Page 46 of Shadow

He pushed through. Cold air hit his face.

Three steps across gravel.

No gunshots, so that was a win.

He got in his car. Started the engine. Put it in Drive.

Pulled away slowly. Not fleeing. Just leaving.

Made it to the street before his hands started shaking.

Not fear, just the adrenaline dump.

His phone buzzed.

Patterson

Debrief. Now.

Asher typed:

Asher

Cover intact.

He put the phone down.

Tomorrow, Roger got released at two p.m.

Tomorrow, he had to coordinate with Daphne Cross for the extraction.

Tomorrow, the lies continued.

All while Draven waited for a call with information Asher would never provide.

He should be thinking about Draven. About whether his cover had held. About tomorrow’s extraction.

Instead, he was thinking about the way Daphne had looked at him in that conference room, those beautiful green eyes sharp. Assessing. Missing nothing.

And then her words, which had weirdly lodged inside him. You really can’t help playing hero.

Not sure why that was a problem. But oh, it had made him, in that moment, want to tell her the truth.

But that would blow eighteen months of work. Would compromise the operation. Would put Roger and Destiny at risk.

He could hold it together for four weeks.

Really.

Five

This was either her smartest plan yet or…

Or colossally stupid.

The conference room smelled like stale coffee and dry-erase markers. Friday-morning light streamed through windows facing the parking lot. The table stretched long with mismatched chairs around it.

Daphne stood at the head. Laptop open. Presentation ready.