Impossible Odds: Rescue Team Nine (Book 3)

Chapter 10

Dice

I earned my nickname honestly. I take more gambles than any man in my unit, often to the chagrin of my comrades. If a situation is dire, I find ways into the fray to save the day. I was a rescue swimmer before I earned my place on Rescue Team Nine, so plunging into sticky situations isn't new. But if I thought the training to become a rescue swimmer had been tough, the training to become a member of one of the thirteen rescue teams had been brutal. They gave me hell and beyond, and I survived. But my poker face is remarkable. I'm known for being able to hide behind a mask, earning my label honestly. Hard and lengthy interrogations are my specialty. Bear might be one hell of a shot, but I'm known for my ability to break even the most unforthcoming of criminals.

But Cloey is no criminal. She's the woman I fell in love with and then walked out on. Never have I felt that emotion more than right now. Be damned my ability to hide my feelings. I can tell she's close to falling apart, but just as I step behind her, she leans over and presses a button on her computer. Everyone turns their focus to the scene on the screen. There's noise in the background that sounds like children running and playing. But it's the little girl's face smiling into the camera that makes my breath catch. I'm looking at myself.

"Momma!"

Cloey kneels in front of the computer and smiles. Her smile is weak and tired, but she's genuinely happy to see the little girl. Our little girl.

"Hey, baby."

"Felicity Hope Sanders! That child pushed the button before I was ready. Lord have mercy, she's fast." A plump older woman with a flushed face appears on the screen. The whole room behind me freezes. Rescue Team Nine is speechless. I can't take my face off the little girl. I'm close enough to the screen that I'm visible to her as much as she is to me.

"I swear your daughter can outmaneuver the best of them. I'd put money into her ability to slip into even the smallest hiding spot."

"I'll be damned," Gunner whispers just as the little girl spots me.

A squeal fills the room. Jumping up and down, she points. "Daddy!" She grabs a locket from around her neck, and the older woman helps her open it. My picture smiles back at me. "Daddy! Picture. See."

Kneeling next to Cloey, my eyes fill with unshed tears. My heart feels too full, and I find it hard to speak around the lump in my throat. "I see."

Suddenly, just as fast as her excitement appears, Felicity's face falls, and she begins to cry. "Come home. Mommy. Home."

At this moment, I want to move hell and high water to run over to where she is and bring her to us. Cloey gives me a look that tells me to tread carefully before she turns back to the computer.

"You'll make Miss Matilda sad if you leave before the tea party she has planned for you."

"Tea party?" Her voice is hopeful when she looks at the older woman.

"Yes indeed, dear. Why don't you get our tea stuff together, and I'll be there shortly?"

The smile Matilda gives her is infectious. The next thing I know, Felicity blows us kisses and runs with her tiny legs toward a hallway in the back. The older woman faces the screen with a friendly smile on her face.

"She's a champ, Cloey."

Tears fall down Cloey's cheeks. I stand there, too stunned to react.

"Thank you, Matilda, for everything. Keep her safe. I'll be there soon."

"I know, dear. I promise you we are keeping her well hidden."

The screen goes black as Cloey turns to face me. My jaw tightens. Tears continue to fall down her cheeks, but I'm working hard not to let them affect me.

"I think you need to start talking."

Sick. She said she'd been sick. Worry etches its way into my heart. But here and now, she looks healthy. No, that's not true. I've seen evidence that says otherwise: shadows under her eyes, weight loss, pale complexion.

"That's some mighty strong shooters you have there, Dice. You didn't give that poor kid a chance, did you?"

For once, I ignore Gunner's smart remark. Although I've seen her picture, it still shocks me. She is the spitting image of me. I can see Cloey in her smile, but Gunner's right. If it's possible to have a clone, Felicity is mine.

"I'm sorry."

Cloey's voice comes out in a whisper. I turn to meet her gaze, not realizing I'd been staring at a blank space on the wall. She looks tired but determined.

"She's two years old and amazing."

"Hyperemesis Gravidarum is a rare form of morning sickness that is often displayed in early pregnancy. It makes the person very sick," Captain Black cuts in. He's taking us back to where we left off when the Skype call came in.

Cloey's face crumples, and I can't take it. Even with the anger stemming from her secret, I take her in my arms and hold her until the warmth of her tears hits my skin through my shirt. Someone must have signaled to give us some privacy because when I look up, we're alone.