Caleb

Chapter Forty Nine

"Caleb doesn't look like he's struggling with his adrenaline." Lainey observed.

"Yeah well that's because he hasn't relaxed yet and probably won't until you're safe at home. You're shaking because your body was flooded with adrenaline, but now that you're relaxed that adrenaline is dropping rapidly. The sudden change is what's making you shake. My bet is that Caleb's adrenaline won't drop for a while."

He's also pretty pissed at me. I bet that doesn't help either.

Caleb's body moved around the table as he pointed out different evacuation locations on the map, discussing each one with Declan and Nate in the process. He lifted his eyes briefly to check on Lainey and kept them there as he saw Austin soothing her.

"What's wrong?" Caleb asked with a concerned look in his eye as he came around the side of the table.

"Just a little adrenaline dump, Doc. We got her." Grayson answered.

Pulling Lainey's pills from his pocket, Caleb dispensed some into his hand and crouched down in front of Lainey, grabbing her other hand and dropping the pills into her palm. He knew as well as she did that adrenaline was her enemy and had the tendency to drop her potassium levels.

"You okay Lainey girl?" Caleb asked, wanting confirmation from Lainey to know whether or not it was okay for him to return to the table with Declan. She knew he'd stay with her if she asked, but as much as she wanted to, she also knew he needed to work and that every second counted.

"I'm okay." she confirmed with a warm smile.

Caleb could read her like a book and knew she wanted him to stay, but appreciated the fact that Lainey could recognize the importance of what he was doing. He gave her a knowing grin and gave her a quick peck on the top of the head before he stood.

"We got a plan?" Grayson said, grimacing as he repositioned his wounded arm.

"Got us a rally point for evac. about five klicks to the North. I don't know if Juan was bullshitting about that second wave, but I sure as fuck don't want to stick around to find out." Caleb said, informing Grayson and Austin of the developing plan.

"What are we gonna do about sleeping beauty over there?" Austin said, nodding his head toward Pierce who was still unconscious.

"I got him'" Marcus said as he passed by with Pierce's equipment that he had just collected from the room.

A loud whistle sounded from Axel outside, causing all heads to swivel in his direction. Caleb brushed past the men and stood in the door frame looking out at Axel and Hawk who were standing over one of the men taking pictures of his body.

"Quintana?" Caleb called out, receiving a thumbs up sign from his teammates.

"Why are they taking pictures of Juan?" Lainey asked Austin.

She could tell his response was calculated as if he searched for the words that he was allowed to say to her before he opened his mouth.

"There's quite a few intelligence agencies that are gonna want to know he's been taken out."

Lainey accepted his response, nodding her head without asking any of the other questions that were buzzing around in her brain at the moment, knowing he probably wouldn't answer any of them even if she had asked.

"Y'all ready to roll?" Axel asked as he and Hawk joined the group in the house.

"Born ready." Declan said as he folded the map with one hand, nursing his wounded shoulder.

Lainey gathered the rest of the medical supplies and secured Caleb's medical bag, putting it over her shoulder as the group headed outside.

Pierce had started to stir, but was nowhere near conscious enough to walk the three mile hike they had ahead of them. Caleb and Axel helped position Pierce across Marcus' shoulders, letting Marcus wrap one of his arms around Pierce's legs and the other around his arms in a fireman's hold.