Page 82 of Trapped Truth

“You’re so welcoming.”

“Just as welcoming as a bullet to the gut, I’d imagine.”

If my skull weren’t pounding something fierce, I might sink my own fist into his face. Not even my daily dose of medication has reduced the agony tearing through my soft brain tissue, one pulsating hit at a time.

“Motherfucker.” Hyland clenches his jaw.

Accepting Blaine was one thing. Yet Gunnar’s appearance shattered the trust Axel built with his teammates. Plus, it almost killed him. I know Hyland won’t accept that so easily.

Legs trembling like spaghetti strands, I weakly cross to the meeting table, leaving Blaine to linger in his corner. He overlooks the whole room from a good vantage point, ever the patient observer, scanning for his opportunity to strike.

Axel startles when I clasp his shoulders from behind, eventually relaxing into my touch. I lightly massage the tight knots of tension that cripple his muscles.

“I hate this.” He cranes his neck to look up at me.

“Trust me, I know. We don’t have a choice.”

“I don’t trust him, dimples.”

“None of us trusted Blaine at first, and look where we ended up. I’m not saying you should kiss and make up. Let’s at least avoid open hostilities, though, okay?”

Teeth audibly grinding, he nods once.

“Thank you.”

“If he provokes me…”

“I know. He’ll behave.”

“Right,” Axel chuffs.

The live feeds from the body cams each member of the Falcon Team wear show a busy manufacturing district in proximity to the coast. Weird. It’s not exactly the deserted streets and empty lots we’re used to seeing in this seedy trade, but maybe that’s the point.

“Madden has had forty-eight hours to clean house.” Hyland braces his elbows on the table, glaring hard. “What are we expecting to find?”

“Anything,” Kade affirms.

Between Fox and Rayna, Warner studies the feed. “His men protected this location for a reason. Madden knows we’re gunning for him, but even he can’t move major operations that fast.”

Glancing at Blaine’s steely face fails to reveal whether he agrees. Since being captured and hauled into the swimming pool, he’s been deadly quiet. Calculating, even. I hope he isn’t blaming himself or Raye for our identities being uncovered.

Kade leans in to spread his palms on the table. “Archer, report.”

“Copy.” His voice emanates from multiple laptop speakers. “We’re approaching the meat-packing plant from the west side. There are a lot of civilians.”

“Hiding inside a legitimate business?” Warner mumbles to himself.

Lip curled in a snarl, Hyland fists his dirty-blonde locks. “Reckless.”

“Or ingenious.” Gunnar doesn’t lift his gaze from his nails.

Everyone turns to look at him. He doesn’t seem in the least fazed by multiple unfriendly stares, absently nibbling the corner of his thumbnail.

“You’re petrified of collateral damage even though we’re certain Madden has cleared out.” Gunnar’s shrug is oh-so casual. “Just imagine the protection he had while operating from this premises.”

“Human protection.” Blaine speaks for the first time.

“Precisely. What better way to safeguard against a government-funded agency like Sabre Security?”