Chapter 17

seventeen

DYLAN

I paced back and forth, anger boiling inside me. How could I have been so stupid? I thought Alex lived here because he enjoyed the peace and quiet. But he was really here because a brutal terrorist group wanted the program he was developing. And if they killed him in the process, he didn’t care.

I thought my time in the Army had hardened my reaction to terrorist threats, but I was wrong. For the first time since I left the military, I was angry. Worse than angry. Alex was part of a project that could change the face of modern warfare. He should have been doing everything he could to protect himself and his country. But instead of accepting Ryan’s help, he was determined to stay in the middle of nowhere, waiting for disaster to strike.

“Is it safe to come into the living room?” Alex stood in the doorway with a pile of wood in his arms.

“I won’t shoot you if that’s what you’re worried about.”

The frown on Alex’s face deepened. “You have a gun?”

I nodded. “I work for a high-profile security company. No one goes on an assignment without one. ”

Alex stacked the wood beside the fireplace. “I know you’re upset, but I’m safe here.”

“No one’s ever safe. If someone wants to find you, they will.”

“They haven’t so far.”

I crossed my arms in front of my chest. “What will happen when they do? The nearest police are in Boulder. At this time of the year, that’s at least ninety minutes away. And then there’s your home. It’s beautiful, but it’s not Fort Knox.”

“I have security cameras on the main gate and around the house and barn. If anyone steps onto my property, I’ll see them before they know I’m here.”

“The security cameras won’t stop a bullet.”

Alex unzipped his jacket. “Debugging the program is my top priority. I can’t afford to be sidetracked by something that might never happen.”

“Burying your head in the sand won’t make the terrorists go away.”

“I know that.” Alex ran his hand through his hair. He seemed as frustrated as I was. “How about we call it a night and start work first thing in the morning? If we can fix the program, my other problems might disappear.”

The likelihood of that happening was almost zilch, but Alex wasn’t ready to listen to anything I had to say. Perhaps he was right. We were both tired. I couldn’t make him accept Bryant Security’s offer of help, even if staying here was the worst decision he could make.

Instead of banging my head against a brick wall, I went upstairs and made a list of the things I needed to buy. If Alex wouldn’t leave, I’d make sure he had the best possible chance of surviving when the terrorist group arrived. Because no matter what Alex said, they would be coming.