5
Cal shuddered with exhaustion as he looked down at Jeannie asleep in the dawn light. He considered kicking her, lightly, because turnabout was fair play, but his knees didn’t hold out long enough and he quickly sank to a sitting position.
Somewhere in the long, hot night he’d known that he had to take the risk and talk to her. It had gotten to the point where he’d swear he could tell the difference between the two Firehawks on a drop run. At first by the way they flew, and finally by the way they sounded.
Beale’s flight was arrow perfect and absolutely steady; her bird didn’t wiggle or mistrack for a single second, no matter what crazy turbulence the fire’s heat was kicking out.
Jeannie’s flight swooped and flowed.
Beale arrowed to the target; Jeannie snuck up on it. Both appeared t
