Page 113 of Critical Alliance (Rocky Mountain Courage 3)

THIRTY-TWO

Finally, back at Stone Wolf Ranch, Alex hopped out of the vehicle. He’d put that phone call off too long, and now he had no excuses. He was actually surprised Lynch hadn’t called him. He had three bars.

Agents might swoop down on Hanstech one way or another regarding what could be the murder of a federal agent. And Alex was exactly where he hadn’t wanted to be. Caught in the middle.

Nathan steered away, and Jack got into his vehicle and followed him. Alex hiked away from the house and back toward the cabin where he’d been protecting Mackenzie. He should use his new drone detection device first before he made the call to make sure no one was using a drone to listen to his conversation.

He lugged the case out onto the table and turned it on. While it calibrated, he looked at his cell and noticed that Mackenzie had sent him a text. She could derail him, so he decided he would make the call to Lynch first. Alex tinkered with the device, which didn’t detect a drone. Good enough.

On his cell, he called his superior.

“Lynch,” the guy barked.

His attempt at intimidating Alex? Letting him know he was about to lose his job? If he was going down, he would go down fighting. He would lead this conversation.

“I’ll get right to the point,” Alex said. “There’s a missing prototype drone. We can assume the cybercriminal has physically taken control of it and will deliver it to his contacts soon. Add to that, a federal agent was working undercover at Hanstech and is now dead. Sir, the State Department has a vested interest because it could involve espionage, possible stolen military secrets.” Shut up, Alex. You already tried to make your case last night.

The line was quiet. He thought he’d lost the call, then glanced at it to confirm that, no, Lynch was still there. The man was probably chewing on the information and building up to an explosion. Alex braced himself.

“And you know this how?”

“The CEO of the company shared the information with her sister. I was present for the conversation. Sir, per my original call to you, I have a friend involved. I offered to help because of the time-sensitive activity. I felt it prudent to stay involved.” He was repeating himself, but he wanted reassurance from Lynch. Maybe if he kept quiet, he would get it. He sounded entirely too nervous.

“You agreed to help, and before you knew what hit you, you were in the middle of an illegal and unsanctioned operation.” Lynch groaned. “And I jumped in with you and told you to stay in it. Listen, Alex, I can see how this all happened. I don’t know how the higher-ups will see it. I won’t lie. Both our jobs are on the line now. But what you’ve learned so far could keep us out of trouble.”

“Sir, that was exactly my thinking.”

“I’m glad to hear it. We need to debrief. I need more details. In the meantime, and this sounds strange considering you’re not currently working and your observation wasn’t technically sanctioned, but I need you to stand down.”

“Stand down, sir?”

“No further activity. No communication or involvement. We’ll be seen as stepping into another agency’s operations.”

“The fact is that my friend and her sister are in danger and someone needs to—”

“Agent Knight, let me clarify, officially, you are to stand down and back off.”

“And unofficially?”

“You know what’s at stake.”

Alex barely released his relief. Lynch didn’t say more and instead ended the call.

What was at stake? His career? Military secrets? Mackenzie’s life? He’d made the call and so what? He was still in a precarious position. He wanted to do the right thing—every time.

Serve his country. Respect his superiors. Answer to a higher calling. But what happened when the directives handed down were in conflict with that higher calling?

God, what should I do? What is the right thing for me at this moment?

What would he even say to Mackenzie? That he was headed back to DC and would leave her to finish this alone? Alex fisted his hands.

He stepped onto the porch, only to see Terra marching toward him.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, a new concern building in his chest. “Where’s Mackenzie?”

“Check your messages much? She left with Carson and Nora.”

His heart might have stopped. He struggled to breathe. “What? Why didn’t you keep her here?”