Rekindled (38 page)

“Can I help with something?”

Turning, I see Johnny standing in the doorway, looking solemn.

“I’m okay, but thank you,” I reply.

He nods, but moves toward me anyways, grabbing a couple eggs and cracking them open into the pan. “You know, when Tate was building that Nova of his, everyone said it was a waste of time. That he’d never be able to find all the parts necessary for it to run properly.” He grabs a spatula and pushes the eggs around. “No one believed he could do it. But he was determined. Always has been. Stubborn, like his mom.” I snort, knowing how many fights we’ve had because he refuses to give up even when he’s wrong. “But you know what? That same tenacity is what drove him to finish that car. It took him years to find all the parts for it, but once he sets his mind on something, there’s no stopping him until he finishes.”

I sigh and look over at Johnny. “Of course I’m glad he finished that car, but how is that story supposed to make me feel better?”

He laughs and shakes his head. “Because my dear, you of all people should know that Tate’s come to love Jonah like his own, and he’s not going to let your husband take Jonah without a fight. If there’s anyone in this world who can find him, I’d bet my life it’ll be Tate.”

His words settle around us in silence as we finish cooking breakfast. I want to believe him. I want to believe him more than I want air to breathe, but by now Zach and Jonah could have made it to the airport, and for all I know, they could be halfway around the world by the end of the morning.

They found his car. Overturned down an embankment off Warren Wagon Road, only about a mile from where we lost Rylee years ago. Traces of blood were found, though they weren’t able to tell whose blood, and there was no sign of either Zach or Jonah.
Please don’t let it be Jonah’s.
Police are telling us they have men out there searching, but it’s been two days and they haven’t been able to find them, and the more time goes by, the less likely it is they’ll find them alive. I know the woods. I know how quickly a turn in the wrong direction can cause complete confusion.

There’s about eight different types of pine trees out here, but to the unknowing eye, they can all look alike. Like trying to identify a specific zebra in a herd, remembering which tree you passed on the way in is nearly impossible without proper training. We aren’t positive Zach wandered into the forest, but an hour ago a call came in that a new fire was spotted about ten miles from town, spreading quickly and I know it has to be them. Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe this is just Mother Nature flipping me the bird, but as I stare out the window at the plume of smoke ahead of us, I swear I can feel Jonah’s presence deep down in my bones.

The loud hum of the engine fills the silence as we taxi toward the fire. There’s ten of us on the jump today, our entire team. Even the Captain came along, knowing this wasn’t just about putting out a fire. This was about family. Working with these guys has taught me that family doesn’t have to be blood. These men have become my family. Jonah has become my family.
Jonah.
I close my eyes, and silently pray to whatever Gods may be listening to let him be alright. We can tell where the fire originated from, and with any luck, we’ll be able to locate Jonah before it gets dark.

Damon, our spotter grabs a handful of streamers and drops them into the slipstream. “Okay, boys. Wind’s picking up, looks about fifteen or twenty heading west.”

The plane bucks as we hit a pocket of turbulence and while none of them say it, I can see worry flicker across their faces. Wind makes fire unpredictable. The past couple of days have been hot and dry, and with low wind conditions, meaning a small campfire would be easy to contain. Once the wind picks up, though, all it takes is a small ember carried by the breeze to ignite the forest in a blaze of smoke, making it nearly impossible for anyone without protective gear to make it out alive.

Chris and Ramon go first, giving me a nod of encouragement before disappearing out the plane. We circle around and I slip on my helmet and face mask, trying to tamp down the uneven thrum of my heartbeat.

“You got the jump spot in your sights?” Damon asks.

“Yeah, patch of brown just east of those Douglas Firs. Got it.”

“Okay, get ready. Careful of the wind, looks like she’s kicking it up a notch.”

I grin. “Wouldn’t have taken you for an Emeril fan.”

He laughs. “Where do you think my famous chicken cacciatore is from? Bam!” His hand comes down on my shoulder and I launch myself out.

“Tate, man, get over here. Now.” Ramon’s slightly accented voice crackles over the radio.

It’s hotter than Hades down here, but his words have me breaking into a sprint. Captain broke us into teams, with half the guys working on shutting down the fire, while the other half searched the perimeter for any signs of Zach and Jonah. Matt follows on my heels as we burst through the forest towards Ramon and Chris who had started searching the Eastern end. I grip the radio with one hand, holding it to my ear as we shoot past fallen trees and shrubs, desperate for more information. Did they find them? Are they hurt? Are they even alive? My emotions become pure pandemonium as fear drives my legs to move faster.

“Where are they?” I call out as we stumble the last few yards. “Did you find them?” My chest heaves as my lungs attempt to pump air.

