Page 96 of Lion’s Den

“Recommendations?”

“Explore the area.”

Cam’s heart skipped a beat. Yes. He should have thought of that sooner. “The quarry has several outbuildings. It’s the perfect place to hide someone.”

Sedona’s eyes widened. “You think Julio might be there?”

“Only one way to find out. Check the grounds of the quarry.”

“Well, you have a few problems to deal with first.” She motioned to the two men who were bound, gagged, and unconscious, lying on the kitchen floor. “What will you do with them?”

“Want a suggestion?” David’s voice came through the comm devices.

“Go for it.”

“Let me take care of them. Fortress Security has black sites to hold enemy combatants until it’s time to dump them on government agencies. While they’re guests of Fortress, operators trained in interrogation converse with them. If they learn anything that will help us find Julio, they’ll pass it along.”

Excellent idea. In truth, Cam didn’t care what happened to the men still alive as long as they were no longer a threat to Sedona or Julio. And if experts in interrogation worked on the men, all the better. “Do it. How long will it take for someone to pick up these men?”

“Hold.” A minute later, David said, “Ten minutes. Fortress has a black-site team in the area. Brent Maddox, Fortress Security’s CEO, will send a clean-up team to take care of the rest if The Thunderhawks listen to his employment proposal. What do you say?”

“Why should we consider employment with Maddox? I already have a job as a deputy, and you’re holding spots open for the rest of my team. We don’t need to work for anyone else.”

David and his brothers chuckled. “You will regret not hearing him out.”

Elliot said, “David’s right. You don’t fill out applications for Fortress because they get tossed into the trash. Maddox has to invite you to come for an interview.”

Spencer said, “We should hear him out. If we don’t like the terms, we turn him down.”

Rhys shook his head. “We made a commitment to David. It’s not right to make that promise, then go back on it.”

“Hold it,” David broke in. “If you want to work for Maddox, you can choose to work on a case-by-case basis. Think about it and hear him out. That’s all Maddox requires for his help with these mercenaries.”

Isaac looked skeptical. “I’ll listen, but that’s all I promise to do, and we have to talk before we decide. Agreed?”

Cam gave a slight nod. “We need to go, David.” The mission clock ticked loudly in his head. Julio was running out of time.

“Go. Elliot and Owen, go with them. Levi, Caleb, and I will watch these guys until Fortress arrives, then we’ll join you.”

Levi cut in. “Except we’re smart enough to drive.”

“Ha ha.” He had a point, though. Sedona wasn’t used to tramping all over the woods, and this was the second night she’d done just that. “Did you come in two vehicles or one?”

“One,” David said.

“Meet me out back and I’ll give you our keys.”

“Copy that. Thirty seconds.”

Cam threaded his fingers through Sedona’s and led her outside.

David walked around the corner of the house and stopped in front of Sedona. “You doing okay, Sedona?”

She nodded.

Just like before, she said one thing, but her body language said something entirely different. What Sedona didn’t have in skill and experience, she made up for with heart and courage.

David flicked him a pointed glance.