Page 102 of Risky Passion

We crossed the old school's wraparound verandah into what was once a reception area but now had a little wicker chair and lampshade. Cobra guided us down a wide hallway, passing open doorways of what I imagined used to be classrooms, but my mind was on Blade and Viper. Those men were tough, military. Trained to survive, to endure. If anyone could hold on under that rubble, it would be them.

Having Onyx with me doubled our chances. When it came to tracking, she was worth a dozen search teams.

One of the old classrooms had been transformed into a tactical hub. Monitors lined an entire wall, and the feeds looked crystal clear. I had to hand it to Whisper, she knew how to pick a safehouse.

Onyx trotted ahead, her nose twitching with interest at Cobra's prosthetic. "Heads up,” I said. “You've got an admirer checking out your leg."

Cobra chuckled. "I’m used to it. Zena's mutt, Charlie, loses his shitevery time I walk. Yasmin locked him in our room for a while so we can get you guys settled."

"Zena? Blade's partner?"

"Yeah. She's down at Rosebud with Viper’s partner, Harper. That’s why we're watching Charlie."

"They must be going crazy waiting like that," I said as a messy ball of emotions hit me at once. Harper and Viper had survived hell last year when her own mother and Australia's Deputy Prime Minister, Mason Kingsman, put a bounty on their heads. But waiting, and not knowing if Viper and Blade were alive or dead? That was a different kind of torture.

"We're all going crazy," Cobra said. "The site is blocked off because it’s too unstable. The whole thing's a house of cards. I couldn’t wait around anymore. That’s why I came home. But whatever is in these boxes gives us purpose. Because right now, standing still feels like dying."

"He never stops." Yasmin's voice softened with affection. "My man doesn't know the meaning of 'relax.' Do you, babe?"

"Too much happening for that." Cobra threw me a look over his shoulder.

"Tell me about it,” I said. “Sleep feels like something that happened in another lifetime."

"Showers are that way when you need them," Cole said, tilting his head toward an open doorway.

"And we've got food," Yasmin added. "You guys must be starving."

My stomach knotted, reminding me that the food scraps Tory had scored were nowhere near enough. But the thought of Blade and Viper trapped under tons of rubble pushed away any hunger.

A sharp bark echoed down the hall, and Onyx's ears snapped forward.

"That's Charlie," Cobra said, nodding at a closed door. "She's confined to our bedroom. We’ll let her out soon."

The hallway opened into what had to be the old gymnasium with high ceilings and a timber floor.

Cobra headed for a row of folding tables along one wall. "We set up what we could. Intel was pretty vague about space requirements." He set his box down with a grunt.

"Had to be vague." I placed my box next to his. "And the intel about these boxes needs to stay contained. You know about the dirty cops?"

"Eddie Walsh and Cooper Heathcote." Cobra's face darkened. "Still can't believe it."

"Exactly. We don't know how deep this corruption goes."

Whitney set the skull down and patted the top of the head. "Well, hopefully our friend here can shed some light on that mystery."

“Yeah. Good luck. I need to get moving, it’ll take me about half an hour to get to Rosebud.” I turned to walk away, but Cobra gripped my arm.

“Hold up there, buddy. Levi will be here in the chopper. He’s taking you to Rosebud.”

“Really? That’s great.” Relief washed over me like a tidal wave. The chopper would cut precious minutes off the journey to Rosebud. Minutes Blade and Viper may not have.

“When will he be here?”

“About five minutes. Long enough for you to eat before you go.” Cobra gave me the once-over. "You look like you’re running on fumes."

As I nodded, the gnawing emptiness in my stomach made itself known. We fell into formation behind Cobra and Yasmin as they led us back along the hallway. Yasmin opened her bedroom door, and Charlie burst through like a white ball of fluff ricocheting off walls as she darted around our legs. Onyx watched the smaller dog with military restraint as Charlie circled Cobra, yapping at his leg like it was a game.

My battle-hardened shepherd and this cotton-ball excuse for a dog couldn't have been more different if they'd tried.

---