Page 65 of Ground Zero

The next morning, Sheridan pulled into Blackout’s parking lot and immediately knew something was wrong.

Three black FBI vehicles sat near the entrance, along with a mobile command unit. This wasn’t a small follow-up team. Why hadn’t Cook told her they were coming?

Unless he didn’t trust her.

Her phone buzzed with a message from Maverick.

In position. All quiet so far.

He’d set up the meeting, and Jake had promised to meet him in a couple of hours. Maverick had wanted to get to the ferry dock early to keep an eye on things.

She typed back.

Be careful.

He responded with:

You too.

She deleted the messages before stepping out of her car and drawing in a deep breath.

This was it. Showtime.

As soon as she entered the building, she saw Assistant Director Cook.

Cook’s face told the story of every hard case he’d worked—deep lines around tired gray eyes, a nose that had been broken at least twice, and a permanent five o’clock shadow that suggested long hours were his norm.

At one time, he might have been handsome, back before the job wore him down to sharp edges and bitter pragmatism. Now, his broad shoulders hunched slightly forward, as if he was always ready to charge into the next crisis.

His voice boomed across the lobby. “Agent Mendez. In the conference room. Now.”

He hadn’t wasted any time . . .

She swallowed a knot of anxiety and followed him to the same conference room where she’d first met with Ty and Colton. This time, the place was full of FBI agents, some she recognized, others she didn’t.

Ty Chambers stood in the corner, his expression unreadable. Colton Locke sat at the table, a haggard look in his gaze. Police Chief Cassidy Chambers had her phone to her ear as she paced in the distance.

Jake was here also, she realized. Not meeting Maverick. But it wasn’t too late for him to leave. He still had time.

She’d keep her eye on him.

But the possibility remained that Jake hadn’t really texted Maverick. It could have been someone else pretending to be Jake.

“Sir?” She kept her voice steady despite her racing pulse as she turned to Cook. “I wasn’t expecting to see everyone back?—”

“Plans changed.” Cook’s tone sounded clipped. “We intercepted some message Adams sent. He tried to put the base in Norfolk on high alert. I’m not sure what game he’s playing. We found other communications that indicate he’s working with someone and planning something big. The words ‘mass casualties,’ ‘explosion,’ and ‘9/11’ were mentioned. Either way, the message came from Lantern Beach. He’s still here somewhere.”

Sheridan’s mind raced. Had he sent those messages when she wasn’t looking?

What if all this time he’d been playing her?

No. She stopped her thoughts. That wasn’t what happened.

She could trust him. Someone had set him up.

Still, a trace of doubt remained. She’d be stupid if she didn’t consider the possibility that trusting him had been a mistake.

“What can I do?” She stared at Cook, trying to read the truth in his expression.