Page 13 of False Flag

Gerard smiled. “Again, well played.”

“Where would I be flying on Wednesday?”

“I have an island in British Columbia,” Casper said. “I’m letting Gerard use it. It’s the perfect starting point for the search for Mu.”

“Why Wednesday?” she asked.

“It’s the only day my private jet is available to take you and the others on the crew.”

“I can fly commercial. Next weekend.”

“No,” Gerard said. “I need you to begin background research and other prep immediately if we’re going to start fieldwork in ten days, which is when I have the boat and film crew lined up.”

“It’s not possible to get permits that quickly.”

“Then we’ll start filming in areas where we don’t need permits.” Gerard’s gaze swept her from head to toe. He smiled slowly. “You’re perfect for this, Staci, in more ways than one. With you as the face of the expedition, you’ll bring in viewers and put to rest any questions about validity.”

It was polite of him to refer to her face and not her body, but she knew where her value lay for this project.

Except she’d been wrong on that too. Her value wasn’t her cup size; it was, in fact, her credentials. She held his gaze. “Three thousand a week.”

He nodded and offered his hand.

She stared at the hand, waiting to seal the deal. She needed to talk to Freya and Morgan. “I need forty-eight hours to think about it.”

She wouldn’t be rash about this. Not when she’d applied because she wanted to destroy him, but if this went according to his plan, taking this job could destroy her.

Chapter Five

At eight the following morning, Staci placed her overnight bag in the back of one of the two buses that would drive their group of Raptors, Valkyries, and SEALs to a forested Raptor training ground on Anderson Lake. The facility had a newly built lodge complex that included barracks. After the battle was decided, they would return to the lodge for dinner and continue the party into the wee hours of the morning. The vans would return all the guests here, Raptor’s main Virginia compound, after breakfast tomorrow.

Staci had been looking forward to the evening party more than the paintball battles, but after last night’s meeting, she was confused and probably more than a little scared. Honestly, she wouldn’t mind the physical activity and aggression of the war game.

She was reeling and torn in a way she hadn’t expected. Taking the job was dangerous. Possibly career-destroying. But she could do some good for the world.

Good for herself.

Her side ached. But it wasn’t the physical pain that had her on edge.

She took a steadying breath. Gerard had wanted to wrap up negotiations on her contract today, but she’d insisted it would have to wait until tomorrow afternoon. She wouldn’t miss this party for anything.

That Freya was here to discuss pros and cons was a bonus.

Well, she knew the cons. Rabid fans harassing her after she exposed the ridiculousness of his theories. She’d never be able to work for Friday Morning Valkyries if her face became synonymous with Lost Civilizations. FMV’s work was covert. She would be tabloid fodder.

She glared at the bags stacked in the van, as if it was their fault she was in this mess.

“Coffee?” a male voice behind her asked.

She turned and met Lieutenant Jake Burns’s gaze as he earnestly held out a paper cup full of steaming liquid. She wanted to be grumpy at him because he was part of a world she loathed but was now ensnared in through her own actions, but her friends would—rightly—judge her harshly if she continued to be rude to their colleague.

She forced a smile and said, “Thank you.”

He nodded toward the table with the coffee service set out. “Cream and sugar is over there if you need it.”

“No. Thank you. This is perfect.” She took a sip and decided maybe the world wasn’t entirely awful. It would be even better if she could spike it with Irish Cream, but figured with paintball on the horizon, that was a bad idea.

Like her, Jake was dressed for a workout, wearing forest-camouflage-patterned sweatpants and a green hoodie to fight the early morning chill. He’d probably come here straight from bed, given his mussed hair and jaw that was shadowed with an attractive stubble.