it, but she was grinning inwardly. He was right, she deserved a loving man in her life.

_ Now, to business, he said more seriously. I tried to gather info about Alpha's whereabouts, and I think I have something.

Grim waited for him to continue while approaching the SMI, which showed a detailed map of the region.

_ A friend of mine answered me. I asked for anything the hackers I knew could learn on a woman captured in Northeastern Afghanistan. My friend's from India. He discovered that a Westerner woman was being held captive somewhere in Penjab. Sadly, that's all I've got. But since we haven't heard of any civilian woman captured in the last days...

_ Then it's probably Alpha. Pity your friend couldn't be more specific.

_ Yeah. But still it's a start.

_ It sure is. We'll find her.

Grim was confident. They would find and save her. She raised her head, a small smile on her face.

_ Good work, Charlie.

He looked at her in surprise. It was true she didn't praise him often, and found him irritating. But he was a very gifted hacker and tech, and she was happy to have him on the team.

_ Thanks!

_ Now go get some sleep. I'll go down to the medical unit, then we'll continue the search.

He yawned, nodded and marched off the room. She almost ran down the ramp in her eagerness to see Sam.

When she entered his room, he was still sleeping. The blood had been wiped out his face, but the bruise on his temple was huge and purple. She gazed at him from the threshold, hesitated, then decided to let him sleep a bit more. He had earned some rest. Instead, she came to see Briggs. He was well awake and wolfing down his breakfast.

_ Hi, Briggs! How are you feeling?

_ Hi, Grim! He said, looking up and grinning at her. Nice to see you. I'm all right, as you can see, thanks.

_ You sure? The burns...

_ It's nothing, he said softly. Some additionnal scars, that's all. Usually my dates find them thrilling, they think I'm a gangster. I'll have even more success than before!

He tried to joke about it, but she could see his eyes were still haunted. She decided to drop the subject.

_ How long will you stay in your bed?

_ As long as it takes me to finish eating this. Dr Prescott, who's kinda cute by the way, gave me the all clear to get up my ass and vacate the premises.

_ That's good news.

_ Grim?

He stared at her intently. He was no longer joking, and had his best get-us-out-of-this-mess-please expression on his face.

_ What happened? Charlie told me briefly that the mission had not failed, but he hadn't time to explain, he had had news about Alpha. He said she'd been captured.

_ True. What do you remember?

_ Nothing much. The start, then we being surrounded, me hit by some darts and fainting. When I awoke, Kestrel was already being tortured in the water basin, and Sam was unconscious, blood on his face. I was suspended right next to him. The thugs saw me awake and gave me some little shocks. The guy interrogating me was Ali-al Massoud. He wanted to know who we where and what we were doing there. They stopped burning me when Sam came round, and he interrogated him instead. Then we heard loud noises outside, and he hit me with this huge club, and I awoke yesterday in this room.

_ Okay. So he hit you because Alpha had launched an attack on your captors. She killed all the targets. Then she rescued all three of you, put you in the chopper. But some guards started to shoot the helicopter, so she stayed behind to cover you. She's been captured, and Charlie has had intel that she's probably in Penjab. That's all we know.

_ I see. She saved our asses and did the job, alone. I hope she's alive, Kestrel will kill Sam if she's dead.

_ I'll go visit Kestrel now. See you aboard the Paladin?

_ You bet. I have a teammate to find and a debt to pay.