Chapter 37

37

A couple hours later, the preparations were in place. Both teams taking a break from the heat, pounding cold water.

Gravy stood motionless, his eyes fixed on the cracked screen of a defunct shooting gallery. The painted targets, faded and chipped, seemed to mock him with their eerie grins.

“Yo, Gravy, you still with us?” Worried, Alex called out to him.

He turned, forcing a laid-back grin that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Yeah, just, like, vibing with the old man’s energy, you know?”

“Having second thoughts?”

Gravy shook his head, running a hand through his sun-bleached hair. “Nah, man. It’s just ... I keep picturing the old dude’s face when he sees me. Like, is he gonna be totally aggro that I didn’t ghost like he wanted? Or worse, you know, all disappointed and stuff. This whole thing started because he paid you to help me disappear, and you know, now here I am. Not ideal from his POV.”

Jason approached, his face etched with concern. “Remember, we’ve got your back. You don’t have to face this alone.”

“Thanks, bro,” Gravy nodded, still looking uneasy. “It’s just ... seeing him again? It’s like I’m back in boot camp, waiting for him to rip me a new one, you know?”

Alex frowned, her tone becoming more matter-of-fact. Gravy was a minor player here, but they needed him to keep it together. “Gravy, you need to focus. We can’t afford any distractions when we’re this close.”

Jason shot her a disapproving look. “Ease up, Mendoza. The guy’s about to confront his father. A little empathy wouldn’t hurt.”

“We don’t have time for a therapy session,” she retorted. “He needs to get his head in the game.”

“Whoa, chill, dudes,” Gravy interjected, holding up his hands. “No need to harsh the vibe. I’m good, seriously.”

As if echoing the tension, a sudden gust of wind sent a rusty swing set into motion, its chains groaning like restless ghosts.

Jason placed a hand on Gravy’s shoulder. “Just remember, you’re not that kid anymore. You’re a valuable member of this team.”

Alex sighed, softening slightly. “Jason’s right. Whatever happens with your father, we’ve got your back. But right now, we need you focused.”

Gravy nodded, straightening up. “Right on. Time to catch this gnarly wave, yeah?” He wandered off to look over Tai’s shoulder.

Jason and Alex stood in silence for a beat, the endless drone of cicadas filling the air between them.

“Look,” he said finally, his voice softer, “your tech is incredible. But out here, we need both. Your brains and our brawn.”

A reluctant smile tugged at Alex’s lips. “Did you just admit we’re smarter than you?”

“Don’t push it, brainiac.”

As their eyes met, Alex felt a jolt of connection that both thrilled and terrified her. She quickly looked away, busying herself with the camera again.

Don’t go there.

Attachments in this line of work were a liability, a weakness that could be exploited. And yet, as Jason’s warmth lingered beside her, she couldn’t help but wonder what it might be like to let those walls down, just a little.

She kept one eye on Gabriel, who still looked like he might melt into a puddle at any moment, while barking orders to her team through the comms. And if her gaze happened to linger on Jason’s muscular forearms as he secured a tripwire ... well, that was purely professional interest.

The shrill ring of Gabriel’s phone cut through the humid air like a knife. Blocked number. Her heart leapt into her throat. Showtime.

She snatched the phone, her voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through her veins. “Gabriel Reyes’ office.”

“Cut the act, Alexandra.” General Munsinger’s gravelly voice sent a chill down her spine. “Put your cousin on the phone.”

Alex’s grip tightened on the device. “I’m afraid that’s not possible. If you have a message, I’d be happy to relay it.”

“Listen here, you little?—”

“No, you listen,” Alex cut him off, her voice sharp. “Miramar. Tomorrow. 2100 hours. You’ll get further instructions there.”

“I give the orders here, Girlie.” The man practically yelled.

Alex took a moment to formulate a perfect response, but Gabe, his face contorted with anger, had other plans.

He grabbed the device out of her hand, his words tumbling out in a frenzied rush. “I’ve been attacked. Trust no one. Mitscher Field, 2100 hours. Take it or leave it. I’ve got other clients who’ll deliver.”

A tense silence followed, broken only by the incessant buzzing of insects. Then, a grudging agreement from the other end of the line.

Gravy’s cheerful “Hey, old man!” came a beat too late, the call already disconnected.

Alex whirled on her cousin, ready to chew him out for his impulsive action, but the fight had already drained from his face.

“I’m sorry, Alex,” he mumbled, running a hand through his sweat-dampened hair. “I shouldn’t have grabbed the phone like that. I just ... lost it for a second there.”

Her fury melted away, replaced by a mix of concern and understanding. She placed a hand on his shoulder, feeling the tension coiled beneath his skin.

“It’s okay. We’re all on edge here. This isn’t exactly a walk in the park ... well, technically it is, but you know what I mean.”

He managed a weak chuckle at her attempt at humor.

Gravy appeared beside them, clapping her cousin on the back with enough force to make him stumble. “Dude. This is some bad stuff going down. It’s gonna play with your head.”

Gabriel nodded, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips. “Thanks, guys. I just hope I didn’t mess anything up.”

Alex squeezed his shoulder.“Actually, I think you helped.”

“No doubt.” Gravy’s expression grew solemn. “Dad’s got serious warrior energy. He respects pushback.”

Much as she appreciated Gravy’s attempt to make her cousin feel better, she gritted her teeth. She’d had it up to her eyeballs with “warrior energy.”

She turned to Paige and Cody, hope and dread warring in her chest. “Tell me you got something.”

Their grim expressions said it all. Paige shook her head, frustration evident in every line of her body. “Nada. It’s like he was calling from a black hole.”

Once the general, and his keepers, landed at the military field in San Diego, she’d direct them out to the amusement park. Her side controlled the battleground, but that was only one of many deciding factors in the war.

She caught Jason’s eye across the debris-strewn ground. His expression mirrored her own mix of determination and apprehension. Tomorrow would bring either their greatest victory or their worst nightmare. No way to know which until they were in too deep to turn back.