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A guy who looked as if he couldn’t be more than twenty-one and wearing a Wind River T-shirt walked up to the front of the big cave.
“What do you need?”
“Go out and tinker with your bike,” Vern told him. “If anyone comes by, you’ve seen a ton of people heading for the top, and you’re on your way as soon as you check something on your bike. And you don’t know nothing. I don’t want to have to shoot anyone. It fucks up the schedule.”
He touched the brim of his cap with two fingers. “At your service.”
The door to the cave slid up partway, Jocko wheeled his motorcycle outside, and the door slid down.
Now, fear curled like a tight ball in Leslie’s stomach. Whatever these people had planned, it was going to create a disaster. She had to find a way to let Brotherhood Protectors know, but how was that even possible?
The men pretty much ignored her as they became more involved in their work. Maybe they’d keep ignoring her. Think, Leslie. Find a way out of here. And don’t go exploring again without telling people where you are going and taking a bodyguard with you.
* * *
Hank lookedat the four women standing in front of him with Beck. He studied them for a long moment before saying anything.
“We have a serious problem here that I know I can count on you to help resolve, so here’s how it will go. Beck and Roman will be the lead team on this and, as I said before, I’m pairing the rest of you up with some of my key men. Your teams all will be the leaders on this. The men I’m pulling in to work with you have handled situations like this before, which is why they’ll be the best for this.”
Hank typed the names of four of his men into his phone and sent them a quick message.
Quick meeting at edge of tent. Now.
In seconds, he received messages saying Roger and, in less than two minutes, they were all standing next to him, waiting.
“What’s up?” Dean Turner asked.
“Yeah.” Walker Nash frowned. “Do we have a problem?”
“In spades,” Hank told them. He pointed at the women who were standing there now with questioning looks on their faces. “I have a special, critical assignment for all of you. It seems Leslie Morrisey, Beck’s sister, went for a joyride on her trail bike and has vanished with the wind.”
“Shit.” Logan Tackett ran a hand through his hair. ”We’ve dealt with a bunch of these situations before. When will people ever learn what they should and shouldn’t do?”
“For some?” Hank shrugged. “For some? Probably never. Okay, I’m about to give everyone here the information and set up search teams,” Hank continued. “But I’ve worked with all of you at one time or another on situations just like this. While I absolutely trust everyone in the Brotherhood Protectors, or they wouldn’t be here, right this minute, I need someone who’s been there and done that.” He looked from one to the other. “This is right up your alley. Understood?”
They all nodded.
“Good, because I’m depending on you. Daks is going to send everyone links to maps of the area, but I want you all to concentrate on the next mountain over for two reasons. I don’t think she’s still on this one because she was looking to get away by herself. And the mountain closest to us has the kind of twists and turns Beck said her sister likes to ride.”
“What about everyone else here?” Leo asked. “Shouldn’t we all be looking for her?”
“Yes. They’ll be out there, also, but in a wider circle. Stealth is as important as anything else. If someone for whatever reason kidnapped this woman, we don’t want their trigger finger getting itchy to get rid of her before you can retrieve her.”
Dean frowned. “You sound like you might know who’s taken her.”
Hank rubbed his jaw. “How many of you have heard of a radical group called the Loyalists? They want to blow up the country and start all over again.”
“Shit.” Leo rubbed his jaw. “I have. Those guys are bad news. Do they have something to do with this?”
“There’s a strong possibility. It seems five years ago, when they had executed their last attack, they used these mountains as their headquarters. Lots of places to hide and store stuff. Now there’s a rumor that they’re gearing up for something even bigger, and they could be launching from here.”
Logan’s eyebrows arched. “And no one told you before today?”
Hank shook his head. “Not until after all the arrangements were made and we were already here. Swede just got the information from a contact he uses. I’ve reached out to my contacts for any information at all. Problem is, these guys have perfected secrecy. Usually, you don’t know what they’re up to until they do it.”
“Damn.” Walker shook his head. “That sucks.”
“No kidding. These guys may be nuts, but two things they are good at. One of them is stealth. The feeling is whatever they’re planning this time is really big. If Leslie stumbled into them, we’ll be lucky if she’s still alive.”
“We’ll find her,” Logan assured him. “That’s a promise.”
“I’m counting on it.” He blew out a breath.
Most of them nodded, all except for Fay and Walker. Hank saw them exchange a look and bit down on the surge of impatience. They had an emergency here, and he didn’t have time for games.
“You two have a problem?” he snapped. “Because someone’s life is in danger here, and we don’t have time for bullshit. You’re both grown, experienced people. If there’s a problem, either fix it or go home. Which is it?”
He saw the two of them exchange a look that was part bitterness and part anger, but then the expressions were gone immediately.
“We’re good, Hank,” Walker told him, even as the muscles in his face tightened.
“All good,” Fay agreed. “Let’s get going here.”
Thank god. He didn’t need bullshit before they got started.
