By the time they returned to the airport, the place had gone from businesslike hub to roiling anthill of activity. Three other Boxers crowded the recovery tents, plus a smattering of civilian ambulances. They onloaded patients in stretchers even as crew made moves to take down the tents they vacated. Helicopters shuttled by teams to the fuel station or idled along the peripheral, their people testing engines or making frenetic pre-checks. Most of the Ospreys were airborne, circling above to finalize some formation before they flew off as a unit to who knew where.

"Hawkman! What is it?" Mac called to his co-pilot as he, Mave, and the TV people approached their chopper. Hawkman stood at the nose with a Stormbreak loadmaster in red coveralls. He'd been scribbling on the screen of a tablet, and just t...

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