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She was addicted to the rush.
And he was right—she’d never be satisfied with anyone else.
The horse under her was similar. Yandi snorted, shook his head, and tugged on the reins as they covered more ground. He resisted the bit whenever she tried to take charge and guide him.
Since leaving the spot where Moe had found the cigarette butt, the trail through the rocky forest had given way to a clearing. She rode side-by-side with him, and he kept a good pace, sure of himself and eager to get to the mine. As the landscape gradually released the heavy blanket of night, replacing it with a soft purple haze, he was also resisting her lead.
“You can’t go in with me,” he said as he checked the map. “I need you to get to the highest place you can and reestablish contact with the others. As soon as I track down RING and Charmaine, I’ll find you and you can call in the rescue squad.”
She held out her phone. “Here’s the schematic of the mine shafts and the main station they connect to. It resembles a wheel spoke, but there are two smaller hubs on the north and west sides.”
He stared at her for half a heartbeat before he checked the screen. “When did you download this?”
“A few miles back when we still had reception.” They couldn’t use flares or any obvious marker to reveal their location, and although she wasn’t as experienced in the field as he was, she had plenty of tricks up her sleeve. “I texted Trace to be ready to roll as soon as I give confirmation.”
“But I could be wrong that she’s here.”
It was said with weak conviction. “You’re not. The team is prepared.” She touched her heels to Yandi’s sides. “Let’s go.”
“I’m not taking you with me. It’s too dangerous.”
She hid her eye roll, using herI’m in chargevoice. “I’m your backup, and if we find Lydia, I’ll assess her condition and then we can alert Trace.”
“You said ‘if’ not ‘when.’”
Shit. “I meantwhen. I’ve been analyzing this whole situation and the possibilities of where they would take her. This site is closest to the abduction spot, and the military bases are too obvious. That’s the first place law enforcement would check. Romalov may be a terrorist, but he’s also proven to be exceptionally smart and cunning. The cave system and underground tunnels offer him what he needs. He’s here, and we’re going into that mine to find her.”
He and Remy didn’t move. Yandi turned to look back, forcing Parker to as well, regardless of her hold on the reins.
“No.” One word, but from Moe, a powerful one.
She faced him head-on. “Yes.”
A standoff ensued, them facing each other like two Wild West gunslingers ready to draw. An owl hooted above their heads. Another nocturnal creature rustled in the brush nearby, heading for its sleeping hole.
Moe gave her a flat stare. “If you get hurt, Beatrice will kill me.”
She scrunched her brows. “That’s what you’re worried about?”
“She won’t have to because I’ll off myself.” He urged Remy close and reached for her hand. “Don’t put me in this situation. You know how much you mean to me. If you end up injured—or worse—I’ll never forgive myself.”
She heard an echo of vulnerability and guilt in his words. He hated himself for not being there for his brother. If only she could believe his motives were so straightforward. Like Beatrice, he calculated the odds of every situation, choosing the option that offered the most promising results. It was second nature to him, Vivi had assured her, not a manipulation technique. It was one of the reasons he was good at his job—he liked working on his own.
Even though it killed her, she withdrew her hand from his grip. “You know my policy.”
He released her, his face going hard in the fading twilight. “Your only chance to bring a successful conclusion to this is me. Have a little faith.”
“Faith has nothing to do with it. On my teams, no one goes into a potential conflict alone.”
“You’vedone it. Gone off on your own, acted alone.”
That had been before Beatrice had put her in charge. Before other people’s lives had been on the line because of every decision she made. “I was a team member then, not the leader.”
“Always have to pull that card, don’t you?”
She clicked her tongue and led Yandi forward. He resisted, trying to keep Remy in sight. “It’s not a card, and this isn’t a game. Right now, I’m your teammate and your backup. Power plays are a waste of time.”
Being a hardass with him rarely worked. He tended to use his wits and shrewdness to turn the tables and get what he wanted. When his only response was to follow, she sensed a new tactic was at play.
