Chapter 33

33

Fenn hurried into his hotel room, fat flakes of snow flying off his shoulders. The winds might have subsided, but the snow hadn't decided to let up quite yet. It would be another couple hours, he guessed, before he'd be able to get through to Bridger on the sat phone.

Yet another detail ruining his day.

Muzzy and cranky after a poor night's sleep, his brain whirled with thoughts of Steele and Kate. He'd seen the way she looked at the guy, the history between them as clear as day. And just like that, the tenuous new connection he'd felt with Kate had snapped, like a rubber band stretched too far.

He shook his head, trying to push away the sour taste in his mouth. Romance and relationships had never been his strong suit. He grabbed a half-full duffel from the corner and emptied it on the bed, the contents spilling out in a jumble of gear. He surveyed the equipment with a critical eye, his mind shifting into strategic planning mode.

Night-vision goggles, check. He had a pair for himself and one for Kate, the latest military-grade tech. Infrared too, just in case. He tossed them into the bag, along with a couple of spare batteries.

Next, he turned to the weapons. Not much to work with. Just the M18s he and Kate always carried. A couple extra magazines was all the ammunition they had left. He was certain he could count on Steele to raid the impressive armory the guy had in the warehouse, though.

What he couldn't be sure was who the guy would use the armament on: the Consortium, or him and Kate.

He rounded out the gear with a top-of-the-line field med kit, stuffed with everything from bandages to morphine. He'd learned the hard way that you could never be too prepared when it came to medical emergencies in the field.

As he zipped up the duffel, Fenn's mind wandered back to Kate and her ex. He'd seen the way Steel took charge, the easy authority in his voice. And Kate had just fallen in line, like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Fenn gritted his teeth, trying to ignore the pang of jealousy in his gut. He was a professional. He couldn't let his personal feelings get in the way of the mission.

He shouldered the bag, ready to head out the door when a knock interrupted his thoughts. He opened it to find Jimbo standing there with a plate of cookies.

"Peanut butter." The clerk thrust the plate at Fenn. "Saila made them. She always bakes when it storms."

Fenn took a cookie, the smell of peanut butter and sugar wafting up to his nose. He bit into it, the taste sweet and comforting. "Thanks," he mumbled around a mouthful of cookie.

Jimbo leaned against the doorframe, his eyes taking in the duffel bag slung over Fenn's shoulder. "Going somewhere?"

Fenn chomped down the rest of the cookie, his mind racing. He couldn't exactly tell Jimbo the truth, but he needed someone to know where they were heading, just in case. "Kate and I are going to check out some archaeological site," he said, the lie rolling off his tongue with practiced ease. "Supposed to be some interesting artifacts out there."

Jimbo's eyes lit up. "Really? Where's that?"

Fenn hesitated for a moment, then decided to give Jimbo a general idea. "Out by the old radio station," he said, keeping his voice casual. "Probably be gone a few hours." He snatched a second cookie.

Jimbo nodded, his expression thoughtful. "The radio base, huh? I didn't know there was anything out there worth seeing."

Fenn shrugged, itching to get going. "That's what we're going to find out." He edged Jimbo out of the way.

But Jimbo wasn't done. He craned his neck to look past Fenn. "Where's Kate?"

Fenn felt a flicker of irritation, but he kept his voice even. "She's meeting me outside," he said, the words feeling like sand in his mouth. "Listen, Jimbo, I appreciate the cookies, but I really need to get going."

The clerk blinked, then seemed to realize he was in the way. "Oh, sure, sure," he said, stepping back into the hallway. "Well, good luck out there. Hope you find something interesting."

Fenn forced a smile, his jaw tight. "Thanks,"he said, but Jimbo had already disappeared.

He lifted the cookie to his mouth, ready to devour it. The world tilted on its axis. The cookie slipped from his fingers, tumbling to the ground in slow motion.

He staggered, his vision blurring at the edges. He blinked hard, trying to clear his head, but the dizziness only intensified. His heart pounded in his ears, a sickening realization dawning on him.

He'd been drugged.

The thought hit him like a punch to the gut, his mind reeling. How could he have been so stupid? He'd let his guard down, let himself be distracted by Jimbo's inane questions and the promise of a sweet treat.

And now he was paying the price.

As his knees buckled beneath him, it all made terrible sense. Jimbo's sudden appearance, the way he'd lingered in the doorway, asking question after question. The odd taste of the cookie, just slightly off.

He'd been played. And he'd fallen for it like a rookie.

His vision tunneled, darkness creeping in from the edges. He clawed at the wall, trying desperately to stay upright, but his body betrayed him. His legs gave out, and he slumped to the ground, the hard floor biting into his cheek.

As consciousness slipped away, one final thought flashed through Fenn's mind, as sharp and painful as a knife to the heart.

He had badly underestimated Hawk Steele.