Page 54 of Rogue Hope
Her defenses snapped back up. “Why does that matter now?”
“Hello? Explosion? Almost died? Come on, Zara. The location was compromised.”
The medication hadn’t kicked in yet, leaving her raw, exposed. Harrison’s warnings about Finn echoed in her mind, colliding with the evidence of Finn’s own actions—how he’d shielded her from the blast, his gentle care this morning.
The logical part of her brain ran cold calculations. Harrison had directed them to a location that was rigged to explode. The timing was suspect. The bomb had been waiting. These were facts.
But Harrison? The man who’d rebuilt her career, mentored her through her darkest days after Finn’s betrayal? The rock-solid intelligence veteran with thirty years of spotless service? She couldn’t believe it. Wouldn’t. And yet ...
And then there was Finn. Conveniently onsite for the explosion. Saving her should have erased all doubt about his intentions.
Or it was a deliberate mind game. Risky, for sure, but the Finn she knew—the ultimate hacker—never went anything but all in.
She battled the competing instincts—protect her source or help Finn. Trust Harrison, or trust the evidence. If she named Harrison, she’d be placing suspicion on the one person who’d never let her down.
If she didn’t, she might be endangering everyone.
And there was a third option. What if Cipher was playing them all—setting Harrison up just as she’d initially believed Finn had been framed? The mastermind had demonstrated that level of manipulation before.
She met Finn’s steady gaze, recognizing the patience there. He wasn’t pushing, just waiting. Something in that patience, that respect for her process, tipped the scales.
“Harrison,” she admitted finally, the name feeling like a betrayal on her tongue. She watched for his reaction, ready to defend her mentor at the first sign of accusation.
Recognition flashed in his eyes. “Reynolds? You’re still in contact with the old guy? You’ve been out of the agency for three years. Isn’t that … weird?”
“Only for someone who has no trusted friends.”
Finn absorbed the blow without flinching. “And he specifically directed you to Phoenix?”
She didn’t need to respond.
Silence stretched between them as Finn processed. “Has Reynolds been your primary intelligence source throughout?”
“He rebuilt my career from the ashes you left,” she snapped, defensive heat rising. “He’s never given me reason to doubt him.”
“I’m not accusing,” Finn said carefully. “Just mapping possibilities. If Reynolds provided that location, there are only three options: his intel was compromised, he’s being manipulated, or ...”
The unspoken third option hung in the air.
“Harrison Reynolds is not working with Cipher,” Zara stated, though mathematical possibility flickered at the edges of her certainty.
“Director Breen wasn’t either,” Finn said quietly. “Until he was.”
Too true. Breen had been untouchable—until he wasn’t.
“We need to verify Reynolds’ activities,” Finn continued, his tone neutral. “Not because I suspect him. Because we can’t afford blind spots.”
Her analytical training battled emotional loyalty. Logic won.
“Fine. But I don’t want him to know.”
A pained look crossed his face. “All I can promise is we’ll do our best.”
Before she could respond, her phone screen lit up with messages.
Izzy: Anyone heard from the Victoria-Lawrence vanishing act? Also suspicious that Ronan and Maya keep sneaking off for “urgent calls” at the exact same time.
Kenji: CONSPIRACY BOARD ACTIVATED. Current odds: 5:1 they’re on a covert op that involves buffets, 3:1 they’re matchmaking for their kids who don’t know they’re matchmaking them, 2:1 they’ve formed an elderly crime-fighting duo.
