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“Obviously.” What was wrong with the man?
“I wasn’t there. Haven’t been. Ever. What made you think I was?”
Bridger’s stomach lurched and the edges of his ears tingled. He and Tai shared a meaningful look.
Trouble.
Jason immediately confirmed it. “Get Kate and Fenn out of there. Now.”
16
“The place has beenon my radar for a while now,” Jason confessed. “Consortium’s strong in the area. I know for sure they’ve got spies at the Canadian Military outpost.”
A chill raced down Bridger’s spine. He caught Tai’s eye, seeing his own concern mirrored there.
Tai was already tapping away at his tablet. “I’m pulling up the weather forecast now and… Oh, man.”
Bridger leaned over Tai’s shoulder, his stomach sinking as he saw the angry red swirl of an incoming storm.
“Looks like nobody’s getting in or out of Endurance anytime soon,” Tai said grimly.
“Send a message,” Bridger ordered Tai.
Tai nodded, big fingers working the screen of his phone. After a minute, he looked up, his expression even more pained. “All I get is ‘message undeliverable.’ I can’t reach Kate or Fenn. I’ll run this by Paige,” he said, and bent his head over the screen.
“No way the Consortium won’t know they’re there,” Bridger guessed.
“Not likely,” Jason agreed. “Clearly, they dropped some bait to lure you all out there.”
“But then they let us leave.”
“That’s what’s got me worried,” Jason said. “They don’t blow their noses without an elaborate plan. Seems like a huge waste to get you all there for nothing.”
Bridger’s gut burned. “You think they sabotaged the plane? They probably knew a few of us would stay.”
“Affirmative.” Jason blew out a huge breath. “I have to find a way to get out there. This is on me. If I had kept in better contact, you wouldn’t have headed out there looking for me. Kate and Fenn wouldn’t be––”
“Don’t go there, bro.” Bridger made no effort to soften his sharp tone. “You’ve been shouldering this Consortium business on your own for too long now. This is why we need to work together. Don’t let these people tear our team apart.”
Silence rang over the line. “Copy that. We can talk this through later. After we get Kate and Fenn home.”
“Back atcha, dude.”
Tai made a frustrated sound and strangled his phone. “Sun flares. Can you believe it? The place is literally dark twenty-four seven, but Paige says there’s huge sun activity right now. It’s fritzing out satellites and electronic gear all the way into the upper US. Might be a day or two before we can get any kind of message to them.”
Jason groaned. “I’ll see if I can help from my end.”
Footfalls came toward them. Bridger looked over his shoulder. “Jane’s coming back.”
“Let’s keep this off her radar, for now,” Jason suggested. “It’s almost Christmas.”
Bridger consulted Tai with a look.
“Jay-man’s got a good point,” Tai agreed. “Another couple days, at least. See if we can get some more specific intel.”
“Intel on what?” Jane asked as she snuggled up to Bridger, winding an arm through his.
Jason coughed. “Need to know, baby sis.”