“What are you doing, Ethan?” Logan demanded.
“We are going to North River.”
No one said a word as I turned on the lights and sped in the opposite direction. We pulled into the parking lot of the operations building and I barely had the SUV in park before I bailed out and ran for the door.
“Ethan, wait!” Mac called behind me.
I rushed through the door and was stopped. “I’m Agent Ethan Craddock.” I showed my ID. “I need to be on that chopper!”
“What chopper?”
“The one that is headed out to see to look for a missing barge.”
“Sir, that Chopper left five minutes ago.”
“Damn!”
Logan and Mac joined me.
Mac showed his ID. “May we join your staff in the communications room to see if they find our kidnap victim on that barge?”
“Yes, sir. This way.”
The room was dim with the glow of monitors and communication panels that provided most of the light.
“Hey Mac, I’m surprised you got here so fast.”
“Damon, it’s good to see you again.”
I watched the monitors and tried to determine which one was for the chopper that had just left. “Lt. Commander Damon Pincus, this is Agent Ethan Craddock and Agent Logan Watson of the FBI.” We shook hands. “What can you tell us about the chopper, has it found the barge yet?” I asked not wasting time with small talk.
“No, yet. Come over here and I’ll show you the situation.”
I followed the Lt. Commander to a map that was lit up to show the ocean and wind currents.
“Using the coordinates Mac gave me, we believe our starting point is here. Now given the weight of the barge and the fact that it has no power of its own, we believe it should be about here.” He placed his finger on the map.
I concentrated on that one spot and prayed that he was right, and we had found Kay. “What do we do now?” I asked.
“We wait.” Lt. Commander said.
“That isn’t going to be easy.” Logan muttered.
I stood never taking my eyes off the screen.
A voice crackled over the speaker. “Command, we have a visual.”
I held my breath.
“Rescue One, are you able to repel down to the barge?”
A blurry image of the barge appeared on the monitor. The wind and the wake from the helicopter made it hard to see. I could make out a tan colored box sitting in the middle of the barge.
“We will attempt to rescue.” The voice announces through the static.
I watched as a man repelled down to the barge and approach the box. His body camera showed there was a lock. He called for tools to be lowered down to him. It seemed to take an eternity for the tools to be lowered. I watched as the weather was deteriorating and willed them to hurry up. I hated the fact that I wasn’t the one cutting my way into that box and pulling her out. I felt helpless and trapped and I started to pace. Logan came up next to me.
“They’re going to get her out.” He said quietly.
I wanted to tell him it should be me. I knew he understood how I felt. Mac was standing off the side with his arms crossed over his chest. I could see his jaw muscles working.
The pilot and the rescuer were talking to each other. The pilot was getting antsy about the weather.
“I’m almost in!” The rescuer was shouting.
I turned to Lt. Commander Pincus. “You can’t allow them to leave without her!”
“They will do their best, but I can’t risk the safety of my crew and equipment in this storm.”
“Rescue is what you do, right? Doesn’t that apply to people stuck in a storm or do you just rescue people on sunny days?”
“Ethan, come on man.” Logan grabbed my shoulders and steered me out into the hallway.
I could hear Mac as I left the room. “Damon, he’s just upset.”
“I get it. He’s got a temper.” I heard the Lt. Commander say.
“Yeah, he does seem to be a little worked up, but his man will deal with him.”
Out in the hallway I shrugged away from Logan. He remained silent waiting for me to calm down. I paced up and down the hallway a few times trying to bring my anger under control. “I’m good, man.” I said attempting to go back in the communications room.
Logan shook his head. “I don’t think so, Ethan.”
I stopped short and looked at him. “Are you really not going to let me back in there?”
“I will let you back in there when you have calmed down a little more, I don’t think you’re there yet.”
“Logan, we’ve been friends a long time.”
“Yes, we have.” He didn’t disagree. “And so, you really think you can stop me if I want to get in there?”
“Yes, I do.” He shifted his weight. “I’m not going to get physical. You need to hear me out.” He looked me dead in the eyes.
I narrowed my focus to him. “Let’s have it and make it quick.” I said.
“Think about what you are doing. You’re too close to his and no one can blame you for that. Shouldn’t we notify GPPD? It’s their case? You’re not thinking clearly, and you need to take a step back.”
“I should be on that chopper and I should be on that barge getting her out of that box.” My anger was rising, and I turned away from Logan so he wouldn’t see the emotion.
“Dude, I get it. I really do.” He said quietly. “Do you think she isn’t going to love you because you aren’t the one pulling her out that box?”
“I should have protected her and if I couldn’t do that, then I at least should save her.” I felt myself starting to come apart.
“I think you need to dial down the macho stuff and just concentrate on being there for her.” Logan’s words slapped me in the
