“Oh, I’m Hank, by the by,” Hank said, giving Vic a little wave.
“Princess Victoria of Candara,” she said with confidence and royal poise. “But you can call me Vic.”
The guys led her into the helicopter, and I took the pilot’s seat. The bird was spacious, more than big enough for all of us and for Pyke to comfortably stretch his leg out.
“Here we go!” I said once we were all strapped in.
I pulled the bird up, tipping it to the side on accident.
“Shit, Kid!” Ajax called out. “I thought you said you knew how to fly this thing!”
“I do! Just…it’s been a while!”
I straightened us out and lifted the helicopter high over the estate. I wanted to get the hell out of there, but we had one important stop to make. I piloted the helicopter over to where Pyke was positioned, Hud unrolling the steel ladder down to him. I watched as Pyke loaded up his gear and strapped it onto his back before grabbing onto the ladder. It was easy to see by the way he climbed that he was wounded badly, but with Hud’s help, he managed to get up and into the helicopter.
“Howdy, everyone,” he said. “Was worried for a second you might hightail it out of here without me.”
“Never,” I replied. “We go in together, we leave together.”
Pyke gave Vic a hug once he was strapped in next to her.
“We need to get out of here fast,” I said to the group.
I pulled the bird around, flying us toward the water and putting as much distance between us and the estate as possible. Once I was far enough over the water, I pulled us around once more so we could take in the sight of the coast. Even in the low light of the moon, the sight was magical and majestic, the rolling hills meeting the water, the green dotted with villages and estates.
“We’ll have to come back here when we’re not on the run from the law,” Ajax said with a grin.
“I agree. But for now, let’s go home.”
* * *
Relief washedover me once we were far away from Jurgen’s place. Hank’s EMP blast had turned off the cameras, so there was no evidence that we were ever there. I landed the helicopter in a desolate spot outside of the town where our hotel was located, and Hank set one more charge that blasted the thing to bits once we were good and clear. With that gone, there was officially no way for the Italian police to trace us to the shootout. We were safe.
We arrived back at the hotel around sunset. Hank wasted no time picking out a room for himself, shutting the door, and getting some well-deserved rest. The rest of us crowded around Vic, making sure she was truly alright.
“You guys have no idea how happy I am to see you all,” she said. “Jurgen’s plan…it was sick.”
I couldn’t resist leaning in and planting a kiss on her cheek.
“You’re safe now,” I said. “All you’ve got to worry about is getting some rest.”
She sat up. “Father. I need to talk to him.”
Vic was right. There was some well-deserved R & R in our futures, but at that moment it was more important that the king knew his daughter was safe.
“Here.” Hud rummaged through one of our packs and fished out the sat phone. “Take as much time as you need.”
She smiled. “Thanks.”
With that, she walked over to the other side of the second-floor lobby, and sat down at a small table by the window, as the morning light began to pour in. She dialed the palace and, though we couldn’t hear exactly what she was saying, the happy expression on her beautiful face let us know that the conversation was a good one.
“Something just occurred to me,” Pyke said as he passed out water bottles for all of us.
Ajax cracked his bottle open. “What’s that?”
“We’re getting paid for this mission.”
The guys and I all shared the same dumbfounded look. It was true—we’d gotten so wrapped up in rescuing Vic and the fear of losing her forever that we’d almost forgotten that we were about to receive the biggest payday of our lives for completing this operation.