Page 61 of Under Fire in Big Sky

“I have a contingency in place to neutralize Eli and any friends of his who may be lurking nearby.”

Sean had always been meticulous, a strategist of the highest order. If he had a contingency plan, it meant he’d considered all the angles, anticipated every move, and he had the advantage of knowing his opponents. Whatever it was, the plan wouldn’t fail.

“If he violates the terms and enters the woods,” Sean continued, his voice losing any of its previous warmth, “I’ll initiate Protocol Sunburst.”

Through the binoculars, Eli watched Olivia nod to the person on the video call. A moment later, she passed the phone back to Tristan. The kid didn’t put the cell away. Instead, he held it up and spoke, but the screen was turned away from Eli’s line of sight.

“Takoda, can you get a visual on the screen of the cell phone?”

“For starters, I’d have to switch off the thermal imaging. I wouldn’t be able to detect any other heat signatures in the area. Secondly, I can’t do it with the drone at its current altitude. If I get it any lower, the drone could be detected. Do you want me to take that chance?”

There was no need to risk it. Olivia would be able to give them an accurate description of Shepherd and detailed account of the conversation. “No, that’s all right. Hold position.” He just had to be patient. It wasn’t his strength and being so far apart from Olivia only made it that much more difficult.

Tristan looked in Eli’s direction and so did Olivia.

Something was up. If only he had audio to know what.

Tristan pressed a button on the phone and lowered it to his side, but he didn’t put it away. Next, Olivia pulled out her cell from the Faraday pouch.

Eli’s phone rang. Taking it from his pocket, he looked at the screen. It was her. “Yeah,” he answered, putting the call on speaker so the entire team could hear. “What’s going on?”

“I need you to do something for me.” She turned in his direction as she spoke. “It’s going to be very hard for you, but it’s important.”

“Anything.” He zoomed in and stared at her face through the binoculars. “I can do anything for you.”

She sighed. “If only that were true.” Her brow furrowed, a line etched between her eyes, and it was like déjà vu. “I need you to leave the park.”

Alarm raised the hair on the nape of his neck. “Leave you there?” he asked, his voice laced with disbelief.

“Yes.”

Cold filled the pit of his stomach. “There’s no way in he—”

“I spoke to Shepherd, briefly,” she said, cutting him off. “To continue the conversation, I have to go meet him.”

“That wasn’t the deal.”

“I’ve given my consent to go. This is my choice. It’s important.”

There was nothing in the world that was more important to him than her. “You can’t do this. I won’t let you.”

“I can and I will because I want to do this. I need to do it.” Her gaze hardened. “Don’t enter the forest. If you do, you’ll make things worse, and in the end, I’ll still go to meet him. After I’m done talking to him, I’ll be returned to you unharmed.”

“No, Liv.” His voice grew tight, betraying his escalating fear. “You can’t believe anything Shepherd tells you. You can’t trust him.”

“Listen to me carefully, it’ll be okay. Get in the truck and leave.” Her mouth trembled for a second, but she marshaled her expression into a mask she wanted it to be. “When this mission is over, we’ll take a trip. I want it to be just like the last time we saw each other. Do all the same things, especially what we did on the final day. Please, trust me.” She ended the call and handed her phone to Tristan.

“She hung up,” he said to the team.

“Eli, you should listen to Olivia,” Autumn said. “Don’t break the rules.”

“Have you lost your mind?” How could she suggest such a thing? Autumn used to work for the FBI, she knew better than most that you never leave the scene with a perpetrator. It never ended well.

Tristan tossed Olivia’s phone on the ground and grabbed the backpack, slinging it on his shoulder. Then the two of them turned and walked deeper into the forest.

“Liv!” On a burst of panic, Eli bolted into the woods. “Liv!”

He had to reach her, had to make her understand this wasn’t the way. Shepherd wanted them to be divided for some reason, and they were playing right into his hands.