Chapter 37

37

The icy metal of the handcuffs bit into Kate's wrists as she tugged against them, testing their strength. She let out a frustrated sigh, her breath forming a misty cloud in the frigid air. The abandoned communications lab had become her prison, and the steel bed frame, a cruel reminder of Hawk's betrayal.

She shivered, but it was hard for her to tell if she was actually cold or just blindingly furious. The white-hot heat of betrayal burned inside her, and worry for Fenn consumed her thoughts.

She felt like an idiot for trusting Hawk, but mostly for convincing Fenn to trust him too. Sure, she had her doubts, but she'd gone along with his plan.

Kate closed her eyes and thought of Fenn's cool collectedness, Bridger's strong insights, Tai and Mason's warrior fury, and Paige's brilliance. Just picturing her friends—her family—calmed her.

Just because she'd been so stupid about Hawk didn't mean she had to continue playing the idiot.

The steady rumble of the diesel generator filled the air, accompanied by the whoosh of the ad hoc heating system blowing through the flexible mylar pipes. Behind it all, she picked up the murmur of male voices and the ominous drip of melting ice.

She couldn't see a way to escape, but that didn't stop her from running through every possible idea in her head. Hawk had lured the entire team there but had tried to arrange it so only she stayed behind. Then, when he had the chance to capture both her and Fenn, he declined to abduct Fenn. Why would he—or the Consortium—want her specifically?

The question nagged at her, and she couldn't shake the feeling that there was something she was missing.

But what?

Before Kate could fully process the question, Hawk returned carrying a mug of hot broth and an MRE. The scent of something beefy and spicy wafted from the package, making her stomach heave. She accepted the broth, gulping it down to stay hydrated and warm, but ignored the food for the moment.

Then she fixed Hawk with a piercing stare. "Why me?" She asked the question that had been burning in her mind, knowing she couldn't fool herself into thinking it had anything to do with any long-lost feelings he might have harbored for her.

"Insurance," Hawk replied, his tone matter-of-fact. "My bosses have been chasing that idiot Jason Reilly around the globe, and they're sick of it. Abducting you was my idea. They're going to exchange you for Reilly." He shrugged. "The guy's a total boy scout. He'll turn himself over to save you."

Hawk truly was the complete opposite of everything she had believed about him. No one could have changed that much. The revelation stung, and she couldn't resist questioning him about their shared past. "Did you ever love me?"

Hawk's gaze flickered away from hers. "You were easy to date," he admitted.

"But not marry."

"That was never gonna happen. The engagement was just extra icing on the cake." He shrugged off her comment. "I figured you'd say yes. It made a great way to pad my cover even better. I wasn't exactly the type then. Nothing's changed."

But everything had changed for Kate. The man she thought she loved had never existed.

Just like he had never died.

If Hawk was willing to use her as a bargaining chip, what else was he capable of? And how far would the Consortium go to get their hands on Jason?

Questions that had no bearing on her escape. Fenn would be depending on her. She could sort through this dumpster fire later, when the people she truly loved were safe.

"Are you even a Christian?" she asked, remembering how he had professed a strong faith back in the day. It was one of the things that had first attracted her to him—his kindness and the classy way he wore his allegiance to the Lord.

Outspoken, but not overbearing. And it had all been a lie.

"Don't answer that," she said, catching the look on his face. She already knew the ugly truth.

Hawk shrugged it off. "I'm all about loyalty," he said. "God can play into that as long as belief doesn't get in the way of making powerful friends. And money."

Her jaw dropped.

Those eyes that she'd once thought so beautiful. So soulful, glared. "What? You've got your principles and I have mine. We're not so different."

That lie she wouldn't even dignify with a response.

He kicked at the bed frame. Her refusal to rise to the bait clearly irritated him. "You'll wish you made a different choice once all hell rains down."

"Doubtful."

He tugged at the neckline of his parka. "We'll see. No matter what, you and your friends are going down. The Consortium has their thumb on Reilly. They're going to flatten him like the cockroach he is. Then they'll make the rest of you disappear."

She wanted to turn away, but she sensed she'd caught him in a vulnerable moment. Channeling her inner Fenn, she tried to reach out. "You've clearly joined the better team." She tried to sound bitter, as if she truly believed the Consortium was the answer.

"Duh." He sounded bored now.

She had to keep him talking. Think ! Fenn would read the man like a book. Give him what he craved. Hawk liked conflict. He liked fighting. Agreement wasn't working.

Shake him up. Make him mad. Fenn's voice echoed through her mind.

She sucked in a deep breath and plunged ahead. "Nice try. If your bosses could touch Jason, you'd have him already. And you wouldn't be messing around with me."

"It's not that simple."

"Duh." She spat his own phrase back at him.

His body tensed. She prepared for the blow that must be coming. Instead, he slashed the air with a wild gesture. "Stuff like this is delicate. There's an inside guy. He's on the tech side. Used to work with your old outfit. He knows Reilly. The minute Reilly contacts him, we're in." He shot her a sickening smile and strode toward the stairway. "You best pray that doesn't happen before your exchange. You'll be about as useful as last week's garbage."

He walked out, his cruel words hanging in the frigid air.

Kate pressed her hands to her stomach. The kind, handsome, daring man she thought she knew was simply evil. Always had been, apparently.

She sat for a long time, seeking solace in prayer. Once her brain reengaged, she blinked, taking another assessing look around.

Nothing had changed. Without help, she wasn't getting out of here.

But she could be part of the solution. She grabbed the fast-cooling bowl of beef-scented gruel and forced herself to down the calories. Even if she couldn't escape on her own, she was determined not to be a liability when Fenn showed up.

Because the only thing she knew for certain, besides her faith in the Lord, was that Fenn was coming. And he was going to destroy Hawk's little plan.

Hawk, too. If necessary.