Page 48 of Delta Mission

He shook his head.

Betty added ice cream to the top of her cobbler and handed a bowl to Sutton. “What do you say?”

“Thank you.” Sutton reached for her spoon.

Channing’s phone buzzed. He pulled it from his pocket, read a message, and frowned. He pushed back his chair.

“What’s wrong?” I blinked up at him.

His blue eyes drilled into me. “Talon needs us out back.”

“But it’s dessert time.” Betty glared at him.

“We won’t be long.” Channing grabbed my hand, and the strength of his grip convinced me that whatever was going on, it wasn’t good.

Betty huffed like it was the worst scenario possible.

He led me out to the backyard where a group of chairs were positioned around an unlit fire pit. Talon was already seated, and a woman was with him. When she turned to me, a gasp left my throat. “Marley? What are you doing here?”

Talon clutched a folder to his chest with the word ‘Classified’ stamped in red across the front.

Channing pointed at the file. “What’s going on?”

“We’re in deep shit. That’s what!”

Channing tried to snatch the folder from Talon, but he wouldn’t release it. “What’re you talking about?”

Talon looked at me and let out a long breath. “Remember that kid we left on the rooftop in Colombia?”

“Of course I remember him.”

During that mission to rescue me, Talon had killed every adult in that abandoned school. But while we’d waited on the rooftop for a rescue, a young boy had appeared out of nowhere. Talon had been torn over what to do with him. Leaving him alive had been the right decision.

That kid had watched us run to the chopper, but he didn’t say anything, he didn’t even move.

Talon leveled his gaze at me, and fear inched up my spine at the intensity of his glare. “Well, that little fucker was Sergio Lopez. He’s now twenty-five. And he’s out for revenge.”

THE END