Page 45

CAROLINE

As the door closes behind me, Ryan’s stern expression underscores the seriousness of the moment.

Trevor, Luke, Fisher, and two men I don’t recognize gather around the end of a conference table, reading updates streaming in from a source.

Ryan follows my gaze to the men at the end of the room.

“We boarded the ship. It’s ours,” Trevor says. “Getting the lay of the land. It’ll be deposed shortly.”

He’s talking about the ship they mentioned during my Project Unity debrief. The US and allied partners tracked it for weeks. In my opinion, they should’ve taken it out when they first located the stolen chemical weapons.

If Trevor’s sharing an update… “Is Arrow going?—”

“No,” Ryan answers. “Stolen chemical weapon cargo. Justifiable action. If what we learn implicates an American…” His head shifts, and those ice-blue eyes question, judging my character? No, assessing my performance.

“It’s not Dorian. You believe me, right?”

I glance back at the other men, but their attention is trained on Trevor’s laptop.

“Let’s talk privately,” Ryan says, leading me back to the conference door.

As we exit, Luke’s attention breaks, and with Ryan’s back turned, the look he gives me is pure venom. Damn. He’s pissed.

Because Dorian’s here? Because I didn’t come straight to the office like he asked? Because I’m the second woman he’s dated who has chosen her ex over him?

I can’t worry about his reasoning. I breathe in deeply, blinking away the ridiculous situation.

“Caroline, let’s use Stella’s office,” Ryan says, leading the way.

As I follow him along the hallway, I listen to the subdued chatter and keys. The tension in the air has lessened, yet here I am, following my boss for a private discussion. This is feeling like I’m in for a reprimand.

When he enters Stella’s office, he leans against the front of the desk, half-sitting, half-standing.

“Close the door.”

“Is everything okay?”

“Our military and allies have things under control. At the moment.”

“Stella and Trevor’s son? He’s safe?”

“He’s deployed.” Ryan crosses his arms over his chest, making it clear he won’t share more, and I understand. There isn’t more he can say. “Sophia’s kept us informed.”

I expected as much.

“In a mission, we all play a role. From Arrow’s perspective, you played a vital role in our assignment. Our government and our allies are counting on us to provide accurate intel.”

“Do you have a question?”

The overhead light reflects on the gray hairs sprinkled throughout his short-cropped black hair. His eyes narrow.

“Can we trust you?”

“Absolutely.”

“Don’t be offended by my question. I understand how loyalty can be tested. If someone asked me to choose between my wife and my country…I’ll hold my head up high and stand by my wife.”

“Ryan, you have my word. I’m not lying. I’m not even bending the truth.

Dorian Moore isn’t behind this. And Halston…

” I shrug. “He’s unreliable. He alternates between lucid and…

” I press my lips together, at a loss for the right word.

“In all probability, someone is accessing his accounts and leveraging his network. It’s highly unlikely someone in his deteriorating state could pull this off.

I won’t say it’s impossible, but at the very least, people he hired are executing. ”

“And you believe that person is his financial advisor? This Geoffrey Cromwell?”

“It’s conceivable.” I already relayed all of this to Sophia. I haven’t written it up in a report, but… “Sophia said he exited the country.”

“There’s a flight plan,” he says.

“But no sighting?”

Ryan nods. “If he’s behind this, he’s in the wind.”

“What’s the next step? What do you need me to do?”

“Right now? NSA has their people doing a background on Cromwell, business associations, and Halston Moore’s contacts. The president has asked that he receive a full report.”

“Dorian has nothing to hide.”

“That’s what I needed.”

“What?”

“Your confidence. As for what we do…we wait. We did our part. We narrowed the persons of interest list. Now we wait for additional assignments.”

“Is what I read correct? The National Guard has been deployed?”

“Marines and National Guard are deployed to protect the electrical grid. The news has that right.”

“What do they have wrong?”

“Let’s just say it’s a busy day for the world’s military. If Russia is behind this, this may be their waking the beast moment.”

“Do you think we’ll go to war?”

His lips purse. “If they’re behind this, they’re watching our movements.

Seeing how and where the US and our allies are deploying troops.

They’ll stand down. Wait for a less cohesive and aligned resistance.

” He stands, signaling the end of our meeting.

“As for you, when your husband finishes his call, why don’t you head home? We’ll call you if you’re needed.”

