Page 90 of Secret Mission

Justice somehow knows where to go. If it’s instinct, he’s good.

A wooden door with small panes of glass is nestled in an alcove. Shadows swallow around us as we step out of sight, into the privacy of the entrance.

He drops my hand so he can rip off his shirt.

“Try not to look at me,” he quips, “Truck will break my leg.”

Okay, Truck is hot. He's totally my favorite man, and I can't believe I'm admitting that. But whatever woman lands Justice is going to be one happy chick.

He's darkly tanned, cut in all the right places, and has this long, lean athletic thing that screams stamina.

Uh, hum. Not staring.

But I do admire his efficiency.

So what if he looks great while he's breaking into a church?

"We'll be inside in a second."

Like he’s done this a thousand times, he wraps his hand in his shirt. The butt of his gun precisely knocks against the corner of the glass. There's barely a sound.

Leaning close, he threads his covered hand through the shards and twists the knob on the inside.

“Bingo. We're gold.”

“You guys are SEALs but I’m beginning to think you’re also pretty darn good criminals.”

He chuckles, with mischief dancing his dark brown eyes. “Sometimes, we have to blur the lines. Come on. Truck will be coming soon.”

I’m still breathing hard. The sound is loud inside the small vestibule.

The air is cool and still, like no one has been inside in days. Maybe months.

“How did you guys know about the tunnels?”

“It wasn’t my part of the job, but the team was researching places someone might be holding you.”

“Ohhh.” I cringe. Truck and his team have been looking for me for weeks, but I didn't know they were the good guys. “I’m sorry. I didn’t?—”

“Shhhh.” He taps his ear, and I freeze.

Pressing against a cool, brick wall, I strain to hear what he might have heard.

He’s studying the floor, or maybe so tuned into his hearing that he doesn’t need to look around.

Finally, he tips his chin and grabs my hand in his again. “Nothing but a rat.”

“You must have super hearing. And how did you know it was a rat?”

A set of stairs break off to the right. He tugs me quickly down them. My thighs are getting a serious workout today.

“Let’s just say I’ve been in some pretty bad places where I became very familiar with the furry bastards.”

“Ick.”

Every step we take downward, the air cools. An ominous silence coats the place. Goosebumps break out on my bare legs.

Normally, I love these kinds of buildings, it calls to the curious archeologist in me, but right now, I just want to be as far away from those men as possible. “Where will this lead us?”

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