“You are not going to Guatemala without backup,” Logan growled, leaning forward to fist his hands together on his desk. “That is not how we work here and you know it, Hawkins. I’m just glad you finally told someone what in the hell has been wrong with you, dumbass.”

“I’m not going alone. Maddie’s brother Max is going with me,” Hawk replied, shooting a glare at Levi, who wore a smug smile as he leaned against the doorframe with his arms folded.

“You’re not going without Levi and Caleb. Two men in that cartel ratpile of a country is not enough,” Logan said firmly. “Trust me. I’ve been there, so I know.”

“The helo I rented is a two-seater. It’s all they had available, so there’s not enough room,” Hawk replied, gripping the armrests of his chair.

The small helicopter was also the only thing within his budget both lease-wise and fuel-wise. After he hung up with Max, he mapped out a flight plan, checked out the available aircraft and calculated his fuel costs. He did not need this argument right now, he needed to be in the air, or he was going to be late picking up Max. If Levi had just kept his damned mouth shut and minded his own business, he could have left forty-five minutes ago.

“Our bird will seat seven, so you’re taking it, and that’s final,” Logan said.

“I can’t afford the fuel, Logan,” Hawk grated through his teeth.

“Use the credit card for fuel and you can just reimburse me later.”

Later, as in a hundred years? There was more to consider than fuel. The airtime hours he’d put on the engine would mean more maintenance. If something happened to the bird on the trip, it could be a hundred years before he could pay him back. Hawk wasn’t taking a vacation, he was flying to a third-world country.

“I’m not taking your helo, Dave. It’s bulky and clunky. I need stealth and speed,” Hawk said, thrumming his fingers on the arm of his chair as his frustration mounted.

“You are taking it, or I’ll have Dante follow you in it. It has a higher fuel capacity and range, so you’ll get there quicker and safer. Besides, you’ll have more wiggle room on weight for the gear you’ll need.”

“Gear?” Hawk repeated, leaning forward to rest his forearms on his knees. The only gear he and Max planned on taking were automatic rifles, pistols a vest full of rounds and provisions that would fit in a rucksack.

“Yeah, Caleb’s sniper rifle, body armor and our heavier artillery and ammo. Grenade launchers wouldn’t be out of the question there. Those cartels are well-armed. You don’t want to be outgunned if shit hits the fan.”

“Oh, Dio! What in the world are you arguing about? I can’t even hear myself think in the front office, much less talk to clients. You sound like my brothers!” Mickie said, stepping into the doorway with her hands on her hips.

“Speaking of your brother—he’s in town, right?” Logan asked, and Hawk groaned.

“If you’re talking about Dante, yes, he is staying with us and I’m about to kill him,” Mickie replied with a dramatic sigh. “You need to find him a mission in Timbuktu or something, so Gray and I can have some peace. Why?”

“It looks like he’s going to Guatemala, instead of Timbuktu,” Logan replied, his stare daring Hawk to argue. “A second pilot and another gun will be added insurance that my helo and the team makes it back home in one piece.” Logan’s eyes turned glassy. “You’ll, ah, need a second pilot anyway, if you don’t find her alive.”

Hawk’s stomach clenched. That was a possibility he tried to forget, but Logan was right. If they found her body, he would be a wreck…definitely not in the right state of mind to fly home.

“What’s going on?” Slade asked as he walked into Logan’s office. Lola stopped beside Mickie in the doorway to get a scratch between her ears.

“Are you available for a SAR mission?” Logan asked.

Hawk groaned and gave up any hope of this being a quiet in-and-out mission. Standing, he pulled out his phone and texted Max to tell him he’d be late, then put it back in his pocket.

“I need to recalculate my fuel and stops. You guys load the bird.” He pointed at Logan, whose eyebrows shot up. “I’m using your credit card, but I won’t be paying you back. The amount of fuel this will take is going to be astronomical. Remember, this is your bright idea too, so if your helo gets trashed, it’s your fault. I won’t be paying for repairs either.”

“Roger that—but you better not trash my helo,” Logan growled, swallowing hard. “How long will you be gone?”

“As long as it takes to find her,” Hawk replied, giving him a grin. “Since you’re sending all of your men except Mac with me, I guess that means you’re out of business indefinitely.”

“What are we, chopped liver?” Taylor asked, stopping beside Mickie in the doorway. The two women could almost be sisters in looks and in attitude. “The Deep Six women will be available for duty, if needed.”

“On second thought, Slade, you’re staying here,” Logan said, as his eyes locked with Taylor’s. “I’m not the man to remind this one she’s pregnant. I’ve already had my rodeo with Susan. It’s your turn, buddy.”

A loud woof! preceded Taylor’s yellow lab Buddy crashing between the two women’s knees. He leapt up to put his paws on Logan’s desk and took a wet swipe across his knuckles. Lola barked as if reprimanding her sidekick, and he left a trail of slobber on the desk as he retreated and sat down beside her.

“Get a rag and clean this slobber off of my desk now, Taylor,” Logan said in a low and lethal tone as he held Buddy’s gaze.

“Don’t look at him that way,” Taylor hissed as she stepped in front of Buddy to fold her arms and glare at Logan.

“I’ve got this,” Slade said, putting his arm around Taylor’s shoulders to pull her into his side. He bent to take hold of Buddy’s collar with the other hand. Logan opened his mouth, but Slade shook his head. “Don’t push it—the hormones are strong with this one.”

Hawk motioned to Levi as he squeezed his way out of the overcrowded office that seemed deprived of oxygen. After Logan’s dire warnings, the fact the whole team was going with him and that he was responsible for bringing them and Logan’s bird back, it might just feel that way from the panic attack he seemed to be having.

And for what? The small chance that he would find a woman who’d rejected him for the chance to crash her chopper in that jungle alive?

He was insane for doing this.

The odds of finding her alive were so minute, they almost didn’t exist. In all likelihood, if he did find her alive and rescue her, she’d go right back to flying those missions and kill herself anyway. He’d be going through all this for nothing, because Maddie Carter was on a lifelong suicide mission to prove herself to her father. Hawk couldn’t save her from that. But he could save himself from another suicide mission with his heart.

If he found her in that jungle, he wouldn’t be giving her another chance to reject him again. Dead or alive, when they got back, he was moving on with his life.