Page 85 of Rogue Hope
Reynolds smiled thinly. “History is written by the victors, Mr. Novak. And I intend to be victorious.” He checked his watch again. “Which brings me to the matter of your cooperation.”
“Not happening,” Zara and Finn said in perfect unison.
Reynolds nodded to one of the Vanguard operatives, who produced a tablet and handed it to him. “Perhaps this will change your minds.”
He turned the screen toward them, displaying real-time biometric data from each Knight Tactical team member’s gear. Five distinct signature patterns—labeled Ronan, Axel, Griffin, Maya, and Deke—showed elevated heart rates and declining oxygen saturation levels. A topographical overlay indicated their position deep within the Blackridge Mine complex, with flashing red warnings highlighting a sealed section.
Zara made a sound deep in her throat.
“They’re currently trapped in the eastern shaft of the Blackridge Mine,” Reynolds explained calmly. “As you can see, their vitals are already showing signs of oxygen deprivation. The biometric sensors in their gear don’t lie.” He zoomed in on the oxygen readings, which were steadily dropping. “I estimate they have approximately three hours before hypoxia sets in. Perhaps another hour after that before death.”
Finn studied the data, his training automatically searching for inconsistencies but finding none. Knight Tactical’s biometric monitoring systems were state-of-the-art—designed to track operatives’ vital signs in the field. The signatures appeared authentic.
“What do you want?” Zara’s voice was barely audible.
“Your willing participation in accessing Sentinel Network using the Solomon Key,” Reynolds replied. “In exchange, I will provide the exact coordinates of your team’s location to rescue personnel.”
“How do we know you’ll keep your word?” Finn demanded.
Reynolds spread his hands. “You don’t. But consider the alternatives. Refuse, and your friends die. Cooperate, and they at least have a chance.”
Finn’s gaze found Zara’s across the room. In that moment of silent connection, something passed between them—something Reynolds, for all his intelligence and manipulation, couldn’t comprehend.
A shared faith.
Reynolds might control their physical circumstances, but he couldn’t touch their spirits. He couldn’t break the bond that had formed between them through fire and pain.
“We’ll need time to discuss this,” Zara said, her voice stronger now.
“Of course.” Reynolds’ smug smile suggested he believed he’d already won. “You have one hour. Though I suspect the decision is already made.”
As Reynolds and his operatives moved toward the door, a strange calm settled over Finn. The kind of peace he’d only experienced in moments of true spiritual clarity.
The Lord hadn’t brought them this far to abandon them.
His eyes met Zara’s again, and in her steady gaze, he found the confirmation he needed. Together, they would find a way through this darkness.
Reynolds had manipulated everything else, but he’d made one critical miscalculation.
He’d brought them together.
And together, they were far more dangerous than he could possibly imagine.
46
The concrete floorbeneath Zara’s legs had long since leached all warmth from her body, but her mind remained razor-sharp. More than sharp—surprisingly energized. The clarity was almost startling after months of increasing fatigue and pain.
Now she understood why.
Her symptoms hadn’t been worsening naturally; they’d been chemically induced or exacerbated. That explained the unusually severe flares, the medication’s diminishing effectiveness, the cognitive fog that had plagued her strategic thinking.
She glanced across the dimly lit gym at Finn, bound hand and foot to a weight bench. Two of Harrison’s Vanguard operatives flanked him, weapons drawn but attention clearly wavering after hours of the same assignment.
Despite his restraints and the trickle of dried blood at his temple, his eyes remained alert, tracking her movements with subtle precision.
Finn blinked twice, deliberately, then flicked his eyes toward the guards.I’m ready.
Attention on the guards, she nodded the second they looked away. Her old mentor had been meticulous in his planning—separating the team, creating false intelligence, securing them in this isolated facility. But his very thoroughness created exploitable patterns. His confidence that he’d broken her—physically and mentally—might be their greatest advantage.
