know what’s happening to her right now. If the code was extracted, she’s smart enough to know that by giving an identifying code, her kidnappers might think it’s a secondary distress call. I’m betting it’s nothing more than an oversight on her part, or she didn’t have time.”
“My job is to consider all the possibilities,” Sam affirms.
“And yet, I know Moira best. She was my pupil at the Facility.” Axel coughs into his fist. It’s his way to tell me to shut up, but to hell with that. I stand my ground and press the issue. “If you knew what she’s endured…”
“Everyone sitting at this table knows what Moira endured.” Forest interrupts me. The tone of his voice sends chills down my spine. Out of everyone present, only he and Doc Summers have any true idea what Moira endured. He should know, considering he lived through worse.
“Then you know that she’s stressed. So, what if she forgot the code? She remembered enough to activate the system. I’m assuming that’s why we know where she is.” It doesn’t take but a glance down the table to confirm what I already know. “There are millions of reasons why she didn’t complete the code, but we all know it’s her.”
“Griff…” Doc Summers places her hands on the table and swivels in her chair to look at me.
I wince, knowing she’s going to tell me to stand down. Most likely, she’ll cut me out of this mission altogether, saying I don’t meet clearance from medical hold. I brace for whatever it is she’s going to say while Axel stiffens beside me.
Nothing will keep me from saving Moira, and Axel gets it.
“I think Griff’s right.” Doc Summers looks at me, then places her hand on Forest’s arm. “We all know how the simplest things fly out of your head in situations like this.”
“But…” Sam speaks up, challenging the doctor.
Skye lifts a finger, stalling him. “Our operation is at risk.” She glances up and down the table. “I don’t think there’s a person in this room who isn’t concerned about what happened to Bravo team. Somebody has taken notice of Guardian HRS. We’ve been targeted, not that this is a surprise to any of us. We’re damn good at what we do, and that kind of thing draws unwanted attention. We took down Snowden’s operation and that sent shockwaves through the entire community. It put us on the map. It’s no surprise we’ve been targeted, but in this, I agree with Griff. That was Moira reaching out. We’re obligated to rescue her. She’s one of us now, and we take care of our own.”
The Guardians save those who’ve been taken. We give victims back their stolen lives turning them into survivors.
Mitzy nods, agreeing with what Doc Summers has to say. “We have coordinates. The cell she was using is no longer functioning, but I have the ship tagged. It makes port in ten hours. It’s only a four-hour flight to New Orleans. Infil will be tricky. The ship will be navigating in the Mississippi River. Air and water are our only routes for entry, and I suggest we make the acquisition before that ship pulls into port. I’ve got a drone on the ship. If any other boats approach it, other than the pilot, we’ll know.”
We all get what she’s not saying. Mitzy feels this is a trap, even though her intelligence doesn’t point to it being anything more than an oversight on Moira’s part to complete the protocol, but that’s the thing, she doesn’t have enough information to sway her either way. This is the point where Mitzy steps back and lets the Guardians take over mission planning.
“I’m surprised it’s New Orleans, although that might make things easier.” CJ stands and faces the map. He takes a step closer and examines the projected path of the tanker. “This would’ve been easier at sea, but we can make this work. We’ve got helicopter and water transports in staging as we speak. The only question is, do we infil by boat or air? The op will be at night, pre-dawn, which works in our favor. Hit me with your ideas.”
Mitzy turns toward the screen. She blows up the image of the Mississippi River and briefs us on the complicated twists and turns the ship will need to make navigating those waters. “There are several good places to come at this from the water.” She marks the spots that look the most promising.
“With it being the Gulf, helicopter