Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

JAKE

Two days later Jake leaned against the kitchen counter, his arms crossed as he watched Lyndsey pace the length of the cottage’s small living room. Her auburn hair caught the morning sun streaming through the window, making it appear almost fiery as she moved.

“I’m going stir-crazy,” she announced, spinning on her heel to face him. “I need to get outside. Fresh air. A change of scenery. Something.”

Jake raised an eyebrow, his expression calm despite the edge of her voice. “Staying inside is the safest option.”

Lyndsey huffed, crossing her arms. “Jake, I haven’t been outside since we got here. I’m not asking to go skydiving, just a walk along the shore. You can hover as much as you want.”

He let out a low sigh, knowing she wouldn’t let it go. “Fine. But I call the shots. We walk where I say we walk, and I bring my gun.”

Her eyes widened in mock exasperation. “Seriously? Your gun? Do you think the forest creatures are gunning for us? Are you planning to shoot a squirrel or something?”

Jake’s lips twitched, but he didn’t smile. “I don’t take chances. Not with you.”

Lyndsey hesitated, her gaze softening before she rolled her eyes. “Fine. Bring your gun. But if anyone asks, I’m going to say you’re paranoid.”

“No one’s asking,” Jake replied dryly, already heading for the small shed attached to the cottage. He returned moments later, the Glock tucked discreetly at his side. “Ready?”

“Lead the way, Rambo,” she teased, flashing him a grin as she slipped past him out the door.

The walk was peaceful at first, the sound of waves lapping against the shore blending with the rustle of leaves in the breeze. Lyndsey seemed to relax as they followed the narrow path along the water’s edge, her unease lessening with each step. Jake, however, remained vigilant, his sharp eyes scanning their surroundings.

“This place really is beautiful,” she said, pausing to skip a stone across the water. It bounced twice before sinking. “I used to come here as a kid. Back then, it felt like nothing bad could ever touch this place.”

Jake nodded, his gaze flicking between her and the tree line. “It’s quiet. Remote. But it’s not impenetrable.”

“Thanks for the reminder,” she muttered, the moment of nostalgia fading. “You sure know how to ruin a mood.”

“I’m here to keep you alive, not set the mood,” Jake countered, his tone clipped. “This isn’t a vacation.”

She turned to face him, her eyes flashing with irritation. “You think I don’t know that? You think I don’t feel the gravity of what’s happening every second of every day?”

Jake didn’t flinch under her glare. “I think you’re trying to pretend it’s not as bad as it is. That’s dangerous.”

Lyndsey opened her mouth to argue, then closed it again, her shoulders slumping. “Maybe you’re right. But I can’t just sit inside and wait for something to happen. I’ll go insane.”

Jake’s expression softened slightly. “That’s why I agreed to this walk. But it’s over. We’re heading back.”

She sighed but didn’t argue and turned to walk the other way. Jake spun on his heel, grasped her elbow and began to march her back toward the cottage.

When they reached the shed where Jake had parked his SUV out of sight, Jake walked her just inside and then checked the interior of both the shed and the SUV. Satisfied that all was as it should be, he stopped and turned to Lyndsey. “Wait here.”

“What? Why?” she asked, frowning.

“Because I need to check the cottage,” he said, his voice firm. “Something might’ve changed while we were gone.”

Lyndsey’s frown deepened, but she leaned against the SUV without further protest. “You really know how to show a girl a good time,” she muttered.

Jake didn’t respond. His focus was already on the cottage, his instincts sharpening as he approached the front door. Everything looked normal at first glance, but as he reached for the door, he froze.

Jake’s instincts flared the moment he saw the matchstick he had placed on the cottage door was missing. He froze, scanning the perimeter, his body tense and ready. The small, seemingly insignificant detail was confirmation enough: someone had been here. Someone was likely still here.

He moved quickly but silently back to the shed where Lyndsey waited. Pushing open the door, he found her leaning against the SUV, arms crossed, impatience radiating from her.

“Everything okay?” she asked, her brow furrowing as she caught the look on his face.

“No.” His voice was clipped, his movements swift as he unlocked the SUV and opened the back door. “We need to leave. Now.”

Lyndsey straightened, her frown deepening. “What? Why? What’s going on?”

“No time,” Jake said, his tone leaving no room for debate. “Get in.”

“But my things...”

“Forget the damn things!” Jake snapped, grabbing her by the arm. “They’re here.”

Her eyes widened, fear flashing across her face. “Who’s here?”

“Whoever’s trying to kill you.” He practically lifted her into the back of the SUV, ignoring her startled, yelp. Grabbing a heavy blanket from the cargo area, he threw it over her. “Stay down. Don’t argue.”

“Jake, I can’t just...”

