Page 69 of Critical Alliance (Rocky Mountain Courage 3)

TWENTY

End Hunger Games”?

Of course her father would have come up with something so creative and inspiring that would end with employees delivering the nonperishable items won at the event to local food banks. But Mackenzie was no archer and missed her target in this sort-of tag challenge incorporated into a rigorous boot camp–style obstacle course.

But maybe this wasn’t a waste of time and participating would help her find the insider who’d facilitated the gateway to cybercrime at Hanstech. Beyond that, Nora’s life could be at risk, and Mackenzie didn’t like the idea of her sister running around in the woods. She thought she and Nora would do the course together, but that hadn’t happened.

Where are you, Nora?

Alex would be furious with this turn of events since he believed she was safe inside the building—the only reason he was willing to leave her.

Just make it through.

The activity would end at some point. Right? Well, maybe not soon enough. Sweat poured from her as she climbed a rope and swung across a small creek, then fell onto the other side, her head barely missing a rock. The two-mile course had been created to start about a mile from the Hanstech campus. She’d guess all these people participating were in shape, had practiced many times. A woman ran past her.

Red team.

Mackenzie was on the blue team.

Another red team member ran past—a guy this time. His Nerf archery gear was attached to his back. You had to keep all your gear throughout the obstacle course. He didn’t stop to offer a hand and help her up. Of course—it was red against blue. Why would he?

She pushed up onto all fours, pulling her face from the well-beaten path of the obstacle course where many a shoe had roamed.

“You okay?” A man thrust out his hand.

He was on the blue team too. “Thanks, but I’m good.”

She hopped to her feet as if she had all the energy in the world. At least when she finally returned to Michigan, she knew to up her physical fitness game.

On her feet, she dusted off the dirt. “You must do this a lot.”

Drenched in sweat, he shrugged. “You get used to it. Too bad we couldn’t have done paintball today. I prefer that to the archery.”

“Me too.” Um ... not really.

He turned and continued jogging down the trail. More participants passed her.

Mackenzie would hike the rest of the way. She was done running the course like everyone else. What about people who couldn’t participate for health reasons, or refused?

“On your left.”

Mackenzie slowed and turned to watch her sister—on the opposing red team—jogging toward her.

“I’m surprised to see you pulling up the rear of your team,” Mackenzie said.

“You’re last too. So whichever one of us is faster is going to win for our team.”

Nora passed her.

Mackenzie would walk the rest of the way, so she wouldn’t be catching up to Nora. She wasn’t accustomed to this kind of daily activity, though she had been at one time. She gasped for breath but emerged from the trees in time to see the red team cheering Nora on when she hit the target with her last Nerf arrow, then ran past the stone markers.

At least this was over.

And oddly, the blue team, who had lost because of her, cheered her on, then clapped her damp back when she practically dragged her feet—one foot in front of the other, that’s all she had to do—over the invisible line. Everyone was pumped, except for her. She could see the smiles and the camaraderie. No one was in pain.

Except Mackenzie.

Everyone else seemed exhilarated by the challenge. Dad had been right. Team building helped coworkers get to know each other even better over time. But she hadn’t learned anything that could help her discover who inside the company had helped the cybercriminal get into the system.