Javier (Alpha Heroes #12)

Chapter Forty-one

Javier

I blinked, opening my heavy eyelids. It took me a moment to find my bearings, but under the dimmed ambient lights, I recognized the dark paneling and the polished wood of our team’s jet. I lay on the bed in the back compartment, neatly tucked under the covers. I had to make an effort to remember the last few days. Those damn med-cocktails always made me woozy as hell.

Only this morning, the doctors had finally given me permission to fly. An hour later, the jet was on the tarmac ready to go, and Dagger had herded all of us onto it as if he were the original German Shepherd. We were in the air and on our way before noon.

The boss had game. We even had armed jets escorting us along the route to ensure the NWO wouldn’t pull a fast one on us. Omega’s objective was to get Missy, Thena, and the rest of our team to safety.

I seconded the motion.

Once I boarded, I’d been ordered to the bedroom in the back of the plane. No amount of whining kept me in the cabin with the team. Between Dagger and Missy, I’d been overruled. It wasn’t such a bad thing. I’d fallen asleep within seconds of hitting the rack.

The last few days in the hospital had been an uphill battle. Even with the antivenom working, the pain had been acute and persistent. The doctors told me at least a hundred times that I was lucky that my friends had gotten me to the hospital in time. As if I didn’t know that they’d almost sacrificed their lives for mine. On the day I joined the team, I’d hit the jackpot.

Missy’s face and voice had been my constant companions as I worked through my body’s attempts at shutting down. She’d been glued to my side throughout the entire ordeal.

“Hey, Goof. Are you awake?” King’s whisper preceded the moment in which his face came into focus. “How’re you doing, bro?”

“I’m gonna say good, now that I’m out of the hospital and we’re on the way.” I scrubbed the sleep from my eyes with my good hand and lifted my bandaged one. “I kept all my fingers and my dick to boot. Gripping and fucking. I’m calling it a win.”

King laughed his quiet cackles. “Yours is a puny dick, but thank the universe for small mercies.”

“Where’s Missy?” I asked. “Is she all right?”

“Take a look for yourself, Romeo.” King cocked his chin.

I turned my face and found Missy, cuddled up between me and the paneled wall. Her red hair spilled over the sheets. The skin on her face looked even paler than usual, and dark circles underscored her closed eyes.

“She wanted me to wake her up when you did,” K-man said, keeping his voice low.

“Nah, let her sleep,” I said. “She needs her rest.”

“Amen to that, bro,” King said. “Can I get you anything?”

“A shot of whiskey would be nice.”

“How about some electrolytic hydration instead?”

“Sounds fab as dirt.”

“I’ll get you some, but only because you asked nicely.” He reached for one of the bottles lined up on the desk behind him, cracked open the top, and handed it to me.

I took a swig and grimaced. “I’ve had moonshine that tastes better than this.”

“Your days of abusing liquor are behind you.”

“You’re right about that.” I stared at the bottle in my hand. “But you know what?”

“What?”

“I’m okay with that, and with whatever shit is in this bottle, too, as long as it gets me up to speed so I can be there for her.” I glanced at Missy and took another swig.

“Where is Goof and what have you done to my friend?” King teased. “I demand you bring him back to us. On second thought, fuck that. I like this Goof just fine.”

I chuckled, and for once, it didn’t hurt.

“She’s your champion, right there.” He pointed a long finger at Missy. “That gal is a powerhouse.”

“You got that right.” I smiled down on her. “My woman’s a powerhouse.”

“How does it feel to have that, to say it?”

“To say what?”

“ My woman .”

“It feels good, man, real good. I highly recommend it.”

“Look at our Goof, all grown up and shit.”

“You’re just jealous.”

“Maybe a little. It’s been a while, but I kind of remember some of the joy of it.”

“Fuck me.” I swore. “I’m sorry, K-man. I heard about your girl.”

He looked away.

“You don’t talk much about her,” I ventured.

“She’s gone.” He shrugged. “Nothing to talk about. It’s your turn now. I’m happy for you.”

“Thanks, dude.” My eyelids lowered to half-mast. “Damn those med-cocktails. They make me so drowsy.”

“Get back to sleep. We’ve got a ways to go and I heard there’s news waiting for us when we get there. I’ll be right outside. Holler if you need me.”

“Will do.”

He got up, then paused by the door. “And Goof?”

“Yeah?”

“Life’s short.” The shadows of sadness dimmed K-man’s irises. “Hang on to that woman with all you’ve got.”