Windward knight

Chapter Four

Medical Facility,

PAF Base Nur Khan,

Chaklala, Rawalpindi, Punjab.

Hyde groaned as bright light threatened to split his head in two. It took a while for his eyes to adjust, and he kept as still as possible. Hyde tried to assess the situation and ignore his pounding skull. Where was he?

"Well, it's about time, you lazy fucker."

Jagger—to his right.

Hyde took his time to turn towards his teammate. "Where... where am I?"

"Languishing in bed—at the PAF Base. How do you feel?" Jagger looked tired. He sat sprawled on a hardbacked chair in the corner and looked like he'd just woken.

What was their last mission? Hyde tried to think through his drug-filled haze. Islamabad—shit.

"Evie... Oh God. Where is she? And the kid? My team?" Hyde moved to sit up. Pain shot through his shoulder, and he gritted his teeth against a groan.

"Easy, bro. They're good. Ivan broke his ankle and a couple of ribs. Miss Page is in a ward down the hall. Aisha is back with her family. She had a deep but superficial gash across her little stomach. After the surgeon stitched up the poor kid, her parents took her home."

"How bad was Evie hurt? I need to see her." Hyde tried to roll to a sitting position and swore.

Jagger moved to his side. "All in good time."

"What the hell is wrong with my damn shoulder?"

"Aside from being skewered by a steel pole? Nothing. Surprisingly no major damage. You were lucky. Other than that, a minor concussion. After a short recovery, you'll be able to return to the teams."

"Was I out for a long time?"

A traumatic brain injury could be a career-ending disaster for an elite operator. There was only so much pounding that the brain could take.

"No. You came around shortly after we found you. But, you'd lost a lot of blood and passed out like a pussy. After that, we put you under."

"How did we get out of there?"

"Far too slowly—and with much inconvenience. We had to call in local forces. The good news was that we killed all the extremist dickheads."

"I want to see Evie." Hyde's brow felt damp with perspiration from his efforts to roll off the mattress.

"Enough! I'll get a damn wheelchair and help your stubborn ass." Jagger rubbed a hand over his face. "Getting involved with rescued assets isn't recommended."

"She was under my protection, and I promised to keep her safe. I fucking failed."

"Maybe... but she kicked butt. She saved your life. And Ivan's ass."

"What? How?" Hyde spoke through a dry mouth. He needed water. Spotting a bottle on the side table, he carefully reached for it with his good arm.

"She wielded your M4 like Sarah Conner in the Terminator. Killed two of the bastards."

"No shitting way!" Hyde couldn't imagine the quiet beauty mowing down the bad guys.

"She's amazing. Like truly freaking amazing. She's had a steady stream of visitors. The Delta boys are in lurve."

Hyde frowned. "Stay the hell away from her."

"Oh... it's like that."

"The hell it is... she falls under my care."