Page 39 of Rogue Hope
Zara accepted the plate Maya handed her, carefully positioning herself in the only available space—which happened to be directly across from Finn.
Deke forked up a mouthful of salad. “Finn was telling me about a communications setup he developed for solo operations in non-permissive environments. Completely off-grid, minimal electronic signature.”
Zara watched as her teammates leaned forward with interest while Finn explained the technical aspects with understated competence. The conversation flowed comfortably, her team accepting his expertise without reservation. Somewhere during the explanation, she noticed the thin silver chain around his neck, partially visible beneath his casual Henley.
“That’s beautiful,” Maya observed.
Finn’s hand moved to the necklace, a subtle gesture that seemed almost unconscious. “Thanks. Had it about five years now.”
“Since your conversion?” Ronan asked casually, the question revealing previous conversations Zara hadn’t been privy to.
“Afterwards. Found my way back to faith in a small church in Croatia, of all places. After years of ...” he paused, glancing briefly at Zara before continuing, “darkness, I suppose.”
Was he saying he’d come to the Lord?
She couldn’t believe it. Or rather, she wanted to believe it so badly, she couldn’t let herself.
The conversation shifted naturally to Axel’s hilarious story about attending church with his grandmother in Louisiana, then to Maya’s experience growing up the daughter of an LAPD detective. Zara felt herself drifting to the periphery of the conversation, unsettled by this new dimension to the man she’d convinced herself she knew completely.
After the meal, the usual games began. First, volleyball.
Zara found herself partnered with Griff and Maya against Deke, Axel, and—inevitably—Finn. Despite her reluctance to engage, her natural competitiveness soon had her fully involved, calling plays and strategizing with her teammates.
“Cross-court!” Griff warned as Axel set the ball high.
Zara moved instinctively, intercepting Finn’s powerful spike with a perfect dig that Maya converted into a return attack. The point went to their team, prompting genuine celebration from Griff—a rare sight that momentarily distracted Zara from her awareness of Finn’s presence.
As the sun began its descent toward the treeline, casting the lake in amber and gold, the group migrated to a circle of chairs around a small firepit. The conversation flowed easily from topic to topic—missions carefully referenced in code, shared experiences, future plans.
Ronan and Maya exchanged concerned glances before quietly stepping away from the group, their heads bent together in worried discussion.
“Everything okay?” she asked when they returned, noting the tension in Ronan’s shoulders.
“Just trying to reach my dad,” Maya explained, her casual tone not quite masking her distress. “He was supposed to check in yesterday. Probably lost track of time again.”
“He always does,” Ronan added reassuringly, though something in his eyes suggested deeper worry. “Unlike my mother, who’s internal clock is never wrong.”
Zara’s phone vibrated with an incoming message. The team group chat illuminated her screen:
Izzy:Satellite confirms optimal beach weather. Require photographic evidence that none of you drowned during whatever competition Axel designed. Also, did Griffin actually wear shorts? This is crucial intelligence.
Axel immediately responded with a series of increasingly ridiculous group photos, including one perfectly timed shot of Griff mid-eye-roll that would certainly become team legend. The exchange momentarily lightened the mood, drawing everyone’s attention away from Maya and Ronan’s concern.
As twilight deepened, Zara found herself increasingly aware of Finn’s integration with her team. He’d somehow managed to find common ground with each of them—discussing the successful trace methodology with Deke, advanced tracking techniques with Griffin, theological questions with Ronan, medical innovations with Kenji. The ease with which they accepted him felt like a small betrayal, though she recognized the irrationality of the feeling.
“I should get back,” she announced finally, rising from her chair. “Early planning session tomorrow.”
“I’ll drive you,” Kenji offered immediately, his medical instincts likely noting signs of fatigue she thought she’d hidden.
“I’m fine,” she insisted. “The walk will do me good.”
Kenji gave her a skeptical look.
“Headquarters is only a mile down the trail,” she added. “I’ll text when I arrive.”
As she gathered her things, she felt Finn’s eyes on her but deliberately avoided his gaze. The careful distance she’d maintained throughout the day felt insufficient. She needed space—from the team’s easy acceptance of him, from hisapparent redemption arc, from the complicated emotions his presence continued to evoke.
“Zara,” Finn’s voice stopped her at the edge of the clearing. He’d followed her a short distance from the group.