What he’s telling me is that I’m not needed. It’s in the hands of others now. These guys may still be following the investigation, but I’m not needed. Actually, they probably want me to take Dorian away from here.

“As soon as we leave, you’re going to listen to the audio from your office?”

He grins. “I already have someone doing that. Deciphering anything he types might take more time.”

I shouldn’t grin in response, but I do. It’s not personal.

“That’s not to say I don’t trust you,” Ryan emphasizes. “It’s a precaution. The fact that no one has interrupted us means you’re safe to head home with him.”

We’ll head back home. Perhaps return to Rory’s house to get my car. She’s got to be worried.

“Are you back with him?” Ryan’s question is unexpected, but I suppose it’s understandable he’d inquire. We entered the office together. He referred to him as my husband.

“For how long?” I shrug slightly and give my boss a half-hearted smile. “That’s the question.”

“My advice?”

I study the founder of our company, wisdom etched in the corners of his eyes, in his weathered skin and rough-hewn hands. The man has had a storied career, and he garners the respect of all in his employ.

“Please.”

“I’ve never been divorced, by the grace of god.

But I’ve witnessed divorce. Some couples bring out the worst in each other.

And divorce is a blessing. But sometimes—and I expect this is rare—time apart, time to grow, that’s all that was needed.

I had a buddy—I won’t use his name, as you know him—whose divorce wrecked him.

He wanted her back.” Ryan’s eyes grow cloudy, reflective.

He inhales as if snapping himself back from the past. “Looked like it might happen, too, but there was a car wreck. He never got his second chance. Not a real one. Not with her. I’m not saying all this to be morbid.

I’m just saying…we’re not guaranteed tomorrow. Do the important stuff today.”

Sophia’s mother died in a car wreck, and I can’t help but wonder if Ryan is referring to Jack Sullivan, Sophia’s father. Her mother died a long time ago. To my knowledge, her stepmother, Ava Sullivan, has been in her life for ages, since long before I met Sophia.

Ryan claps me on the shoulder and directs me out of the office.

About half of the cubicles now sit empty.

“Is the blackout over?” I ask, pulling out my phone for updates.

“No, but we believe it’s under control. Our part’s done for the moment. We’ve been working nonstop for weeks. We’re sending folks home to rest up and be with their families. It is Saturday, after all.”

“And if the blackout extends here?—”

“Stock up on water,” Ryan says. “Actually, if you need anything, you come here. We take care of our own. We’re prepped. But we’re not expecting the blackout to spread. Government agencies, the Pentagon, they’re all over this. Let’s take the break while we can.”

Through Ryan’s office door, I see Dorian with a phone held out in front of his mouth, his back to me, as he takes in the view from Ryan’s corner office.

Luke steps up. “Do you have a minute?” he asks, glancing between me and Ryan. “I thought we could clear the air.”

Clear the air? He had to choose those words? I thought we cleared the air on the ride from the airport, but I have no choice but to agree, given we’re standing in front of our boss.

“Certainly. Do you want some tea?” I ask, slightly thirsty.

“What do you say we take a step outside?” Luke counters. “I’ve been cooped up indoors too long.”

Dorian appears to be in an intense conversation, one I’m certain an Arrow team member is listening to, and I’m just as certain Dorian knows this and has determined his conversation doesn’t require privacy.

“Yeah. Let’s step across the street.” I’ll bring back something for Dorian, and then I’ll take Ryan up on his offer to call it a day. I’m tired. I woke up in an earlier time zone.

Luke asks one of the guys I don’t know if he wants anything and ends up jotting down a couple of drink orders, which feels unnecessary, since most of us have been told to call it a day.

But, a lot of the Arrow guys are former military, and while we may not be active participants in the mission at this juncture, I understand the desire to get the updates and stay, just in case.

We step through the reception area. The desk sits empty.

Something feels off. The empty reception desk breaks standard security protocol, the building too quiet for an active crisis situation, even if some have been sent home. Perhaps it’s no longer an active crisis situation.

“What—”

A blunt, hard metal object presses into my ribs. Based on the pressure point and angle, likely a Glock 19, standard issue for private security.

“Keep walking. You fight me, and we go to Plan B.”

“Luke.” I draw his name out, buying time to catch up.

“Plan B involves you, dead. And a remote detonator blowing the Arrow Tactical building sky high.”