And no matter who had given the order...
He was going to bring Cooper home.
"I have to bring Cooper back."
The quiet determination in Ethan's voice left no room for doubt. It wasn't a plea, nor was it spoken in the heat of panic. It was simply a statement of fact, one born from the unwavering resolve of a man who had already made up his mind.
Ignoring the alarmed protests that immediately rose around him, he gripped the edge of the hospital bed and forced himself upright. Every muscle in his body protested the movement, but he refused to acknowledge the pain. With slow, deliberate effort, he swung his legs over the side of the bed until his feet touched the cold polished floor.
For the briefest moment, he thought he had succeeded.
Then the world beneath him seemed to disappear.
