“What do you need from me?”
“Do you think you can hit that dynamite cube from here?”
“What?” I looked back at the bridge and the tiny box hanging from the middle beam. Are you serious?
“Do you think you can hit that dynamite cube from here?”
“Danny, that’s like ninety yards.” I shook my head. No freaking way. That’s like hitting a quarter from forty yards away. “I won’t be able to stand upright without being seen. I’d have to shoot from a pretty awkward stance. What about the rifle?”
Danny was shaking his head now. “It’s not an option. I left it with Blake, but his shot got everyone’s attention. He can’t move now. That shot—”
He didn’t have to say more. In the original plan, Blake was going to shoot the dynamite. But Blake had needed to use his shot to save me. I’m plan B. “Danny, I’ve only got three arrows.”
“I know.” He smiled weakly. “But you only need one, right?”
From ninety yards? “If I’m really really lucky.”
“Luck has nothing to do with it, Hayley. This is for all those hours shooting at cans and bottle caps. For all the times Dad told you archery wasn’t going to get you anywhere…for every date you took with your bow instead of a boy.” He was trying to build my confidence, but it wasn’t working. “You love trick shots. I just need you to hit this one.”
Shit. “Okay.” No pressure. “I’ll try.”
“You’ve got to do more than—”
“Danny… I know.”
Everyone in Hawaii is counting on you, Hayley. Let’s do this.
SIXTY-THREE – Tequila Sunrise (Tara)
When I woke up, the clock beside my bed read 10:28. By the sun streaming in the windows I knew it was morning—finally—and no longer the world’s longest night. I slowly rolled my head to the left, uncertain where I was. The bright smile that greeted me jolted me back to life, and all of a sudden I could see, hear, and feel everything. Every inch of my body hurt—most of all my heart. My head was pounding like I’d chugged a fifth of Jose Cuervo and then beat myself with it. The tears began to flow. “Baby.” Even whispering hurt. I winced. Dear God…
“Hi, Mommy. You’re awake!”
Is she yelling? “Shhh…yes. Hi baby.” My throat was so incredibly dry. I tried to move my arms, but I quickly realized they were strapped to the bed and I was loaded up with tubes. Emily laid her head on my chest in a gentle hug and I closed my eyes. I needed something for the pain. “Is there a nurse around, Em?”
“I’ll get one, Mom.”
Still yelling.
“Don’t move, Mom.”
Don’t worry. I won’t. “Okay.”
Emily ran out of the room. My head was pounding, and the light was making it much worse, but I forced myself to open my eyes again and take in the rest of the room. Another person was sleeping in the bed next to me, also with IV tubes in her arms. “Kate?” She didn’t reply. “Kate.” I tried again.
“She’s out,” a female voice said, and I saw a nurse approach.
“Is she okay?” I was tearing up again.
“She will be. She made it through surgery. She lost a lot of blood. She’s fighting off pneumonia. She’s—”
“She’s going to be okay?”
“We think so.” She unstrapped my left arm and began checking my vitals.
There were a dozen bands on my left arm. I had to be on a lot of crap. Another thought hit me, as I vaguely remembered the helicopter coming in and picking us up. I reached up and grabbed her hand. “Ryan?”
The nurse looked confused. “I’m sorry. I don’t know who that is.”
“My husband. It’s my husband. He was on the island with me. Did they find him?”
The nurse looked out into the hallway. I tried to see around her, but I couldn’t see who or what she was looking at. “I…” She was clearly uncomfortable. “I…give me a minute.” She walked briskly out the door.
A minute later, another familiar face appeared in the doorway. “Oh my God. Reagan.”
She stepped into the room, glancing at Kate before hurrying to my side. “It’s so good to see you.” Reagan took my hand.
More tears. Suddenly panic overtook my chest, as I realized Emily hadn’t come back in. Had I been imagining her? And where was Ollie? “Is Emily…” Owww! “Ollie?”
“They’re in the hall with everyone else. You just saw Emily, and Ollie is fine.”
Everyone? “Everyone’s out there? Ryan?”
Reagan paused, but I read her face clearly. “No, honey.” Another pause. “I’m sorry.”
My lower lip quivered uncontrollably, and a deep sob forced its way up through my chest. No! Reagan bent over, gently leaning her head against mine, and I felt her tears mix with mine. “I’m sorry, Tara. We haven’t found him.”
I sobbed as Reagan held me for a few more minutes, and then she pulled away and I collected myself enough to ask more about Ollie.
“He’s fine,” Reagan assured me. “I’m taking care of him—don’t worry. He was pretty dehydrated and scraped up but he’s in much better shape than you two.” When I didn’t laugh she continued. “Anyway, he’s with Emily and Abbey now.”
“Abbey’s okay too?”
“Yes. And Sam, Trigger, Twix, Deacon, and Royce. They’re all out there.”
I heard her say Sam but thought she’d misspoken and my head hurt too much to call her on it now. Did that nurse give me anything for the pain? I don’t think she did! “Reagan, they can come in.”
“Uh, Tara.” Reagan glanced at my body, and I looked down. Holy shit. I was pretty much naked but covered in a hundred bandages. “They took an awful lot of glass out of you. You were really cut up.”
“I guess they can stay out there.” I laughed briefly, but that really hurt. There were other people Reagan hadn’t mentioned.
“Is Grandpa Dan—”
“No.” Reagan shook her head. “Haven’t found him. Kaci…” She continued to shake her head.
“Jenna?”
“We found her, but…” Reagan’s voice trailed off.
“But?” I knew she was dead but for some reason I needed to hear it.
“It’s honestly best you don’t see her. You wouldn’t…” Her facial expression and quivering voice completed the sentence for me.
I wouldn’t recognize her. I reached out for Reagan’s hand again, and she interlaced her fingers with mine. “Have we heard anything from Danny?”
Another head shake. “No.”
Dang it. “Reagan, I really really need something for this pain. Please.” I squeezed her hand tightly as a nauseating wave washed over me. I closed my eyes until it passed and then opened them, releasing Reagan’s hand.
“Let me grab the nurse again.” Reagan stood.
“Do we even know if they’re alive?” I knew that was a rhetorical question. She’d have told me if they did.
“We know they made it to Cheyenne Mountain—that’s it. None of the guys have heard anything since.”
There was a sudden commotion in the hallway. Reagan stood and looked out the door. “What is it?” I tried to sit up and see but couldn’t.