Page 1 of Dead Drift

Prologue

CHESAPEAKE HARBOR, MARYLAND

EIGHT YEARS AGO

Excitement bubbled through Jenna McCray, gooseflesh rippling along her skin in the cool night air as she hurried to meet Parker. Her Parker. It was almost too amazing to be real.

He was bright, tender, manly, and hers. How it had happened, she didn’t know. She’d spent years daydreaming about marrying him, but now her dream was coming true. They were talking marriage.

She looked both ways before crossing the neighborhood street, though at midnight in her tiny town there was really no need. Yet, to her surprise, two headlights appeared in the distance.

Crossing the street with a skip in her step, she hopped up on the opposite sidewalk and shoved her hands into her pockets, praying whichever neighbor was out driving at this hour didn’t rat her out. She’d be an adult in a few weeks, and then it wouldn’t matter, but tonight it still did. If Griff found out . . .

She winced, hating to think what her big brother would do. Parker would have no problem holding his own, but she wanted to avoid that battle until she turned eighteen—and then Griffin couldn’t say anything at all. Well, he could and probably would, but it wouldn’t matter. She and Parker would be engaged soon.

The headlights lit her from behind, casting her shadow on the sidewalk in front of her. Great. She was going to get busted.

She turned and lifted her hand to shield her face, the glare of the headlights blinding her momentarily. Trepidation shot through her as the van stopped. A shiver raced up her spine. She was being silly. She was in Chesapeake Harbor, for goodness’ sake. Nothing bad ever happened in Chesapeake Harbor.

A man stepped out of the van, and instinct bade her to run, her internal warning flaring red hot.

The man moved toward her, and despite the shelter of her hometown, she heeded her instincts, turning to run. Whoever he was, she could face them with Parker at her side. She was only a half mile from the park.

Heavy footfalls echoed after her. He was chasing her.

Panic flashed. Something was wrong. Very wrong.

As the man closed in on her, she hollered, “Parker!” praying maybe, just maybe, Parker hadn’t made it to the park yet and would hear her.

The man called her a name that made her ears burn. Who was he? Certainly no one she knew.

Tears beaded in her eyes as she ran as fast as her slender legs would carry her. Racing for Parker and safety.

A thick hand clamped down on her shoulder, another wrapping around her throat. She kicked and screamed, but the man only tightened his grip. A nasty odor enveloped her face, a cloth smothering her nose and mouth. She blinked, and everything went black.

1

Luke extricated himself from the vehicle to find shattered convoy debris littering the ground.

Ebeid had blown up the convoy. It didn’t make any sense.

He covered his face with his shirt as smoke billowed into the air, sirens wailing dimly over the ringing in his ears.

The ringing grew louder. His phone. Coughing, he pulled it from his jeans pocket and answered. “Yes?”

“I’m assuming you survived what I just learned was a convoy explosion.”

“Yes, but I don’t understand. Why would Ebeid blow up his own scientist?”

He realized the reason before Malcolm answered.

“It appears they found a replacement with Bedan.”

“Any idea where he is?” Luke asked.

“No, but that’s not the worst of it.”

“What happened?” What had they missed?