“You can and you will,” he growled, leaning close so their eyes met. His voice softened just enough to temper the steel. “Please. Trust me.”

Lyndsey’s lips parted as if she wanted to argue, but she pressed them into a firm line instead, nodding reluctantly.

Satisfied, Jake shut the door and turned to unlatch the shed’s wide doors. The SUV’s engine roared to life as he climbed into the driver’s seat, his every sense on high alert.

The moment the shed doors were clear, he floored the accelerator. The SUV rocketed forward, bursting into the open as armed men spilled out from the cottage.

“Stay down!” he barked over the sound of gunfire. Bullets ricocheted off the SUV’s reinforced frame, the sound sharp and metallic. Jake swerved hard, the tires kicking up gravel as he veered onto the narrow drive leading to the main road.

Ahead, a black SUV blocked the driveway’s entrance. Jake cursed under his breath as a man stepped out, raising a rifle. Without hesitation, Jake drew his Glock, firing through his open window. The man dropped, his weapon clattering to the ground. Jake’s next two shots took out the vehicle’s tires.

The blocking SUV sagged to one side, its tires hissing as air escaped. Jake didn’t wait to see if anyone else was inside. He slammed his foot on the gas, barreling past the disabled vehicle and onto the main road.

In the backseat, Lyndsey shifted under the blanket. “Jake, what the hell is happening?”

He glanced at her through the rearview mirror, his jaw tight. “In case you missed it, they’re trying to kill you.”

“Who are they?” she asked, her voice trembling.

“Doesn’t matter right now,” Jake said. He tapped a button on the dashboard, activating the Cerberus secure line. “This is Sands. We’re compromised. I need immediate extraction.”

A calm voice responded, “Acknowledged, Sands. Proceed to the private dock at coordinates I’m sending now. A floatplane will be waiting to take you across the lake to a safe house on the Canadian side.”

“Got it.” Jake ended the call and glanced back at Lyndsey.

“A floatplane?” she repeated, her eyes wide. “This just keeps getting better.”

Jake couldn’t help the faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “You said you were going stir-crazy; I just thought I’d liven things up.”

“Not funny. This isn’t what I had in mind,” she shot back, her voice sharp but tinged with nervous energy.

Despite his concern, Jake felt a flicker of admiration. Even under fire—literally—she didn’t back down. It only made his resolve stronger: he was going to get her out of this alive.

The SUV roared down the winding road, the lake shimmering faintly in the distance. The danger wasn’t over, but for now, they had a plan. Jake’s grip tightened on the wheel. He wasn’t about to let anyone take that away.

The SUV’s headlights cut through the dense forest as Jake maneuvered the vehicle down the narrow dirt road. The strain between them was palpable, the only sounds were the crunch of gravel under the tires and the faint hum of the engine. Lyndsey sat silently in the passenger seat now, her hands gripping her seatbelt as she stared straight ahead.

They’d driven most of the day with Jake alternating between back roads and the main highway to ensure they weren’t being followed.

“There,” Jake said, his voice low, nodding ahead. A faint glow of light marked the edge of the secluded dock. The plane was already waiting, its floats gently bobbing on the calm waters of Lake Huron. A single figure stood near the small pier, waving them forward.

Jake pulled to a stop a few yards from the dock, scanning the area with sharp eyes. Satisfied, he gestured for Lyndsey to follow. “Stay close.”

They moved quickly, their footsteps muted by the damp earth. The pilot, a wiry man with a weathered face, greeted them with a curt nod. “You’re late.”

“Had to shake a tail,” Jake replied, handing over a bag. “We clear?”

“For now,” the pilot said, gesturing to the floatplane. “Let’s go.”

Jake helped Lyndsey into the cabin, his hand firm on her arm as she climbed aboard. The interior was cramped but functional, the faint smell of fuel mixing with the musty scent of the lake. Jake settled into the co-pilot’s seat, keeping his Glock within easy reach.

The plane’s engine roared to life, shattering the stillness of the night. As the floats skimmed across the water, the shoreline quickly receded, the dark expanse of Lake Huron stretching out before them.

“We’ll stay low,” the pilot said, adjusting the controls. “Radar won’t catch us at this altitude.”

Jake nodded, his gaze fixed out the window. Lyndsey sat quietly in the back, her profile illuminated by the faint dashboard glow. She looked out at the water, her expression unreadable.

The flight was brief, the plane skimming just above the lake’s surface. When the Canadian shore came into view, the pilot banked toward a narrow inlet, where a second, more secluded dock awaited. A small cabin sat nestled among the trees, its outline barely visible in the twilight.

The floatplane skidded to a halt on the placid waters of a secluded cove, its engine sputtering into silence. Jake leaned out of the cabin, scanning the tree-lined shore for any sign of movement. The pilot, a grizzled man with sharp eyes, turned to them.

