Page 56 of Raven's Claw
Kash glanced at his teammates, then focused on Jordan.“Everyone already knows my opinion.I hate the plan.”
Zain nodded.“You’re not the only one, brother.”
Cannon shuffled as he blew out a rough breath.“I gotta admit, I’m not fond of it, either.We’re just assuming Rook will hand Atticus over instead of simply shooting everyone point blank.Call me crazy, but I’m not that trusting.”
Miller held up his hand.“Granted, I’m not chuffed about it, either, but Jordan knows Rook better than anyone.We need to keep that in mind.”
“I’m not suggesting we don’t.”Kash took a step forward, his gaze locked on Jordan’s.“But there’s got to be a better option than a string of Hail Marys all stitched together.”
The room fell silent, Kash’s last statement lingering in the air.Hanging like a mist about to rain down over them.
Jordan scanned the meager bits of intel Becca had unearthed about the cave, then focused on him.Mouth pinched tight.She looked as if she wanted to say something, then sighed, defeat rounding her shoulders.
Kash closed the distance.“Jordan…”
She huffed.“I don’t like it either.”
“Perfect.Then, we’ll scrap it.”
“But it’s the only way to get Atticus back.”She held up her hand.“I know.You don’t want me to face Rook alone.Don’t trust that he won’t grab the intel, then put a bullet between my eyes.And I get it.That’s what you’d do.You all neutralize the threat, then move on.Except, he’s not like you.”
“The man was a Ranger and a Green Beret.That kind of mentality doesn’t get erased just because he moved to Shadow Ops.”
“That’s not what I mean.”She raked her hand through her hair.“I’m not a threat.Not in the way you’re thinking.He doesn’t want to kill me.”
Zain snorted.“So, blowing that cabin…”
“His men were close enough to track me.They knew I wasn’t inside.The same thing with my rental.They didn’t fill it full of holes until the first team failed, and Kash and I were clear.I’m not saying if they’d terminated me, Rook wouldn’t have shrugged and gone on with his life.But now that he has Atticus — has that leverage over me…” She blew out a heavy sigh.“I’m worth more to him alive.”
Zain shook his head.“That’s great in theory, but you rebelled once.What’s to keep you from simply bailing?I get that in his eyes, he’s invested twenty years in your training, and it’s obvious you’re his go-to agent.But how could he ever trust you to complete a mission when you’d likely bolt at the first chance?”
Jordan stared at Zain before her gaze skipped over to Kash.
Kash cursed.“Me.”
She simply smiled.
“You honestly think he’d be able to sustain a threat on my life for the next twenty years?”
“It wouldn’t just be your life.Zain, Chase.Foster and Mac — anyone else who happens along.Rook has virtually endless resources.He’s the type of guy who’d have a handful of men infiltrate the community, just waiting in case I ever went rogue.”She walked over — took his hand.“You’re all willing to die for me.How can you expect anything less in return?”
“Getting killed while executing a sound plan is one thing.This…” He leaned into her palm when she rested it against his cheek.“This feels like a surrender.”
“That’s because you’re choosing to overlook the part where I’m counting on all of you to save my ass.I know Rook.He’s not going to grab me, then hop on a boat or a chopper you could easily follow.He’ll drag my ass through those tunnels to that giant cave in the center.He’ll be expecting me to have a plan, and that’s where he’ll try to outsmart me.Where you’ll all be waiting to stop him.”
“That’s assuming those tunnels still exist.That they haven’t caved in.”
Jordan pointed to one of the few images Becca had found online.“That photo was taken last fall.I see at least three openings.And Becca did a search.She couldn’t find any evidence of seismic events that suggest there’s been any large-scale cave-ins.”
“Which is great until you’re standing in that chamber, waiting for us to pop out, but we can’t make it more than twenty feet down the tunnels.”
“I know this isn’t how you like to plan your ops.Rook’s a lot of things, but he’s a man of his word.And if we don’t follow his instructions, he’ll kill Atticus, then hold true to his other threat.And I can’t…”
Tears glistened in her eyes, and she turned, but not before a few slipped free — one shattering on the floor the way Kash’s heart cracked at the thought of how much this cost her.That this wasn’t her running.It was her begging them to help her stay.
He moved in close, pressing his chest to her back.“Sweetheart.”
“I’ve never had a family.Never felt as if I belonged… Until now.Until you and your team.”She glanced at him over her shoulder, cheeks damp.Eyes glassy.“There’s nothing I won’t do to protect this.I’m not asking you to give me up.I’m asking you to bring me back.Because I know, no matter what odds you face inside those tunnels, you’ll come out on top.And you’ll be there, waiting, just like we planned.”
