Chapter 18

18

Jason’s boots crunched on the gravel path as he and Alex made their way along the windswept Big Sur coastline toward the tiny town nestled in the elbow of one of the millions of hairpin turns along the highway. He winced slightly, the stitches in his side pulling with each step. Still, the discomfort was worth it for this view—and not just of the landscape. The afternoon sun cast a golden glow on Alex’s shoulder-length, black hair, making it shimmer like silk in the breeze.

He subtly pressed a hand to his injured side, grateful that Alex seemed too lost in thought to notice his occasional grimace.

“So,” he said, breaking the comfortable silence that had settled between them, “trust fund baby turned CIA operative. That’s quite a career pivot. What made you join?”

Alex’s lips quirked into a wry smile. “Would you believe it was my parents’ fault? They were always trying to save the world, one charity gala at a time. When the CIA approached me in college, it felt like destiny.”

Jason raised an eyebrow. “And how did that work out for you?”

“Oh, it was thrilling,” Alex deadpanned. “I got to attend fancy parties, sip champagne, and giggle at powerful men’s jokes. Turns out, when you’re young, female, and seemingly vapid, people tend to forget you have ears.”

They started down a steep trail leading to the ocean below. “You were gathering intel while playing arm candy?”

Alex nodded, her dark eyes flashing with a mixture of pride and frustration. “You’d be amazed what secrets men will discuss when they think you’re more interested in your manicure than national security.”

“But let me guess,” Jason said, offering his hand to help her over a particularly treacherous part of the path, “it got old fast.”

“Bingo,” Alex confirmed, her hand lingering in his for a moment longer than necessary. “I saw too much. Human trafficking, wealthy people trapped in dangerous relationships, superiors playing roulette with valuable asset’s lives. I couldn’t just stand by and giggle anymore.”

They paused at a viewpoint, the vast expanse of the Pacific stretching out before them. Jason turned to look at her, truly look at her, and felt a swell of admiration. “So you decided to help targeted people disappear.”

Alex met his gaze, a fierce determination in her eyes. “Someone had to.”

As they resumed their hike, Jason found himself in awe of the woman beside him. She could have lived a life of luxury and ease, but instead, she’d chosen to fight for those who couldn’t fight for themselves. It was impressive, inspiring, and if he was being honest with himself, more than a little attractive.

He cleared his throat, shoving that last thought aside. “Well, I’d say you made the right choice. Though I bet your parents weren’t thrilled about you ditching the champagne circuit.”

Alex’s laughter, carried on the salty breeze, was the only answer he needed. “What about you?”

“Never was much of a choice for me. I was born and bred in Redemption Creek. I’m lucky. Small town life always suited me, I guess.”

It sounds like you love it there. What made you give up ranching life for army green?”

He hesitated, caught off guard by the question. The wind whipped around them as he considered his response.

“The great lure of adventure, I guess. I joined up thinking I’d do one tour, then head home. Help my sister run the family hardware store.”

Alex’s eyebrow arched. “Well, clearly that plan didn’t pan out.”

Jason shook his head, surprised at how easily the words flowed. “My CO talked me into applying for Delta Force. Then came BlackOut Squadron. Before I knew it, ten years had flown by.”

They paused at a rocky outcropping, the shimmering Pacific stretching endlessly before them. Jason leaned against a boulder, grateful for the respite it offered his aching side.

“And then?” Alex prompted softly.

“Then it all went wrong,” Jason said, his voice tight. “Forcibly retired. The Consortium—Seven-Five now—gunning for us. I went off the grid, tried to take them on alone.”

He fell silent, the weight of those lost years pressing down on him. “These past six months back in Redemption Creek ...” He trailed off, emotion suddenly thick in his throat. “Being back with my family. My team ... it’s been good. Really good.”

Jason swallowed hard, surprised by the surge of feelings. “Leaving to help Gravy was a lot harder than I expected. I want to be there for Jane and her kids, and for my team.”

