Lance went over to Cyndi. He reached out for her hands.
She took them but continued to stare at the floor. “I should have said something, even if I wasn’t positive it was him. I’m sorry.”
Lance pulled her close and wrapped her arms around his waist. A smirk formed on his face. “You’ll probably find this hard to believe, but I’ve had my heart broken, too. More than once. Besides, you hardly had time to recite every detail from your secret teenage diary. We were a little busy trying not to die.”
Cyndi looked up with tears in her crystal-blue eyes. The hint of a smile appeared. “Thanks, Ice Man.” She gave him a gentle kiss.
“Are you really that blinded by her beauty?” McNeil asked, shaking his head. “Wake up, Garcia. The evidence is overwhelming. The only possible way you’re going to avoid a life sentence is to do the right thing. Cooperate and all this goes away.”
“What are you talking about?” Lance shot back.
“Stafford is the crew commander, not you. She’s responsible for what happened. Do the smart thing and say that in court and you get your future back.” McNeil made wide, animated hand gestures as he spoke. “You want out of the missileer field? Name your dream job.” He snapped his fingers. “Done. It’s yours. If…you make the correct decision.”
Lance released Cyndi from his embrace. “Are you telling me to lie?”
“You’re young, Garcia, you have your whole life in front of you. Do you want to spend the rest of it locked up in solitary confinement while you slowly go insane?”
Lance stepped away from Cyndi. “No, of course not. But we’re a crew. We did this together, and we’re going to fight this together. We’re going to win. You’ll see.”
“Are you willing to risk your freedom on beating a one-star general in a military courtroom?” McNeil said condescendingly. He crossed his arms and waited for an answer.
Lance didn’t respond. He wrung his hands as he paced the floor.
“He’s right.”
Lance looked up to see Cyndi staring right at him.
“He’s right,” she repeated. “I was in command. I’m the one ultimately responsible for what happened at Alpha One, not you.” She drew in a deep breath. “Enough damage has been done already. Go to pilot training. Get your wings.” Tears streamed down her soft cheeks. “At least one of us will achieve their dream.”
Lance’s brown eyes watered up. He reached out and took Cyndi by the hand. “You don’t have to do this. We can fight this together.”
She pulled her hand away. “There is no we. I can take care of myself. I don’t need your help.” Cyndi turned her back on Lance. “Don’t be a fool. Take his offer.” She began softly sobbing. “That’s an order, Lieutenant Garcia.”
Lance couldn’t breathe. He felt the oxygen being sucked out of his lungs. A malfunctioning launch console that was determined to nuke China and a bloodthirsty Delta Force operator out to murder them suddenly seemed inconsequential compared to making sense of his conflicting emotions. The first woman he’d ever fallen for had just turned her back on him and told him to betray her.
Going to prison would be like being locked in a claustrophobic LCC for the rest of his life.
Going on without Cyndi would be worse.
Lance came up behind her. He reached out to comfort Cyndi but hesitated. He pulled his trembling hands back. Lance swallowed hard. “I’m sorry, Cyndi. I wish it hadn’t come to this. The general is right. With the evidence he has, we don’t stand a chance in hell of beating this.”
“You’ve finally come to your senses, Garcia,” McNeil said. “You won’t regret this.”
Lance shot daggers at McNeil and shook his head in disgust. He looked back at Cyndi. Her body quivered as she sobbed. “I need to explain why I’m doing this, Cyndi. Please turn around.”
“Just go away.”
“Please.”
Lance waited.
Cyndi didn’t move.
“I have to look you in the eyes when I say this. After that, I’ll do whatever you ask.”
Cyndi lifted her head and wiped away her tears with the sleeve of her flight suit. Arms tightly crossed, she turned to face Lance. “Make it quick.”
“I’ve dreamed of being a pilot ever since I was a little kid. It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do. That’s why I joined the Air Force. That’s why I watched Top Gun so many times.”
“Well, now you have your big chance. You’ll forgive me if I don’t throw you a party.”
Lance shook his head and gritted his teeth. “God! Has anyone ever told you that you can be so infuriating, so damn stubborn, so—”
“I’m stubborn? I’m sure you own plenty of mirrors, pretty boy, try looking in one.”
“Get on with it, Son,” McNeil barked.
“Yes, sir.” He took in a deep breath. “I’m not very good at…” Lance cleared his throat. “What I mean is…Ah hell, in the words of that great philosopher Maverick, ‘You never leave your wingman.’ We’re a crew. You and I are going to take on the Air Force, and we’re going to win.”
Cyndi’s jaw dropped. She leaped into his arms. Tears of joy streamed down her face. She gently cradled his cheeks in her hands and pulled Lance in close for a kiss.
“You son of a bitch!” McNeil roared. “You think you’re going to stab me in the back and get away with it? You just dug your own grave, Garcia!”
Lance just shrugged. “Maybe. But six feet under and sixty feet underground feel the same to me—dark and smelly.” He winked at Cyndi. “Either way, I’ll take my chances.”
“I hope she’s worth it, Son, because the two of you are going away for life.”
“We’ll see about that,” Cyndi retorted.
McNeil slammed the folder down on the desk. “Forget about what’s in here. Do you really think the judge is just going to overlook everything else you
