Page 41 of Rogue Hope
“And you’re concerned about Novak’s convenient intelligence,” Harrison completed her thought.
Among other things. But those thoughts she didn’t dare voice. Not even to her mentor. Not yet.
“Your instincts have always been exceptional,” he continued. “If something feels wrong about his involvement, you’re probably right. What do the others think?”
“The team sees his technical contributions. I see patterns that concern me.”
“Understood, and expected. Novak always was an excellent con.” Her mentor sighed, a deep, tired sound. “Have you considered that Cipher could have engineered this reunion? Novak’s been hunting him for years, and all of a sudden he thinks Cipher’s after you? Why now?”
Exactly her concern. “You think it’s a trap?”
“I think caution is warranted. I’ve seen parallel intelligence coming out of the Agency—intel on a private data hub outside Portland, and financial movements through Vancouver. Both showing concerning activity within the past seventy-two hours.”
“Misdirection?” Zara murmured.
“Possibly. My colleagues seem to think so. They’re monitoring the leads for now. And regarding Novak—I can’t tell you what to believe about his motivations. Just remember your first loyalty must be to the mission. If personal history is clouding your judgment, recognize that vulnerability.”
“Of course, sir. Always. That’s why I reached out.”
“Smart thinking. Like usual.” He sighed deeply. “I wish I could offer more help, but the work on Cipher’s being done in another department. If I poke around too much, someone will notice. All I can say for now is watch your back. Don’t discountthe possibility that Novak is trying to play you again. You and I both know it won’t work, but make sure he doesn’t.”
“Thank you for the pep talk, sir.”
“I’m glad you called. I’ll poke around on my end, see if I can scare up some actionable intel on Cipher, or Novak. In the meantime, keep your head on straight. You’re far smarter than he is. Remember that.”
A sharp knock interrupted them. “Zara? I know you’re in there.”
“I need to go,” she said quickly.
“Be careful,” Harrison replied before disconnecting.
No kidding.
She composed herself and opened the door, deliberately blocking entry.
“What?” she asked flatly.
Finn stood tensely in the hallway. “You didn’t respond to my text.”
“I was in the shower. Is there an emergency, or is this just harassment?”
“Who were you talking to?” he asked directly.
“Excuse me?”
“I heard your voice.”
“If you say so. You’re not on my team. I don’t report to you.”
“Back up the train, Khoury. We’re on the same side.”
“Are we?”
Finn squeezed the back of his neck and scrunched up his face. “We’re hunting Cipher while Vanguard hunts us. Isolation and unauthorized contacts are dangerous.”
“So is manic nosiness. I needed five minutes of peace after being social all day.”
“This isn’t a game. Your team doesn’t fully understand the danger.”
