Page 51 of Max Bannon

I opened a secure chat and typed a quick message to Frasier, Max, Axel, and Turner, my SEAL brothers who lived on Fraiser Mountain.

‘Need intel sweep. Subject: Derek Jacob Holloway. Cold trail, but he’s local. Might be escalating—possible pattern. Need confirmation if Jenna McCrae is connected. And if he’s made it to Honeywood.

Frasier replied instantly:

I'm on it. Sending Axel your way for backup. Stay sharp.

Good. That gave me time to prep.

I looked back at Willa one more time.

She trusted me to keep her safe.

And now? I was going to do more than that.

I was going to end this.

I was on my second cup of coffee when I heard the low rumble of tires on gravel.

Axel didn’t use GPS or text his time of arrival.He just showed up when he showed up—like a ghost with a Glock and a perfect beard.

The Jeep stopped, and a second later, the door creaked open.

He stepped out in all black, boots silent against the dirt, backpack slung over one shoulder.

“Morning,” he said like it wasn’t barely six a.m.

“You sleep?”

“On the plane.”

“Eat?”

“Jerky.”

“Still a robot, I see.”

Axel grinned slightly. “Let’s get to work.”

I filled him in while he unpacked his gear—drone, high-res cameras, and a laptop that could probably reroute satellites if we asked nicely. He listened silently, nodding once when I mentioned the photo.

“Guy’s escalating,” he said. “Leaving that picture was bait.”

“I’m not biting,” I said. “I’m building the damn trap.”

We were halfway through syncing the security feed to a secure line when I heard the creak of the floorboards behind me.

Willa.

She stood there still in my flanel, her hair a wild halo of blonde waves, blinking like she wasn’t sure if she was dreaming or about to yell at someone.

“Um. You invited company?” she asked groggily.

Axel turned around. “Ma’am.”

She blinked at him, then me. “Is this… another SEAL?”

“He’s the quiet one,” I said.

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