Page 23 of Code Name: Tank (K19 Sentinel Cyber #4)

“That James suspects Flint is behind these thefts. At least a major player.”

“Makes sense. Why wouldn’t he just say that, though?”

“That’s what’s troubling me. I mean, if there’s significant risk, we should be made aware of it.”

Tank nodded. “Let’s go check in and see what he might’ve told Admiral.”

“Anything?” Admiral asked when we walked in.

“A laptop and a couple of burners.”

Admiral’s eyes scrunched, and Alice spun the rest of the way around in her chair.

“Where are they?” Atticus asked, noticing neither Tank nor I had them.

“Hartwell took them with him when he left.”

“What do you mean?” Admiral asked. “I knew transport was on the way, but he said nothing about removing evidence.” Admiral’s gaze met Alice’s.

“Did he say why he wasn’t leaving it with us?” Alice asked.

“Something about Treasury needing to process them,” I replied.

Alice nodded. “Wait. Did you say Treasury? That seems odd.”

“Very,” I said under my breath. “What’s our next step?”

Admiral looked around the table. “We continue investigating from our end. Alice, keep working on those files with Tex. Tank, Dragon—I want you to follow up on any other leads while we wait to hear back from Hartwell.”

“Come with me,” Tank said, motioning to the hallway.

“What’s up?”

“I’m gonna call my recon contacts. See what they found. If anything, I want you to hear it at the same time I do.”

My head cocked.

“We’re partners, Dragon, remember?”

“Right. And partners can’t brief each other after a phone call.” The command center door shut behind us.

“Sure they can, but they probably wouldn’t do this.” He snaked his arm around my waist and pulled me close. “Okay if I kiss you?”

“You never have to ask.”

It was brief but needed.

“Got some interesting findings in the overhead footage you requested regarding Canada Lake activities,” said the man Tank called.

“Yeah? What?”

“Thermal imaging from last night shows a small watercraft approaching your compound’s shoreline near Sandy Point around twenty-three hundred hours. Single occupant disembarked, appeared to have brief interaction with someone already on shore, then both departed via the same boat.”

My pulse quickened.

“What happened next?” Tank asked.

“The boat proceeded to the coordinates I’m sending you now—close to the entrance to West Lake. Thermal shows it pulled up close to the shore and the occupants disembarked. Heat signatures moved inland toward what appears to be a vehicle access point.”

“How many signatures?”

“Two total.”

“Does what you’re seeing suggest voluntary departure or forced extraction?”

“Most likely voluntary. I’ll send this over for your team’s review.”

“Anything else noteworthy?” I asked.

“Vehicle thermal suggests SUV or similar, civilian plates. We’re tracking its route now, but the heavy tree coverage sometimes interferes with clean signals.”

After Tank ended the call, we returned inside.

“They have something,” Tank said. “They’re sending it over now.”

Alice pulled the footage up on the display, zoomed in, and played it slowly.

“This looks voluntary to me,” said Admiral after we’d watched it a few times.

“Appears that way. Question is whether he was meeting a contact, fleeing from something, or coordinating with accomplices,” said Atticus.

I agreed. It could’ve been any of those things.

By the time Admiral called it a day, saying we’d reconvene at zero seven hundred, darkness had settled over Canada Lake.

“Long day,” I said as we reached the fork between our two camps. “So…”

He raised a brow. “What’ve you got in mind, Piper?”

I grinned. “My place or yours?”

“Mine tonight? Would that be okay?”

Tank smiled. “Darlin’, anywhere with you is more than okay by me.”

As soon as we were inside, he moved behind me, pulling me against him. I turned in his arms, and his mouth found mine with urgent need. My response was instant and hungry, my hands fisting in his shirt as our tongues battled for dominance.

“Tank,” I whispered against his lips.

“Right here, darlin’.”

This time when we made love, it carried a different intensity than our first night together. Less desperate exploration, more deep connection. The way Tank touched me, the reverent attention he paid to my every response, made me feel cherished in ways I’d never experienced.

Later, as I lay curled against his side, I felt something I hadn’t in three years—maybe ever—complete trust. Not just in Tank, but in myself. In my judgment, in my instincts, in my ability to choose well.

“Morning,” I murmured, when dawn broke and I turned to face him.

“Beautiful morning,” he replied, though he wasn’t looking at the window.

My cheeks flushed, but I didn’t look away. “Sleep well?”

“Better than I have in months.” He brushed a strand of hair from my face. “You?”

“Same.” I settled more comfortably against him.

“What’s on your mind, darlin’?” he asked.

“Can you really read me that easily?”

“I’ve been staring at you every chance I get for over a year.”

“Well, since you asked…”

“Go on,” he urged.

“It’s about Flint.”

Tank nodded. “I figured. Now, come on, out with it.”

“I keep thinking about the timeline. Flint disappears right after that confrontation at my camp, right after he saw us…” I trailed off, color rising in my cheeks again.

“Right after he saw us kiss,” Tank finished. “You think that triggered something?”

“Maybe. I mean, he was trying to win me back, so to speak. But I’m sure he already knew it was a lost cause. My guess is the timing was coincidental.”

This time, he shook his head. “There are no coincidences. If your gut’s telling you something, you need to listen.”

“I wish it would tell me louder and faster.” As much as I wanted to stay in bed for another hour, to pretend the outside world could wait while we explored this new dimension of our partnership. I knew we couldn’t. “We should get to the command center.”

“Shower first?” Tank suggested.

“Together?”

The hopeful tone in my voice made him grin. “Definitely together.”

By zero six-forty-five, we were dressed and ready to face whatever the day brought. Tank hadn’t changed, but when I asked, he said nobody would be paying attention to what he had on with me in the room.

“I don’t know about that. Atticus finds a way to give you grief about everything he can.”

Tank chuckled. “You’re probably right. I’ll swing by my place on our way up.”

“I don’t know about you, but I need a coffee to-go this morning.”

“I’d love one.”

I went into the kitchen, opened the cupboard to get out the coffee beans, and froze. Right in front sat an old photograph. One I’d seen before but, not for over three years. It was taken in Prague—Flint and me—in front of the embassy.

“Piper?” Tank said, coming around the corner.

“Look at this.” I held it out.

He turned it over. “This says, ‘Trust + leverage = betrayal without choice.’ Someone left this for you to find.”

“When?” My hands trembled when he gave the photo back to me. “I was in and out of here so quickly yesterday. I mean, I don’t even remember the last time I made coffee here rather than just waiting until I was at the command center.”

“What do you think it means?”

“No idea, but if anyone can solve this riddle, it’s Alice.”

He nodded. “Let’s go.”

“What about coffee?”

“We’ll get it while she tries to figure this out.”

I nodded as well. “Good thinking.”