“You’re clear for now,” he said, his voice low but firm. “But Cerberus is picking up chatter. Whoever’s after you, they’re not backing off. I’ll stay under the radar and wait for the all-clear.”

Jake nodded, gripping the pilot’s hand briefly in thanks. “What’s the setup on this side?”

The pilot gestured to the dock ahead. “Small cabin. Satellite phone, speed boat, and an SUV in case you need to bug out. Passports and IDs are inside the cabin if you have to go dark. Cerberus will be in touch when there’s new intel.”

Lyndsey, who had been quiet for most of the flight, finally spoke. “And what if we need backup before that?”

The pilot’s eyes flicked to her, his expression grim. “Then you’d better hope Sands here knows what he’s doing.”

Jake grinned faintly. “Don’t worry about that.”

The pilot gave a curt nod before turning his attention back to the controls. Jake helped Lyndsey onto the dock, his hand steady on her arm as she stepped down. The warmth of her skin lingered longer than he’d expected, but he shoved the thought aside. They had work to do.

The cabin was small but well-equipped. Jake moved swiftly through each room, checking locks and securing the windows. Lyndsey stayed by the fireplace, her arms crossed as she watched him work.

“You do this every time you enter a room?” she asked, her tone teasing but tired.

“Every time,” Jake said without looking back. “It’s how I keep you safe and stay alive.”

Lyndsey sighed, sinking onto a nearby chair. “It must be exhausting being you.”

Jake spared her a glance, his lips curving into a faint grin. “It has its moments.”

Once he was satisfied with the perimeter, Jake set up additional security measures: motion detectors near the windows, tripwire alarms on the doors, and a reinforced lock on the cabin’s main entry.

Lyndsey watched with a mixture of fascination and exasperation. “You really don’t leave anything to chance, do you?”

“Not when someone’s life is on the line,” he replied, straightening. He turned to face her, his gaze steady. “Let’s talk about the threats. You said before it doesn’t make sense to kill you if they need your research.”

She nodded, leaning forward. “Right. I mean, the nanobots aren’t even fully operational yet. They’re close, but without me, finishing the programming would take years.”

“Unless they already have part of it,” Jake countered. “Or someone else with similar expertise.”

Lyndsey frowned, her green eyes narrowing. “There’s no one else with the same level of familiarity. I designed the entire system from scratch.”

“Then maybe they’re trying to destroy it entirely,” Jake suggested. “What you’ve created could change the balance of power. Governments, corporations—they’d all want a piece of it, or want it gone.”

Her shoulders sagged slightly as she absorbed his words. “I’ve always known it could be dangerous work, but this...” She trailed off, shaking her head. “It’s different when you’re the target.”

Jake stepped closer, his voice softening. “You’re handling it better than most would. Better than I expected.”

She met his gaze, her lips curving into a small, wry smile. “Was that a compliment, Sands?”

“Don’t let it go to your head,” he said, but there was a warmth in his tone that hadn’t been there before.

Later that night, the cabin was quiet except for the occasional creak of the wooden floorboards. Jake sat by the window, his Glock resting on the table beside him as he kept watch. Lyndsey appeared in the doorway, her silhouette outlined by the dim light.

“Can’t sleep?” he asked, his voice low.

She shook her head, crossing the room to sit across from him. “I’m not sure I’ll ever feel safe enough to sleep again.”

Jake leaned back, studying her. The stiffness in her shoulders, the shadow of fear in her eyes—it made something tighten inside him. “You’re safe here.”

“For now,” she murmured, tracing a finger along the edge of the table. “But for how long?”

“As long as I’m here,” he said simply.

The sincerity in his voice made her look up, their eyes locking. The room felt smaller, the air between them charged with something neither was willing to give voice to.

“You make it sound so easy,” Lyndsey said, her voice barely above a whisper.

“It’s not,” Jake admitted. “But it’s what I do.”

“And what about you?” she asked, tilting her head. “Who keeps you safe?”

Jake’s breath hitched, her words striking deeper than he expected. He looked away, his jaw tightening. “I don’t need anyone to.”

“Maybe you should,” she said softly, her hand brushing his across the table.

The touch was fleeting, but it sent a jolt through him. He looked back at her, his eyes filled with something she couldn’t quite name. Vulnerability? Desire? Maybe both.

“Lyndsey...” he started, but the words caught in his throat. He reminded himself for the umpteenth time that she was just a job—nothing more, nothing less.

She smiled faintly, pulling her hand back. “Goodnight, Jake.”

As she disappeared into the bedroom, Jake exhaled, running a hand through his hair. The danger outside the cabin was real, but it was nothing compared to the danger lurking within.