Given her current situation, it seemed wrong that Zoe should feel so very alive. But she couldn't help it.

Maybe it was mild hysteria from not getting much sleep, or the much wilder hysteria of her crush on Eric becoming an actual thing. Or, hey, maybe it was taking over an oil platform held by an armed security force. Whatever the case, she felt incredible. Hell, if she'd known it was like this, she might've joined the military or become a pirate or something.

Not really, though, since she was more of a peacenik than anything else.

Not right now, I'm not.

Unwilling to condemn their prisoners to possible death, they'd towed them to the top level of the rig and kept them subdued just out of sight of the helipad. Here, they discussed a plan, keeping watch while the helicopter grew from a hazy black dot floating on the horizon to something ominous, spiderlike, and way too close for comfort. Eric looked at the group. "We need to get to the pilot."

Ans nodded. "Keep him grounded."

"Or her," Leo chimed in. Zoe caught her eye and smiled.

"Touché." Ans smirked at Leo. "Keep her grounded."

"I've got this." Leo stood. "I'll pretend to be the female scientist."

"Can't." Von shook his head. "If the pilot's the same one they came in with, she'll know immediately that you're not the researcher."

They all turned to Zoe. "I look nothing like that woman," she said.

"Long brown hair, thin. She's got nothing on you in the rack, but—" Eric clipped Ans on the shoulder, and he went on with a smirk. "You'll do in a pinch."

"No." Eric grabbed her arm, as if he'd haul her back down the steps and hide her away from his friends. "No way."

"I'll do it." How on earth was her voice so steady? She blinked. No dizziness, no nerves. "I'm fine, Eric. I can distract him while you guys do the rest."

"Need a better plan than that, Z-Dog." Ans winked at her. "But it's a start."

Von cleared his throat and hit something against his leg—an enormous white cowboy hat. Zoe squinted. She'd seen that thing on the floor down there, beside the prisoners. He lifted a white lab coat in his other hand. Emily Marquette's. "Two scientists. Three security. Reckon we can make this work." The corners of his mouth turned down as he handed the hat to Eric and the lab coat to Zoe. "Let's get the scientists on first. Zoe, you distract him. Cowboy's on next."

Eric shoved the hat on his head. He looked ridiculous.

"Shit." Leo's eyes flashed back and forth between the men. "No way this'll work."

"Leo, you're on deck with Zoe." Von looked them over. "In case the shit hits the..." He glanced up, all of them hyperaware of the approaching aircraft, and lifted a single eyebrow. "Rotors."

Leo nodded. "Scientist or security?"

"How 'bout you just do you?" Zoe was sure she detected a smile in Von's voice. It never reached his face.

"Okay." Eric's voice was low and steady, his eyes on Zoe as she buttoned up the lab coat and put her hair in a bun. "What's your name?"

"Emily Marquette."

He nodded, and she went on. "I talk to the pilot, distract him while you come in and"—she fluttered her fingers in his face—"do your big, scary thing."

As the helicopter got closer, the sound grew deafening. At the top of the stairs, Zoe had a moment of vertigo. There were no railings up here, nothing, and the thing's blades made that howling wind she'd only seen in movies.

Somehow, Eric knew. He grabbed her trembling hand in both of his and pulled her down a few steps.

"We good?"

She managed a nod.

"I still get to take you on a date when this is over?" He had to yell now to be heard.

"Counting on it."

"Come here." The kiss he gave her this time was slow and deep. An alone kiss, like nobody else was here and none of this crap was happening. She wanted to cling to him. Wanted it to last forever.

"I am really into you, Zoe Garcia."

"The feeling's mutual," she said, unable to stop a ridiculous grin from eating up her face.

"All right. Let's go finish this."

"You got it."

Another quick kiss before he nudged her forward to the opposite edge of the helipad.