CHAPTER TWO
Camp Rilea, Warrenton, Oregon…
Sloane Hart slid into the driver’s seat of her nondescript, government-issue sedan, the fatigue of the past two months finally lifting off her shoulders. Her current mission — a ‘need-to-know’ data transfer with an embedded DIA contact — marking the end of her joint task force assignment, and the start of a couple of overdue days off.
She blew out a slow breath as she let her head fall against the seat rest. She was scheduled to head south, make her way to Raven’s Cliff, Oregon’s idea of a sleepy little coastal town in the heart of the Pacific Northwest. Nothing but relaxation and fog-covered scenery on the agenda.
Two days with Nick.
A shiver wove down her spine.
She hadn’t really seen him in person since she’d walked out of his apartment that night after Prague — the one where she’d all but admitted she’d fallen ridiculously in love with him — and she wasn’t quite sure what to expect. They’d talked, occasionally chatted over video. Not as often as she’d hoped, but between herjob and his — the chasm of unspoken words between them — it had been awkward at best. And she couldn’t quite crush the thought that she’d missed her chance.
That by taking her suggestion and saving himself, he’d left her behind.
She shook her head, reached over and grabbed her personal cell out of the glovebox. The screen winked on, the map to Nick’s office launching as soon as she opened it. What she’d been staring at since he’d asked her to drop by if she had time.
A chance to reconnect, he’d said.
She just wasn’t sure if it was the start of something new or the end of what they’d had.
Her cell buzzed, a text flashing on the screen a moment later. She glanced over as she shoved the key in the ignition, snapping her gaze back at the single word staring up at her from the screen.
ECHO.
She blinked, looked again, the codename glaring up at her. In all the years since they’d initiated the protocol, she’d never imagined she’d actually see the word stamped across her phone. That Nick would willingly send it. Not when she’d suspected he’d had a subconscious death wish. Seeing it now…
It meant he wasn’t just calling for help.
He needed a lifeline. And he was out of options.
She hit the text, activated the decryption algorithm on the embedded packet — dissolved the message into a digital grid, showing his location in the coastal hills north of Raven’s Cliff, what looked like unforgiving terrain — timestamp current. A tap, and the location hit her GPS, had the fastest route outlined as she shoved the car into reverse, peeled out.
Smoke billowed up from the tires, burnt rubber mixing with the suggestion of rain, as she spun the wheel, hit the gas. She managed a quick reply as she raced toward the main road,instructing Nick to hold tight — not die on her — that she was on her way. The guy at the gate gave her an arched brow as she slowed enough to follow protocol before jumping ahead, the scenery passing in a disjointed blur.
She gauged her distance, dumped anything the CIA could use to track her into a Faraday bag she kept in her kit, then hit Bodie’s number. She’d only talked to the guy a handful of times, but if Nick had sent out an SOS, Bodie would have the most intel.
He answered on the second ring, voice rough, clipped, a siren echoing in the background. “Sloane? I assume Nick sent you some kind of cryptic message?”
She snorted. “More like a damn plea. What the hell’s going on?”
“I don’t have much more than you. Just a short text that their consultation got hit, he’d been separated, wounded, and was going dark.”
Wounded.
The word hit her gut like a hammer. She coughed, forced down the initial punch of panic, running through the options in her head.
He continued, the words cutting in and out. “I’ve tried to reach Buck and Dalton, but someone’s jamming their end. I’m headed to the lodge now, but with a possible civilian in the mix, and showing up as a deputy, I need to verify their situation, first.”
“Understood. When was their meeting?”
“Nearly an hour ago.”
“What about Raven’s Watch?”
“Already been dispatched, but they’re on a call — van hanging off the side of a cliff. They’ll reposition as soon as they’re free.”
“ETA?”
