Page 12 of Ground Zero

The cottage felt like stepping back in time. Braided rugs stretched across wide-plank floors, a kitchen table showed the rings from countless coffee cups, and the walls were lined with black-and-white photographs of the beach.

The place wasn’t fancy, but it was the kind of home where people could escape the complications of the modern world.

Despite that, her every muscle was poised with caution.

She could be here with a terrorist right now, and no one knew where she was.

But if Maverick was a terrorist, then who were those men on the beach?

Nothing made sense.

Even worse, her boss would be calling again any minute now to ask for an update.

She had to figure out exactly what she was going to say.

She ran her hand down the kitchen counter as her thoughts brewed. “Are we safe here?”

“We should be.” Maverick peered out the window as if to confirm they hadn’t been followed. “No one knows about this place except me.”

“No one?” She quirked an eyebrow. “How is that even possible?”

“I like to keep work as work and my personal life personal. And this place is a part of my personal life.” He paced back into the small kitchen.

Sheridan wondered for a moment if he had a girlfriend who lived here. The place did have a few feminine touches around—some houseplants, new decorative pillows, a couple of candles.

But Maverick’s romantic status didn’t matter, so she wouldn’t ask. They had much more serious things to discuss.

As if he were reading her mind, Maverick walked to a desk in the corner. He dropped into the chair there and turned on a laptop.

Her forehead wrinkled with curiosity as she watched him. “Is that yours?”

He shook his head as he waited for the computer screen to boot up. “No, but it will work for now. I just can’t stay on too long or someone might track my location.”

Sheridan had to admit that the man was fascinating. Maverick was tough but smart. Handsome but humble. A surfer, former soldier, and computer tech all rolled into one.

She wanted to know more about this man than simply what she’d read on paper.

But the most important thing right now was getting to the bottom of who had caused this most recent cyberattack.

All the evidence she’d seen pointed to the man in front of her.

Her resolve hardened. She couldn’t let her emotions cloud her judgment. She knew better.

Maverick typed in several things before muttering something under his breath.

She stepped closer, her posture rigid. “What is it?”

Maverick didn’t answer. Instead, he continued typing fast and furious. Then he finally leaned back and shoved himself away from the computer.

He ran his hands through his hair, leaving his curls standing up as he muttered, “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Sheridan stood beside him, her arms crossed and her curiosity blazing. “What’s going on?”

He shook his head as he stared at the screen. “My access has been revoked.”

“Revoked from what?”

“Blackout.”