Rafe patted Liam’s leg. “Get some more rest. We’ll be landing in a couple of hours.”
Boone leaned forward in his seat, bracing his forearms on his knees. “The new cabin is ready and secure. Two SUVs are staged on the strip.”
“That was fast.” How did these men arrange things so quickly? And when? It wasn’t as though private conversations happened on this plane.
“Liam has connections on top of connections. You don’t run BlackKnight Security without backup plans stacked on top of each other. It’s a special forces thing.” Dax gave her a half-smile. “We’ll split into two groups. That way, we have two vehicles in case we need an extra.”
“I trust you guys. I really do. But I keep coming back to how they knew we were in Colorado. I didn’t contact anyone. Especially not after being abducted.” She knew these men. They weren’t careless. But thehowcontinued to nag her.
“I’d like to know as well.” Rafe’s irritated tone cut through the interior of the plane. “The only way they’d know exact coordinates is if someone had access to our movements.”
Boone’s jaw flexed. “Or our technology.”
“The computers are secure. I’d stake my reputation on that,” Rafe grumbled.
“Sorry, man. I didn’t mean to imply it was your equipment.” Dax’s forehead scrunched. “I don’t have an answer to the security breach. We’ll dig into that once we’re on the ground. Until then, I’d love to know more about our Mexico mission and Raven’s kidnapping. Who set that into motion and why?”
“It all circles back to the Echo Team’s compromised op. It has to. I suggest we focus there.” Liam’s eyes remained closed. “Ever consider whoever they hired to abduct Raven double-crossed them? And that they used us to reclaim their prize?”
Well, now, that was a thought. And not a pleasant one. Jade reached over and laced her fingers with his. His painedexpression worried her. But his attention to his team, even when injured—classic Charlie One.
“What makes you say that? Referring to the Echo team disaster. I’m still processing the Raven thing.” Boone puffed out a breath.
“Seems to me, all the chaos started with that op. The off-the-books rescue. The threats. Her abduction.” Liam’s eyes opened to slits. “Raven, did you have any problems before you reported your concerns about the black-market sales for the military GPS codes on the new equipment?”
Jade considered his question before answering it, mentally running through the sequence of events. “No. My job was fairly normal for what I do. Or at least I thought it was. I’d found evidence of tampering but didn’t believe it at first. I analyzed and reanalyzed the data and reported my concerns. When Echo Team vanished, and you all went in and rescued them, I regretted leaving it to the normal chain of command and not pushing it up the ladder. After that, I discovered someone squashed the reports, or they disappeared altogether.” She met each man’s gaze, then focused on Liam. “You think someone is trying to shut me up?”
“I do. Call it instinct. There might not be any more to it. But I believe the person selling the codes is involved—somehow.” Liam’s eyes closed, and his breathing evened out.
“I agree with boss man.” Xander’s comment came through the comms, startling her. “Twenty minutes out. Buckle up, boys.”
Would she ever get used to the constant hot comm in her ear? The guys tended to leave them on but muted for privacy when they weren’t all together. Easier access to communication. And it did help on the plane since they were spread out and didn’t have to shout.
“Sorry, Raven. Didn’t mean to leave you out.”
She chuckled. “I’m not offended, X-Man. Do we need to raise Liam’s seat?”
“No, let him rest. I don’t plan on crashing.” She could hear the smile in Xander’s words.
The low drone of the engines filled the silence, and the plane dropped in altitude. Her ribs still complained, but the pain medication Dax had given her soon after taking off had helped her muscles relax, so her body didn’t hurt like it once did.
Boone caught her eye. “We’ll get answers once we have you tucked away again. But don’t ever forget, we have your six no matter what.”
Jade held her breath, willing the tears not to fall. She had five bodyguards determined to keep her safe. But she had a horrible feeling that it was only a matter of time before the threat found her again.
Shadow Pines, Tennessee – New Safe House
Friday – 1600 Hours
Call Sign: Charlie One
Three hoursof rest had done Liam a world of good, but the ride from the private airfield to the safe house in Shadow Pines, Tennessee, hadn’t helped his headache or the lingering nausea. They’d arrived at the cabin hidden by pine trees a little while ago. A wide front porch had greeted them. The place appeared secluded and safe enough on the outside. Although after Colorado, Liam refused to make the mistake of assuming again.
He rested against the worn black leather couch in the living room of their new temporary home. His head throbbed behindhis eyes. Since the attack, he’d thanked God on repeat for his men and that the sniper hadn’t hit Raven. Charlie Team had stepped up and taken care of business, getting them away from danger. He’d known he could count on each and every one of them, but today proved it—again.
Bootsteps scuffed the hardwood, breaking through his thoughts.
Boone had slipped inside the back door. His HK416 rested against his chest. “Perimeter’s clear for now. Dax took over. He’ll alert us if anything is hinky.”
