“We’re already here.”
The wheels touched earth.
Medics rushed forward.
Someone opened the side door.
The stretcher disappeared into the cabin.
Thirty seconds later they were airborne.
Nobody spoke during the flight back.
At the medical facility, the patient was transferred directly into surgery.
Ava had barely removed her helmet when Major Collins entered the hangar.
Every mechanic within sight stopped talking.
Collins walked directly toward her.
“You deliberately ignored tower instructions.”
“Yes, sir.”
“You entered an uncleared landing zone.”
“Yes, sir.”
“You endangered your crew.”
Ava looked toward her copilot.
“Yes, sir.”
Collins’s face reddened.
“Do you have anything else to say?”
Ava wanted to explain.
She wanted to tell him how the medic’s voice had changed when the soldier stopped responding.
How twenty-five minutes sounded different when somebody was bleeding.
Instead she said, “No, sir.”
Collins stared at her.
“You’re grounded effective immediately.”
Her stomach dropped.
“Sir—”
“Flight status suspended pending investigation.”
The words felt heavier than she expected.
