She darted between trees, finding energy reserves that had been kindled by the hope she would find Xavier. She paused on the edge of the forest, looking over the cleared swath, when she heard a birdcall that sounded familiar.
She jolted and turned, searching the woods for the source of the sound.
She wasn’t skilled enough to make the return call, wasn’t even sure she remembered exactly the sound.
She raised her walking stick and hit it against the tree. Once. Pause. Two in a row. Pause. Then once again. The wood knocks carried through the woods, and a moment later, she heard the return knock: one, one, two.
The SEAL team knew the birdcall, and they even knew the first knock pattern, but only Xavier knew the reply.
Her vision blurred as she headed in the direction of the knocks and tweets.
She wanted to shout his name, but feared others might be in the vicinity. It would explain his caution in not calling out to her.
She raised her binoculars to her eyes and scanned the trees. Movement caught her attention. She adjusted the zoom. Three men. One seated, two standing.
Xavier slowly rose from the ground. His hair was thick with mud, but his clothes were not.
She dropped the binocs and ran toward him as he opened his arms. She stumbled slightly when her brain registered that the men with him were Jae and Luke. She’d figure out that part later.
She would have thrown herself into his arms, but she stopped short, seeing his battered face and pained expression even as his eyes burned with emotion.
“Is this real?” she asked as tears tracked down her face.
He closed the distance between them, and his arms encircled her. “It’s real, sweetheart. I’m here.”