Page 59 of Silent Target

“Fathom may need someone inside the bunker who understands the archive architecture. You can rescue Mac, but I can help Rook reach the evidence.”

“No.”

“Caleb—”

A bullet tears through the fallen pine.

Caleb covers me as splinters rain over us.

The second sniper has found us.

Men shout from the trees above.

The search team is closing in.

Caleb pulls me to my feet.

“There’s no time to argue.”

“Good. Then I’m coming.”

For one breathless second, we stare at each other.

Then something in his expression yields.

Not agreement.

Acceptance.

“If we get separated, you stay with Rook.”

“I will.”

“You do exactly what he says.”

“If it’s a good plan.”

“Evie.”

“All right.”

He removes a spare magazine from his vest and presses it into my hand.

Our fingers touch.

His close around mine.

“When this starts, stay behind me until Rook reaches us.”

I nod.

Caleb looks as though there are a hundred more things he wants to say.

Instead, he turns toward the compound.

His voice becomes low and lethal.

“Then let’s make Walter Graves regret putting both of us inside his trap.”