He shook his head, as if trying to dislodge the unexpected vulnerability. Where had all this come from? He glanced at Alex, realizing with a start just how much he’d shared.

“I, uh ... I’ve never really told anyone all that before,” he admitted, running a hand through his wind-tousled hair.

Alex’s smile was soft, understanding. “Sounds like you found something worth hanging around for. Or maybe someone?”

“No one special. I mean, unless you count family. And my team.” He turned back to the ocean, using the vast expanse to ground himself. But even as he struggled to regain his composure, a part of him marveled at how easy it had been to open up to her. In the span of one walk, she’d managed to slip past defenses he’d spent years building.

And the strangest part? He wasn’t sure he minded.

The climb back up the cliff trail was steep, and Jason felt every step in his injured side. But the pain was a distant concern compared to the thrill of strategizing with Alex.

“We need to flip the script,” he insisted. “Be the hunters instead of the hunted.”

Alex scampered up over a small boulder and turned back to wait for him to clear it. “Agreed. But how do we—” She broke off, her gaze zeroing in on his side. “You’re bleeding.”

He glanced down. A dime-sized blot of red seeped through his shirt. “It’s nothing.”

“We shouldn’t have hiked so far,” Alex chided, her brow furrowed with concern.

He met her eyes. “Trust me, it was worth it.”

Something flickered in Alex’s expression, a warmth that made his heart skip a beat. He cleared his throat, steering them back to safer ground. “We need to figure out how to hurt Seven-Five ...”

As they continued their ascent, ideas flew back and forth between them. The need for more intelligence, the frustration of waiting for news about General Munsinger’s connections.

“I feel like we should be doing more,” Alex insisted as they crested the hill, the safe house coming into view. “We could set a trap. I could be bait.”

Jason lurched toward the house. “Not happening.”

“Excuse me? I was an active CIA operative for years, not to mention my private work. I have tradecraft.”

“It’s not about your skills,” he explained quickly, recognizing the storm brewing in her expression. “I’m just not sure you’re their primary target. It’s more likely they’re after me, or possibly just Gravy.”

Alex’s anger deflated slightly, replaced by curiosity. “What do you propose?”

Jason hefted himself up the stairs and paused on the porch, turning to face her. “Paige and our new Seven-Five expert, Cody, think we should set up a fake safe house. Something convincing enough to draw out a Seven-Five operative.”

Alex’s eyes lit up with interest. “Go on.”

“We’d make it look like Gravy and I are holed up there, then leak information about the location. Wait for the rats to show up, then close the trap.”

“That’s good,” Alex nodded. “But how do we make it convincing enough?”

Jason shrugged. “That’s where we’re stuck. Any ideas?”

Alex’s lips curved into a sly smile. “As a matter of fact, yes. What if we use Gabriel’s tech against them?”

“What do you mean?”

“I know enough about his VR and holographic research to cobble together a display,” she explained. “We could project holograms of you and Gravy inside the safe house. It would be convincing enough to make the attackers believe you’re really there.”

“That’s brilliant. How long could you keep the illusion going?”

“Long enough to lure them in and spring the trap. Once they’re inside, thinking they’ve hit the jackpot?—”

“We’ve got them.”

Their strategizing was interrupted by the chime of Alex’s phone. She quickly scanned the message, her grin widening.

“It’s Liv,” she announced triumphantly. “She got the cup to a trusted lab. We should have DNA results sometime tonight.”

Despite his aching side, Jason felt a surge of optimism. For the first time in days, it felt like they were making real progress.

“Looks like it’s gonna be a good day,” he said, realizing as the words left his mouth that he wasn’t just talking about the case.

Alex’s answering smile confirmed that maybe, just maybe, she felt it too. As they headed inside to finalize their plans, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something had shifted between them. And for once, he wasn’t in any hurry to analyze it or push it away.

Let Seven-Five come. With Alex by his side, he was ready for anything.