Page 4 of Burning Justice (Chasing Fire: Alaska #6)

Kane’s heart would’ve broken right then, hearing her say that. Her eyes so dark and sad he didn’t know what to say. But his heart didn’t break, because that organ had been shredded a long time ago.

Over the last two years, she had been slowly healing it, putting the thing back together.

And then breaking it all over again.

He managed to bite out the words “We go together.”

She didn’t like it, but she didn’t move.

Kane made his way to her, where the clearing in front of the house didn’t look like anyone had buried land mines all over it. In fact, if he had to guess, there was a spot to the right like an expansive lawn where a helicopter could land.

“Follow me. Step where I step, just in case.”

“You really think there could be land mines here too? This close to the cabin?”

Behind the two of them, Saxon said, “Makes sense they’d be between the trail and the clearing, but it’s still overkill.”

“These people aren’t known for their subtlety.”

“And yet they’ve gone under the radar until now. This is a huge operation.”

Saxon had a point. Kane said, “The senator should’ve spilled his guts by now, but he hasn’t. So he’s likely more scared of the guy in charge than he is of going to prison for the rest of his life.”

Maria said, “He probably figures he’ll mysteriously die in his cell if he talks.”

Kane smiled slightly, because he actually thought her cynicism was cute. She’d been a CIA agent—cuter. In a stone-cold fox kinda way, as his grandpa would’ve said.

Something moved at the edge of his awareness.

He stopped and tried to catch what it was.

Saxon said, “Two o’clock.”

“I knew that.” All of their instincts were attuned. They’d worked together long enough they could finish each other’s sentences half the time, but that was weird, so they tried not to do it.

Sanchez touched the back of his arm. “We need to get to the house.”

Kane scanned the trees over to the right, at their two o’clock. “It’s an elk. He’ll walk on, even if it isn’t hunting season.”

He stayed with Saxon and Sanchez, the three of them in single file in the middle of a clearing. Sanchez’s fingers held on to his triceps. About as close as they were going to get.

The elk moved between two trees. Where a male would’ve had huge antlers stretching up from its head, this one didn’t. A female.

Sanchez gasped. “There’s a baby.”

“Two of them.” The calves both had brown fur with white spots on their hindquarters. They followed their mama through the trees and out of sight.

Sanchez squeezed his arm.

“Yep.” Kane pulled his elbow forward so she had to let go. He got to the porch, and she hopped up beside him, going faster to the door.

“I’ve got the window.” Saxon moved to the window right of the door, his gun in his hand.

Kane hadn’t drawn his pistol. Anyone inside would’ve taken them out moments after they’d triggered those mines. An early warning system to whoever was inside.

“What do you see?” Kane used an Arabic word that meant “brother.”

Saxon peered in the window. “Clear.”

Kane tugged Sanchez back and squared up on the door. If it blew when it opened, he was the one who would be caught in the blast, not her. After all, he was already dead.

Unless she gave him a reason to live.

The door swung in so hard it hit the wall and bounced back.

Leaves fluttered across the floor. One room, with a single door to a bathroom in the corner.

Kitchen on the left. Cot on the right side that someone had used and not remade.

Dust on everything, and a musty tang in the air. “Someone was here awhile.”

Sanchez stepped into the cabin and wandered around. “Kept prisoner?”

Kane looked at the door again and the grooves in the wood. “Padlocked inside.” With those mines…Why did his mind not want to lose the idea? “With an early warning system.”

“The land mines? Whoever was inside would know if someone came near.”

Kane wasn’t so sure. “Or they’re a way for someone who is elsewhere to know when a person approaches the cabin—or leaves it?”

“Then they rush over here and take care of the problem?” Saxon came in, nearly as tall as the doorframe. “We should get out of here.”

“We should look around and see if there’s anything left behind that will help us.” Sanchez put a hand on her hip but wasn’t about to wait for permission.

Before he’d even formulated an argument, she turned to the cot and a stack of books beside the bed.

Kane looked at Saxon and mouthed, Armed response team.

Saxon tipped his head to the side and replied, mouthing, Militia guys. He actually looked excited for that possibility.

Land mines mean military gear.

Saxon mouthed, We already know they’re connected.

“Are you guys done figuring out what their response will be?”

Kane glanced over at Sanchez, a smile pulling at his mouth. Of course she’d known they were talking while she looked around. “Find anything?”

Outside, someone whistled.

Saxon went to the door.

Kane moved to Sanchez’s side. “What is it?”

“These books.” She held one open, pencil writing in the margin. “This is my father’s handwriting.” She looked up, so much hope in her eyes. “He was here.”

Those big brown eyes filled with tears.

Kane touched her cheek, running his thumb over it. No tears fell, but he could see she wanted to take a moment and grieve what they’d lost. What she’d been looking for since her father was taken from her.

Near as they could tell, the man had been traded like an asset. For years he’d been kept prisoner by criminals across the world. Hidden in dank places, forced to work for them until he outlived his usefulness and they traded him to someone else.

“We’re going to find him.” Kane shifted closer, wanting to take her in his arms. Not telling her something she didn’t already know, but acknowledging that they both needed the reassurance. “We didn’t come this far to quit when we’re so close. We know he’s nearby.”

“But their operation was dismantled weeks ago. Where is he?” Finally, a single tear fell.

Kane wanted to draw her in and kiss her cheek. Wipe away the tear. He didn’t, because that wasn’t what was between them. And it couldn’t ever be.

“Unless…”

“Don’t do that to yourself.”

She sniffed. “We don’t know. He might have turned. He could be helping the last man because he’s joined forces with them.”

“Then why tell Dani about the fail-safe?”

“He could’ve escaped and made contact.”

Kane shook his head. “That’s why we’re finding him, so we know for sure.”

He didn’t want to tell her that when her father had been in captivity for so long, he might’ve given up on being rescued. If it looked like he was working for these people, it could simply be that he felt as if he had no choice but to go along with it because he’d lost his hope.

She was about to speak when Saxon called out from the door. “Time to go.”

Kane knew that tone well enough. He tugged on Sanchez’s arm and moved toward the door with her. “What is?—”

“Chopper inbound.”

Sanchez still had the book. “It could be friendly.”

“It isn’t.” Saxon ducked out the front door and onto the porch. “Get ready to run.”

A split second later, automatic gunfire erupted in the distance, on the far side of the clearing. Bullets slammed into the porch, making a line of holes in the wood. Splinters kicked up. Saxon stumbled back, and Kane steadied his friend.

“Inside.” Kane dragged both of them through the door and slammed it shut as more and more shots hammered into the porch.

He raced to the window and peered through the peeled-back corner of the yellowed film over the glass. A chopper crested the trees and lowered into view in the clearing, firing at them.

A second later, the glass shattered.

Kane fell back.

Sanchez screamed.