Chapter 8 - The Rescue Mission That Forced Seabird to Confront Her Darkest MemoryThe old maritime clinic stood beneath a cloudy evening sky.
Its windows were boarded.
Salt had eaten through the metal railings.
Waves struck the abandoned pier below.
Paige approached the main entrance wearing a small communications device concealed beneath her jacket.
Vale and his team were positioned nearby.
Dunore remained at the command post.
He had argued against Paige entering the building.
She understood his concern.
But the people inside had demanded her presence, and the investigators believed a controlled approach might create an opportunity to rescue the hostages.
Paige pushed open the door.
The lobby smelled of mildew and old disinfectant.
A voice echoed from the hallway.
“Come in, Lieutenant Commander.”
Leonard Voss emerged from the shadows.
He was older than Paige remembered.
His hair had turned white.
But his expression was unchanged.
Cold.
Controlled.
Certain of his own importance.
“Eight years,” he said. “And you're still causing problems.”
Paige looked past him.
“Where's Hannah?”
“Safe.”
“Show me.”
Voss smiled.
“You were always difficult.”
He led her into an examination room.
Hannah sat beside Rebecca Shaw.
Both women were frightened.
Neither appeared seriously injured.
Paige immediately checked their faces and breathing.
“Hannah, my name is Paige Kendrick.”
The young woman looked up.
“My father knew you.”
“Yes.”
“He said you never left anyone behind.”
Paige swallowed.
“I'm not starting today.”
Voss shut the door.
“You have no idea what your father nearly destroyed,” he told Hannah.
Paige turned.
“He exposed defective equipment.”
“He threatened an entire program.”
“People could have died.”
“People die in military operations.”
Paige stared at him.
“That's what you told yourself?”
Voss's expression hardened.
“The equipment contract supported critical operations. A public scandal would have damaged the Navy.”
“No,” Paige said. “It would have damaged the people who signed the contracts.”
Voss stepped closer.
“You were given an opportunity to walk away.”
“And Mercer wasn't?”
For the first time, Voss looked uncomfortable.
Paige understood.
He had expected her to remain frightened of him.
He had not expected her to confront him.
Outside, thunder rolled across the harbor.
Voss pulled a pistol from his jacket.
Hannah gasped.
“Everybody stays where they are.”
Paige raised her hands slowly.
“Leonard, this doesn't have to end with anyone getting hurt.”
“You should have stayed gone.”
Suddenly, an alarm sounded.
The building's emergency lights flashed red.
Voss turned toward the corridor.
A loudspeaker crackled.
“This is federal law enforcement. Put down your weapon.”
Voss grabbed Hannah by the arm.
Paige moved instinctively between them.
“Take me instead.”
Hannah stared at her.
Voss hesitated.
That moment was enough.
Rebecca knocked a metal instrument tray from the counter.
It crashed onto the floor.
Hannah pulled away.
Paige shoved her toward the door.
“Run!”
A shot rang out.
Paige felt a burning impact across her upper arm.
She stumbled.
But she remained standing.
Voss tried to reach the rear exit.
Vale and his team entered through the corridor.
“Drop the weapon!”
Voss froze.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Then the pistol fell to the floor.
Vale secured him.
Paige sank against the wall.
Hannah rushed toward her.
“You're bleeding!”
Paige pressed a hand against the wound.
“It's not as bad as it looks.”
Hannah began crying.
“You came for me.”
Paige looked into her eyes.
“Your father would have done the same.”
Outside, the storm finally broke.
May you like
Rain swept across the harbor.
And for the first time in eight years, Paige felt that the past had stopped chasing her.
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