Page 28 of Solar Bound
"Shit," she whispered. "I think our cover's blown. That didn't take long."
"Keep walking," Rowan urged. "If they wanted to grab us, they would have already."
Easy for her to say. Dani had left Solar back in that suite, vulnerable and exposed. Her hand twitched, fingers curling as if she could somehow reach through space and pull him to safety. She'd only known him for days, but the thought of Milano getting their hands on him made her physically sick.
The drone followed their movement like a patient predator, maintaining a consistent distance as they continued toward the pool area. Guests lounged in the morning sun, oblivious to the fact that they were sharing space with actual aliens and the people hunting them.
"They're herding us," Rowan said, her voice tense.
"What?"
"They're channeling us away from the Desert Suite." Rowan's eyes darted around, taking in the positions of men who suddenly looked less like maintenance workers and more like operatives. "They want to separate us from Solar and Eclipse."
How could Rowan possibly know that? She was in retreat management. Wasn't she? Suddenly, the woman was acting like some kind of trained spy.
Rowan's phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen and showed Dani a text from an unknown number, "Ms. Clark. Please proceed to the front entrance. Mr. Petersen would like a word."
"They're tracking your phone," Dani said, feeling a rush of adrenaline. "We need to ditch it."
"No," Rowan replied, her fingers already typing a response. "We need to use it."
Dani watched as Rowan bought them time with a bogus reply. She'd underestimated this woman. Beneath the yoga retreat coordinator's exterior was someone who clearly knew how to handle pressure.
"Now we need to move. Fast," Rowan said, steering them toward a small garden shed.
Once inside the cramped, chlorine-scented space, Dani's mind raced. "Okay, so we've established that Milano has the place surrounded. Can we go back now?"
Every second away from Solar felt like torture.
"Not yet." Rowan peered through the small window and seemed to be counting Milano operatives. "We need to figure out how many they have and what kind of equipment they're using. If we go straight back, they'll just follow us to Eclipse and Solar."
A metallic clank sounded on the roof. Both women froze.
"I think they're scanning for us," Rowan whispered. "If they've developed technology to track the aliens..."
The drone emitted a sharp electronic beep, and Dani's blood ran cold. They'd been found.
"We need to move. Now." Rowan grabbed a pool skimmer from the wall and shoved the door open, swinging the pole upward in one fluid motion.
The drone sputtered as its propellers caught in the net, careening sideways and crashing into a cactus.
"Run!" Rowan shouted.
Dani's body reacted before her mind could process, legs pumping as she sprinted after Rowan across the pool deck. Her years of martial arts training kicked in, her breathing controlled despite the surge of panic. Behind them, men shouted, abandoning all pretense of covert operations.
Dani glanced back, and her heart jumped. Three men were gaining on them, reaching inside their jackets for what looked suspiciously like weapons. She veered sharply left, spotting the open-air yoga pavilion.
"This way!"
Twenty peaceful yogis stretched in warrior pose as Dani and Rowan power-walked through their midst.
"Sorry, maintenance emergency," Rowan called to the bewildered instructor.
The Milano men halted at the edge, as if unwilling to cause a scene with so many witnesses. Thank goodness for small victories.
As soon as they cleared the pavilion, they broke into a run again. The muscles in Dani's legs burned, but fear drove her forward. She'd spent her life running—from foster homes, from relationships, from commitment—but this was the first time she'd run toward something worth fighting for.
"We can't lead them back to the suite," she managed through heavy breaths, thinking of Solar.
