Page 31 of Peak’s Code

Mercer's eyes never left Maeve. "I see you've made friends."

"I've made an alliance,” she said. The words surprised even Maeve. Peak glanced sideways at her. She hadn't meant to say it, not consciously, but after everything the Grave Prowlers had risked for her, the word had come naturally.

Mercer noticed, and his smile widened. "That's unfortunate."

Peak shoved the barrel harder against his forehead. "You got one chance to tell me who you're working for."

Mercer looked at him for the first time. "You must be Peak." Peak didn't react. "The hacker who was too good for the government."

Maeve's heart skipped a beat, and she looked at Peak. "You told me you turned them down."

"I did,” he said.

Mercer laughed softly as his gaze returned to Peak. “I’m not talking about the government trying to recruit you, Peak. They've been watching you for years." Peak's expression didn't change, but inside Maeve, every alarm bell she possessed began ringing.

"Who’s been watching him?" she asked.

Mercer ignored the question. "You've been on their list since you were twenty-two."

Maeve looked between them. "What list?"

Mercer smiled again. "The kind you never want your name on."

Peak's voice dropped dangerously low. “This is none of her business,” he growled.

"Answer the question,” Maeve shouted.

Mercer leaned his head back against the concrete. "You still don't understand, do you, Maeve?"

"What don’t I understand?" she asked.

"This is bigger than just you and your sister." The underground chamber fell silent, and Maeve felt her stomach knot. Mercer looked directly into Peak’s eyes. "They attacked your clubhouse tonight because they finally found you." For the first time since they met, Peak didn't seem to know what to say. Maeve saw uncertainty cross his face. Whatever Mercer had just revealed had changed everything.

Peak

The phone vibrated in his pocket, but he never took his eyes off Mercer as he answered. "Yeah."

Captain's voice came through, rough from smoke and exhaustion. "Give me a status update."

"We've got one alive. His name is Mercer, and he’s government."

A low curse came across the call from Captain. "So Maeve was right."

"Yeah, looks that way,” Peak said.

Captain didn't waste time. "Leave him."

Peak frowned. "What?"

"You heard me,” Captain said.

"He knows who took Wren,” Maeve insisted.

"He also knows who ordered the hit,” Peak added.

Captain's voice hardened. "And he's exactly where they expect him to be."

Peak looked down at the mercenary. If they just left him there for his people to find, what would stop him from coming after them again? Plus, he had to figure out what they wanted with him. The whole time, he thought that this raid against his club was because of Maeve, but if Mercer was right, Peak’s past was quickly catching up to him, and that put everyone in the Grave Prowlers at risk.