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“I’ll see if there are any to-go cups.” As she turned away, her shoulders slumped. The woman would need to learn quickly that I wasn’t some hero prepared to slay dragons. I was just a fucked-up dude with a craving for bloodshed. I had a feeling I’d be able to fulfill that need during the time spent together.
As she headed into the kitchen, I moved toward the bags I’d filled with needed equipment. While the cabin we were headed to was fully functional, including a pantry and two freezers full of food, I’d augmented the weaponry. The last thing I wanted was to run out of ammunition.
“Are you ready?” I asked after a few minutes had passed.
She allowed her gaze to slide down to my combat boots before nodding. The dark circles under her eyes indicated she’d slept little if any, but her silence didn’t necessarily indicate her total compliance. I had a feeling the bad girl side of her would return once everything had finally settled into her system.
“Do I have a choice?”
“Not if you want to live.” Hell, yes, I knew my words were caustic, but I had to draw the damn line or things would get messy fast.
Her glare was satisfactory, the little hellion inside of her already stretching her claws.
“How did the Russians know what I was working on?” she asked more quietly than I was used to.
“Only you can answer that.”
“You don’t have that level of clearance?”
I laughed softly. “I’m on a need-to-know basis. Do you have a theory?”
As she chewed on her inner lip, her eyes glazed over. “You don’t understand just how secretive this project has been kept or the hoops necessary to even gain access to the building.”
“You’re suggesting there’s a traitor in the employ of the United States government.”
“I don’t work directly for the government. There is an independent corporation funding the project.”
I found that curious. While not unheard of, given the sensitive nature of the project, I was surprised a private company was allowed to be involved. “With military oversight.”
“Yes. Their involvement was all about security and anonymity.”
“What is your gut telling you, princess?”
She bristled as I called her the name, giving me a hateful look. “That there’s no one I can trust.”
Her instinct might be right on the money, but we couldn’t flush out who was behind the betrayal at this point. “Then you should think about every detail of the project, including the behavior of the people you work for.” It wasn’t my job to sift through the clues but doing so might make it easier to keep her safe.
Or alive.
After turning off the lights, she remained silent as we headed for the garage. I’d contemplated which vehicle to take and chose my personal car. The company vehicles would draw too much attention. Besides, I could outdrive anything in my baby. She seemed surprised when I opened the trunk, tossing the majority of bags inside.
“We’re taking this?” she asked.
“There’s nothing better on the road. Get in.” I waited until she did what I asked before loading ammunition into one of the AK-15s, sliding a second magazine for my Glock into my jeans pocket. I took one glance in her direction before starting the engine. This wasn’t going to be an adventure. This would be a slide straight into hell.
* * *
Thirty miles. We were fucking thirty miles from the operational center before I noticed the first tail. The morning light had barely dawned over the horizon, the traffic light enough the single black sedan was easy to spot.
As I checked the rearview mirror, my gut told me I was right. The son of a bitch was picking up speed. I pressed down on the accelerator, shifting gears then checking one last time.
Confirmed.
Within minutes we’d be surrounded. I’d mapped out the area, learning every backroad and highway between here and our destination. However, it would be five minutes before I could take an exit. By that point, a warzone could ensue.
“What’s wrong?” Isabella asked as she shifted in her seat, looking over her shoulder.
“Don’t fight me on this. Get in back and lay down.”
