Chapter 31

31

Alex paced the length of the safe house’s living room, raking her fingers through her hair for the hundredth time. The adrenaline from their failed mission had long since faded, leaving a potent cocktail of frustration and self-recrimination.

“We were so close,” she muttered, more to herself than the others.

Jason, slumped in an armchair, looked up. The defeat in his eyes mirrored her own. “We underestimated their resources. We won’t make that mistake again.”

Tai stood by the window, his massive frame tense. “We adapt. We overcome.”

Fenn nodded in agreement, but the worry lines creasing his forehead betrayed his concern. Kate paced opposite Alex, her nervous energy palpable.

The oppressive silence was shattered by Paige’s excited voice from the computer station. “Guys, I’ve got something!”

They converged around her, hope flaring anew. “Remember the DNA sample from Gabriel’s lab? It’s a match to a known Seven-Five operative.”

The air left Alex’s lungs in a rush. “Seven-Five went after my cousin?” The words felt wrong, impossible. Yet the evidence was right there on the screen. “Why?”

Cody leaned forward, his brow furrowed in concentration. “They probably know about his research, and they want it.”

“But they didn’t take anything,” Paige protested.

“Because they need Gabriel,” Jason said.

“Or they want us to think that. What if the attack on Alex’s cousin was another distraction and they’re going after anybody they can to get to Jason? That would be a classic Consortium move,” Cody pointed out.

From what she knew of the former Consortium agent’s background, he would know.

Tai groaned. “They’re playing chess while we’re still setting up the board,” he commented, his normally stoic expression tinged with frustration.

Kate nodded, her fingers drumming an anxious rhythm on the table. “Either way, it’s a win for them. They’ve got us scrambling to protect multiple fronts. Gabriel, Liv, Mac, Gravy, Jason, and our team here.”

Their points made a terrible sort of sense. Alex watched Jason. His arms were crossed, his jaw set in a hard line. This wasn’t the same man who had stood beside her at the gala, all easy smiles and playful banter.

This Jason was all hard angles and simmering fury. It unsettled her more than she cared to admit.

“So what’s our play?” she asked, directing the question to the room at large but unable to tear her eyes away from Jason.

He met her gaze, his expression unreadable. “We need to assume they’re after both Gabriel and the general. That means doubling down on protection and intel gathering.”

“Agreed,” Paige chimed in from her station. “I can start digging deeper into Seven-Five’s recent activities, see if we can spot any patterns.”

“Sounds good.” Alex squared her shoulders. “Let’s break this down. We need surveillance on Gabriel, Liv, Mac and Gravy. Then we need to figure out what Seven-Five might want from the general.”

As the team began to divvy up tasks, Alex couldn’t help but steal another glance at Jason. His standoffish attitude only served to remind her of the complexities of their situation. They were partners in this fight against Seven-Five, but beyond that?

Who knew?

Pushing aside her personal turmoil, she threw herself into the mission planning. Seven-Five had made their move, and now it was time to counterstrike.

As the team strategized, Jason’s phone buzzed. He stepped away, his brow furrowing as he read the message. When he turned back to the group, his face was ashen.

“We’ve got a problem,” he announced, his voice tight. “One of my most trusted sources just sent intel. Gravy’s father is alive.”

The room fell silent, all eyes on Jason.

Fenn screwed up his handsome face. “And you sound upset why?”

“He’s working with Seven-Five,” Jason continued, his eyes locking with Alex’s. “Under duress.”

The scenario had always been highly probable, obviously, but to have it confirmed … The implications of a high-ranking Pentagon official, with all his classified knowledge at Seven-Five’s mercy hit her like a tidal wave.

“Not good. So not good,” Fenn muttered, voicing what everyone was thinking.

“We’re not just trying to protect Gravy now,” she said. “We need to extract his father too.”

Jason nodded, his earlier standoffishness melting away in the face of this new crisis. “It’s past time to play offensive.”

“But how?” Kate asked, her voice laced with frustration. “We’re already stretched thin.”

Tai’s deep voice cut through the tension. “We combine forces. Use every talent at our disposal.”

A spark of inspiration hit, clearing Alex’s mind. “Tai’s right. We’ve been thinking of ourselves as separate teams—Redemption Creek and RAVEN. But sometimes, one and one equals more than two.”

“Copy that. Together, we might have a shot,” Jason finished, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips.

“Exactly. We’ve got hackers, fighters, strategists, and more between us. If we pool our resources ...”

“We multiply our strengths,” Paige chimed in, her fingers already flying over her keyboard. “Synergy.”

The energy in the room shifted, desperation giving way to determination.

Jason grunted. “We’ll need to move fast. Seven-Five won’t give us much time to regroup.”

Alex met his gaze, feeling that familiar spark between them reignite. “Liv and the others are at least twelve hours away by plane. How fast can we be in the air?”

Jason grinned. “I like your style, Mendoza.”

“Right back atcha, Army.”

Kate cleared her throat. “Hello? Jason? Firefight in Boise? The Pilatus is grounded.”

Jason winced. “Ri-i-ght.” He tapped his chin, thinking.

Mason waved his hand. “My buddy runs the airport in Mammoth. He’ll hook us up, no problem. Flight time in the helo to Mammoth’s less than half an hour. I suggest Jason and Kate and Alex fly up to the airport, then Kate can bring the helo back here. I’ll tell my guy we’ll be bringing the plane here temporarily. He won’t mind. I’ve saved his bacon more than once.”

Jason clapped his hands together. “Excellent plan. Copy that.” He grinned, but the expression didn’t reach his eyes. “It’s been a minute since I did a run to the tropics.”

The prospect of reuniting with her team sent a thrill through Alex. Liv, Mac, Gabe—she’d missed them more than she cared to admit.

But a nagging worry gnawed at the edges of her determination. She was about to drag her team back into the fire.

She tried to shake off the guilt. They were professionals, just like her. They knew the risks. But was it fair to ask them to risk everything for Jason’s crusade?

As if sensing her inner turmoil, Jason caught her eye. Without a word, he nodded slightly, as if to say, “We’ve got this.”

But did they?