Page 36 of Falcon’s Forever

“No,” Rook replies. “I’m at marker five with Ice Pick.”

“I heard movement at three,” I report.

“We’re coming,” he says immediately.

“Don’t rush,” I warn him. “Approach quietly.”

“Copy,” Rook confirms.

I hold my position instead of climbing the fence to find it myself, which used to be automatic and isn't tonight. Ten seconds later there's a low engine, too far off to place, headlights flickering through the trees once before they cut out. I key the radio again. "Vehicle on outer road."

"See it," Rook says.

"Black SUV?" Ice Pick, from the other direction.

"Can't confirm." I hold my position, and every part of me wants to climb the fence and reach the road and find out who's sitting out there watching my family.

I wait for my brothers instead. Rook reaches me first, Ice Pick from the opposite line, and the three of us stand at the fence watching the road until the engine fades and disappears altogether.

"Want to follow?" Rook asks.

Yesterday I'd have said yes before he finished the question. Tonight I think about the warehouse, Digger's blood, Zip's face, Cara telling me safety means knowing what's happening, not being shielded from it.

"No," I say. "We log the time, pull the camera footage, keep the perimeter covered."

Rook nods. "Smart."

"Don't sound so surprised."

Ice Pick studies me a second, then nods too. "Good enough."

We finish the perimeter together, and for once I don't walk ahead of them.

Chapter 6

Cara

The first thing I notice the next morning is that nobody's pretending last night didn't happen. There's no forced cheerfulness, no vague reassurance that everything's fine, no man in a cut telling us not to worry because the club has it handled. Instead, there are three updates waiting on the security phone when I come downstairs, each one timestamped and clear enough that nobody needs a degree from Condor's school of unnecessarily complicated technology to understand it.

Security Phone:

The SUV on the outer road shortly after ten.

Security Phone:

Falcon, Rook, and Ice Pick holding position while Condor pulled camera footage.

Security Phone:

The vehicle leaving without approaching the compound, patrols doubled through the night.

I read all three before I make coffee, which probably says something about my priorities.

Sarah comes into the kitchen while I’m still standing there with the phone in my hand. She’s wearing an oversized Saints hoodie someone dropped off yesterday, with the sleeves pulled down over her hands.

“Did something happen?” she asks, glancing at the phone.

“The SUV came back,” I tell her.