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Jane leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. “You got it, babe. Just be careful out there, okay? I need you to come home to me in one piece.”
He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. “That’s a promise.”
As he breathed in the familiar scent of her shampoo, he couldn’t shake the feeling that this mission was going to be different. That the stakes were higher than ever before.
31
The airin the tiny supply room was hot and stale, though Fenn couldn’t blame the lack of ambiance for his wide-awake state. He lay on his back on a cot staring at the pipes running across the ceiling. No way he was nodding off anytime soon.
Clearly, neither was Kate. The soft glow of her tactical watch caught his eye as she tossed and turned on her own cot, her restlessness mirroring his own. A slice of light slipped under the door from the warehouse down the hallway.
“You awake?” he called out, his voice breaking the heavy silence.
“You think?” she fired back, her tone sharp and pointed.
Touché. Fenn couldn’t argue with that. They were both on edge.
A massive gust of wind from the raging storm outside rocked the building, causing the walls to creak and groan under the pressure.
The security lights in the main warehouse flickered and went out, extinguishing the little sliver of light under the door. Juice to the whole facility was probably out.
Fenn bolted upright, his senses on high alert as he strained to hear any signs of danger.
But just as quickly as the lights went out, the backup generator kicked on, filling the warehouse with a low, steady thrum. The lights flickered back to life.
Fenn let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.
Kate’s voice broke the silence, a hint of amusement in her tone. “Well, that was exciting.”
The tension in his body eased slightly. “Just another night in paradise, right?”
Her bedclothes rustled. “Do you really think the Consortium will make a play for us tonight, here in the warehouse?”
He considered her question, his mind already running through the possible scenarios. “I don’t think so,” he said finally. “But just in case, I’ve got a plan.”
He could almost feel her curiosity piquing from across the room. “Oh? And what might that be?”
He rattled off a couple ideas, which sparked a debate over logistics, the weapons at their disposal, and the layout of the warehouse. Could they see the doorways and exits from their current position? Were there any blind spots they needed to be aware of?
But as they talked, the real issue hung heavy in the air between them. What were they going to do about this supposed field trip with Steele?
Kate was all for going, her loyalty to her former fiancé still strong despite the years that had passed. But Fenn wasn’t so sure. The man was too confident. His explanations too pat.
“I don’t like it, Kate,” he said. “We don’t know what we’re walking into, and I don’t trust your boy’s intel.”
“I know. But if Hawk says he has evidence that can keep the Consortium away from us, don’t we owe it to ourselves to at least check it out?”
Fine. She had a point, but he couldn’t ignore the gut feeling that told him they were making a mistake.
“It sounds like a soup sandwich to me.” He sat up on his cot, his fingers ticking off the reasons one by one. “First, Steele’s being cagey about what this evidence even is. Second, I don’t trust the guy. Third, the two of us and some action-dude up against the Consortium? Seriously? We don’t even know how big the opposing force is. One guy? A whole platoon? It’s crazy.”
His frustration mounted as he continued. “Fourth, have you looked outside recently? The weather’s a nightmare. Sure, we’ve got infrared goggles, but unless Steele’s holding out on us, we don’t have much else in terms of high-tech equipment. And fifth…” He threw his hands up in exasperation. “Have I mentioned that I don’t trust him?”
Kate sighed, her silhouette outlined by the soft glow of her watch. “I don’t disagree with any of your points. It’s been a long time since Hawk and I were together, and honestly, I’m not sure I trust him either.”
She shifted on her cot, the springs creaking beneath her. “But what are our other options? Wait for the Consortium to come after us? Besides,” she continued, her voice softer now, “if Hawk does have evidence that’ll keep the Consortium away from us––and away from Jason––I’m in.”
At the mention of Jason’s name, Fenn felt his resolve crumbling. Their teammate was out there, alone, hunting the cabal. If there was even a chance this evidence could keep Jason safe, they couldn’t ignore it.
