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“The duffel has a false bottom to it,” said Sly. “I’ve taken the liberty of loading you up with our latest toys.”

“I love you guys,” smiled Nash.

“Four weapons, ammo, knives, comms devices, all of it. You can even go through security if you need to, and it won’t be found. Your stealth netting vest is in there as well. We’ve tested your comms device, and it’s functioning, along with the GPS attachments. There’s also a GPS tag on the SUV.”

“What about Jenna?” asked Nash.

“She refused, brother. We wanted to give her a tracking tag when she arrived, and she refused. I voted to do it without her knowing it.”

“You were going to inject her tag without her knowing?”

“No,” said Sly, shaking his head. “I was going to give her a bracelet that had tracking software in it. It’s much classier than tagging someone without their permission.”

Nash laughed at the man, shaking his head as he looked at all the things in the bottom of the duffel. From the outside, it just looked like a regular duffel bag. But when you lifted the clothing out of it and pulled the bottom, it was remarkable how much space was in there.

“You good?” asked Sly.

“Yeah. Yeah, I think so. Do you ever just get that feeling that something isn’t right, Sly?”

“All the damn time,” he mumbled. “Part of it is I worry constantly that my cancer will return. It’s been more than thirty years, and I still get scared every time I feel tired or get a cold. It’s ridiculous, really, but I can’t help it.

“Top that with me worrying about my beautiful wife, Suzette. I worry about my teammates and their families, all of it. I’m the guy constantly looking for threats, and it’s exhausting because I usually find one.”

“Sly, I hate to ask this,” started Nash.

“You can stop there,” he smiled. “I’m already looking into things in the area and trying to find any background information on Jenna’s family. It seems strange that they all died within a few years of one another.”

“I never said that, but I damn sure thought it,” he frowned. “It seemed too much of a coincidence. I’m sure I sound paranoid, but I just can’t shake that feeling.”

“Did you meet her family?” asked Sly.

“I knew who her parents were. She introduced me to them once at a school function of some sort. They’d come to pick her up early. Some emergency at home or something.”

“What kind of emergency?”

“I honestly don’t know. I guess I’m going to have about fifteen hundred miles to figure it out and hopefully get her to talk to me.”

“Her full name is Jenna Brooks, right?” Nash nodded at the man. “Was she born and raised in Arizona?”

“As far as I know. Again, it’s not something we ever spoke about.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll figure it all out for you. Just watch your back, Nash. We wouldn’t want to lose either of you.”

“I promise,” he nodded.

“Oh, and Nash? Come home soon.” He smiled at Sly, leaving with the duffel slung over his shoulder.

Standing at the SUV, Jenna was hugging the legal and medical teams, Mama Irene shoving bags of food and coolers into the back of the SUV.

“Mama Irene, we’ll stop for food,” he said, looking at the tiny woman.

“You won’t be stoppin’ for no trashy roadside food,” she said. “George, me, Claudette, and Ruby put together enough food to last you a few days. You gotta stop and eat.”

“We will, Mama Irene,” smiled Jenna.

“Mama, let them go. They need to get on the road,” said Claudette. Irene nodded, walking toward Jenna and opening her arms.

“You do what you need to do to get your spirit right, child. Then you come home where you belong and make a life with us, your family, right here.”

“Oh, Mama Irene,” she sniffed, hugging her. “I wish I’d met you years ago when I really needed guidance. Heck, I need guidance now, I suppose.”

“Just do what Nash tells you, and you’ll be safe,” she said to the woman. “He’s a good man, Jenna. A great man.”

“I know,” she nodded. “He’s a good friend.”

Nash heard that word again and cringed, wondering if he’d ever be thought of as something more than just a friend. He knew that Jenna was still suffering from her wounds, internally and externally, but that word really sent panic through him.

“Nash, you come home, honey,” she said, hugging him.

“I will, Mama Irene. I promise,” he smiled.

He knew that if he couldn’t convince Jenna to return with him, he’d come back. He was already missing Kane and their team. The connection they all shared wasn’t just mental, it was physical. When they were separated, it felt as though they were missing a piece of themselves.

“Ready?” he asked Jenna.

She nodded, nibbling her bottom lip with a look of doubt.

“Jenna, we can wait. We could hold off for a few days, and you could think about it,” he said, hoping she’d say yes.

“No,” she said, shaking her head. “No, it’s okay. I want to do this. I need to do this. I can feel it in my soul that there’s something I have to get settled.”

“Alright, then. Let’s get your soul settled,” he smiled.