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"I've got a location," he finally announced, the words ringing with a hint of victory but tinged with something else. Sorrow? “Call Joey.”
Kaylie watched him closely as Jackson connected their phone to headquarters. Shadows danced in Anthony’s eyes, and for a moment, she wondered about the price he had paid for that piece of information.
Joey's voice crackled over the phone, breaking the uneasy silence. "Tell me," she demanded.
“They’re operating out of an abandoned steel mill on the lake shore,” Anthony said.
Instantly, the tapping of keys echoed through the room as Kaylie held her breath. Joey was muttering to herself, and around the small speakerphone, the team exchanged glances, waiting for her to say something else.
“Son-of-a… You found them, Tank. We know where they are,” Joey announced.
Relief flooded her body. It seemed as though the entire team exhaled, half smiles covering their otherwise grim, focused faces. Joey’s voice continued from the small speaker device. “I’m sending over satellite images and everything else I can find. I don’t know how on earth you knew they were there, but I never would have found this if I didn’t know where to look.”
Anthony grimaced. “Doesn’t matter,” he grumbled.
Things moved quickly around her then as the team debated infiltration strategies and studied satellite images. The old steel mill was situated right on the shore of Lake Michigan. From what she could gather, that gave them several options.
“Water entry is our best bet," Ryder emphasized, his finger tracing a route on the map displayed on the table. "No doubt the roads will be guarded, but from the water we can approach stealthily. In the dark, we’ll be practically invisible. Citadel won't see it coming."
Marshall, who seemed to always be the voice of caution, interjected, "But we need to ensure we have a solid exit strategy. If things go south, we can't afford to be trapped."
Connor, who had been quietly observing the deliberation, spoke up. "Sat images show a medical evac helipad at the factory if we can’t get back to the water. Miranda could have someone on standby for a quick extraction if needed."
Kaylie’s eyes widened at the idea of how much was going into this operation. Helicopters?
Jackson, with his eyes still fixed on the laptop screen, chimed in. “Joey, can you get into their security programs?”
“Not from here, but if one of you can get me a line into their system, I can use that to take it down.”
Marshall had pulled up the satellite images of the factory on a screen. “What we need is a distraction, so they’re not paying attention while we approach from the water.”
As the team finalized the plan, Kaylie felt a surge of tension coiling in her stomach. Tendrils of fear for the team began licking at her insides, threatening to paralyze her. The same way her fear had always forced her to run.
Fight or flight were the main fear responses. But there was a third, one she knew all too well. Freeze.
She’d been running for years, and she’d frozen at the motel, which had allowed Shane Lowell to capture Lia.
This time she wanted to fight. Despite the fear that seemed her constant companion, she wasn’t sitting on the sidelines this time. She’d been wrestling with this feeling since the conference room at Black Tower. An unease at her own helplessness, coupled with a distinct determination to fight for Lia, despite her fear.
It was almost as if her fear were taking a backseat to something else. Her love for Lia wouldn’t allow her to let her fear dictate her decisions anymore. She was done being afraid. What was that verse she’d read? Perfect love casts out fear.
Kaylie took a step forward, interrupting a debate between Marshall and Jackson. "I can be the diversion. If I can draw their attention away from the main entry point, it might buy you the time you need. Plus, I need to get to Lia."
Anthony's gaze flickered toward her, and she could see that he was ready to shut her down. Before he could protest, Jackson interjected. "It could work. If we create a commotion out front, they might not notice the water entry until it's too late."
Anthony was shaking his head. “No, it’s too dangerous.”
She met his gaze squarely, determination blazing in her eyes. "I have to do this. She’s my daughter. You can’t ask me to sit on the sidelines,” she insisted. “I won’t let fear rule my life anymore,” she added quietly. Then she pleaded silently with him, watching his eyes slowly soften.
Finally, he nodded. “Okay. But you’re wearing a camera so we can see what you see.”
Her heart swelled with recognition of his trust in her. This was her chance to be more than a damsel in distress.
“Tank, no,” Marshall protested. “Lowell will find it in minutes. They’ll check her for bugs.”
Anthony’s eyebrows furrowed and he grunted, apparently agreeing with his teammate’s assertion.
Jackson popped his head up from the laptop. “Hmmm. What if the device is off at first, but she can turn it on after they do a sweep?”
