Page 27 of Frostbite

She needed to figure out what.

CHAPTER

THIRTEEN

Olive rubbed her arms,feigning a shiver. “Which room is mine? I’d like to change into something warmer before we settle in for the night.”

Warren looked up from where he stood near the fire. “Second floor, last one on the right.”

Olive glanced toward Rex. “That okay?”

He studied her for a long moment, then nodded. “Take someone with you.”

She inclined her head. “Jason?”

Jason was already rising to his feet. “Wouldn’t dream of letting you freeze alone.”

After grabbing Olive’s bag, they left the others behind, the murmuring voices fading as they started up the creaking staircase.

The inn felt quieter, heavier now. Every floorboard groaned, every gust of wind against the eaves sounded like a whisper.

Her room contained a pine bed with a thick quilt, a small dresser, and a fogged window overlooking the snow-blown yard.

Olive closed the door and then set her duffle on the bed. She unzipped it and, instead of grabbing a sweatshirt, she pulled outher laptop. She sat on the bed, Jason beside her as they prepared to look at the jump drive.

Her fingers brushed the device in her jean pocket, cold and solid. She hesitated before murmuring, “Let’s do this.”

She slid the drive into the port.

The screen flared to life, bathing the room in pale light. Folders appeared on the desktop. She clicked on the flash drive icon.

OPS

SECURITY

INTEGRATION SPREADSHEET

One at the bottom didn’t fit.

FROSTBITE

“What is that?” Her pulse quickened.

“Let’s find out.”

Olive double-clicked the folder.

Most of the files were encrypted, but one opened:

Project Note—Confidential.

Lines of code scrolled and resolved into text.

> Project Frostbite: Internal Memorandum

> Subject: Classified relocation protocol

> Status: Active. Target secure.