Page 64 of False Flag

Becoming a SEAL when his brother had failed also hadn’t been his initial plan. But he’d been encouraged by his superiors, and it was a challenge he wanted to see if he could meet.

Their mom had lived to see Jake receive his trident, and the photo of him and his mom on that day was the only one on display in his house in Virginia Beach. Another photo had been taken of the whole family, including Lloyd’s then-wife. But the bitterness on Lloyd’s face was too painful to look at.

Jake would always believe Bonnie said what she did because Lloyd changed after he rang out. It wasn’t about Jake at all; it was about Lloyd’s anger at himself and then, later, resentment toward Jake. Bonnie had had enough of Lloyd’s bitterness and wanted to hurt her husband to his core. So she struck, aiming for his deepest pain and weakness: his brother’s success where he’d failed.

Now, years later, the one thing Jake and Lloyd continued to share after all the pain and bullshit was a love of the water. That was why Lloyd wanted in on this project, and what he’d used as bait to entice Jake to join.

But now that Staci was here, Lloyd no longer wanted his baby brother in the mix.

Be careful what you wish for, big brother.

Jake’s heart thrummed as he boarded the vessel. The fact that the expedition was beginning here, on the sea that had shaped and enriched their youth, was an unexpected pleasure.

Both Jake and Lloyd knew these waters, Canadian and American. Their dad would take them camping in the San Juans—skipping the ferries and arriving on their own boat with minimal supplies. Survival weekends during which they built shelters and would dine on clams, crabs, and whatever fish they caught.

The idea that he would get to dive here, of all places, today, was a little slice of heaven. He didn’t even care that the water would be cold as fuck. He understood why Lloyd was jealous. It wasn’t only about Staci.

But his asshole brother shouldn’t have embroiled Jake in something that could ruin his Top Secret clearance, and he definitely shouldn’t have told a podcaster—who, it turned out, was not just doing a disinformation game, but who also had a team of followers doing domestic terror attacks on college campuses—that his brother was a Navy SEAL.

Jake was sick of Lloyd’s jealousy, and now he was pissed that his brother was actively working to harm his career.

He hoisted the bag with his gear on his shoulder and headed for the rear of the vessel, where he spotted the woman who was never far from his thoughts.

She stood with her back to him, looking toward the sea to the east. The morning sun shone across the water, giving her a halo.

“Anastacia.” The name slipped out. A statement. A plea.

She stiffened but didn’t turn. “What do you want, Jake?”

“To change your opinion of me.”

“And what is my opinion? Besides egotistical and hot as fuck, I mean.” Her tone was tired, letting him know she wasn’t playing or flirting. She wanted a real answer.

“You think I’m one of them.”

She turned, pressing her back to the rail. “Aren’t you, though?”

He was under orders to keep her in the dark. For several reasons, not the least of which was there were ears everywhere.

He stepped forward. He was a large man, and she a petite woman. His body would block hers completely from the view of the crew on the upper deck.

He bent down as if to kiss her but stopped just shy of her lips and whispered, “Trust me, Anastacia. I’m your ally. We have the same goal.”

He’d shaved just twenty minutes ago to ensure a good seal with his dive mask. Her lips slid along his smooth skin with ease. She nibbled on his earlobe and whispered, “What is the goal?”

“Intel.”

“Be specific.” The words were quiet, but he felt the hiss.

“To stop whatever AT is planning.”

She closed her eyes and rested her forehead against his.

He heard footsteps behind him and felt her stiffen.

“I can’t do this.” Her words were no longer a whisper. She intended to be overheard by whoever was behind him.

“Why not?” He matched her volume. Still intimate, but audible to anyone nearby.