“Not yet,” Ramon says. “But we did find this.” He holds up a piece of material that looks like it once belonged to a leather jacket. And not the kind that you could buy at Target. He hands it to me and I examine it in my hand, my stomach roiling when I notice the dark crimson stain.

“Okay, let’s split up and search this area. If this is Zach’s, he can’t have gone far.” I glance down at the blood-soaked material. “Especially if he’s bleeding out this much.”

“I’ll stay with Tate,” Matt says. “Give us a holler on the radio if you find them.”

I don’t even wait for a response before I take off. Pine needles crack beneath the weight of my feet, snapping like brittle bones, and with every little movement I see out of the corner of my eye, my heart leaps into my throat. They have to be here. In the distance I can hear the roar of the fire alongside the whirring of saws, but despite that, I call out to them anyways.

“Jonah! Zach!” The wind courts my voice, carrying it away, but returning empty-handed. “Jonah!”

“Tate, this way!” Matt yells, as he grabs my arm and tugs, pointing to a tree trunk with blood smeared on it.

It doesn’t take long before we find the rest of the leather jacket, crumpled on the forest floor, covered in blood. Bile rises in my throat. My eyes dart around, searching every bush, tree and rock, until I finally see it. A pale, hairy leg jutting out from behind a tree.

“Jonah!” I call out, as Matt and I race toward the tree.

We round the trunk and find Zach propped up against the base of the trunk, cradling his arm to his chest. His clothes are covered in blood, making it impossible to tell where he’s injured, but from the way his eyes are having trouble focusing, I know it’s bad.

“Well, well,” Zach slurs. “Superman found me.”

“Where’s Jonah?” I demand.

He wheezes and coughs. “You’re Superman, shouldn’t you know?”

“Damnit Zach! This isn’t a fucking game. Where the fuck is Jonah?”

“Everything in life is a game. And I’m not losing this time. Not to you.” He lets out a laugh, and winces. “He’s my son. Mine. I’m not letting you take him from me.”

“Is that why you ran into the forest after your car crashed? Because you’re worried Callie will keep Jonah from you?” When he doesn’t answer, I let out a long exhale. “Look, no one is trying to take him away from you. I’m not trying to take him from you.”

“The hell you’re not.” He clumsily slaps at Matt’s hands which are probing at his side, trying to see where he’s injured. “Get your fucking hands off me.”

“I need to see where you’re hurt,” Matt says. His eyes meet mine when he pulls his fingers away from Zach’s side, covered in blood. “We need to call this in and get him Medevac’d out or he’s going to bleed out.” He looks at Zach and shakes his head. “Dude, you’re one lucky sonofabitch to be alive right now. Whatever cut you, missed any organs, but if we don’t get you out of here, I’m not sure you’ll make it much longer.” Matt takes the radio and steps away.

“Like I give a shit,” Zach spits. “I’ve already lost everything.”

I slam my fists into the ground. “I’m losing my patience with you, Zach. Tell me where Jonah is.”

“Do you know what it’s like to be one giant disappointment?” He looks up at me and a chill runs down my spine with the emotionless stare he’s giving me. “All my life I was the disappointment in my family. My older brother, Teddy was the perfect one. It didn’t matter that I got straight A’s in high school because I didn’t do it with advanced classes like
Teddy.
Getting into USC was a disgrace compared to
Teddy
going to Harvard.
Why can’t you be more like Teddy? He just got offered a job with NASA. Why can’t you be more like your brother? He’d never get arrested for smoking pot.
Nothing I ever did was good enough.” He pauses and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. “Until I met Callie. Sure, she was a little young for me when I met her, but she was beautiful and smart, and her parents were well-known in Texas. She was the perfect way for me to finally win against my brother because I knew he’d never find someone like her. Not with his crooked nose and bad acne. Girls are shallow like that, you know.”

“I understand—”

“No you don’t! When I met her, I knew I had to have her. I
knew
we were going to be together. We
had
to be together. It was the only way to make Teddy and my parents see that I was worth something. That I wasn’t just some giant
fuck-up.
And everything was perfect until that summer she came back here. To
you.
” The corner of his lip curls into a sneer. “And I realized that she would never be mine as long as she had you around. So I did what I had to.”

“What are you talking about?” I ask, suddenly feeling nauseous.

“I could feel her pulling away. The guilt…from your sister was eating at her, and I could see her slipping out of my arms. And I knew. There was only one way to keep her.”

I let out a harsh breath. “Jonah.”

“Bingo.” He snaps his fingers and points at me with a wink. “Looks like Superman’s finally getting the picture.”