Page 54 of Ground Zero (Lantern Beach Blackout: Detonation #3)

T he next day, the conference room at Naval Station Norfolk was packed. FBI, Navy brass, British naval officers, and Blackout’s leaders had all gathered with the media surrounding them.

Maverick stood at the front, wearing borrowed Navy clothes since his were back in Lantern Beach. Sheridan stood beside him.

The press conference was scheduled to begin in fifteen minutes. Though everyone had assumed this incident would remain quietly covered up, the government had gone in a different direction. They’d released a CliffsNotes version of what had happened.

Now Maverick and Sheridan were both being honored for their hard work and sacrifices.

Maverick could live without the attention. But he was thankful for this outcome. Things could have turned out so much differently

Kyle had been arrested, and Rebecca would be arrested as soon as she was medically cleared. She’d survived her gunshot wound—though barely. From what they’d heard, neither seemed remorseful over what they’d done.

Maverick knew Sheridan was still reeling over her friend’s betrayal. Anyone in her shoes would be. Personal betrayals hurt the most.

Including the fact that Kyle had been ready to stab them all in the back. Though he’d said he’d initially been coerced into doing what he did, there had still clearly been a part of him that believed in Sigma.

And because of Kyle, Sarah was dead. Senselessly dead.

Brass’s faked death was being investigated.

Cook paced over and extended his hand to Maverick. “I owe you an apology. We should have listened to Agent Mendez from the beginning. I suppose we had a bit of tunnel vision.”

Maverick shook the man’s hand, noting the humility in Cook’s expression. “You were following the evidence designed to make me look guilty.”

“Still, we should have done better.” Cook shook his head and turned to Sheridan. “Agent Mendez, your instincts were correct. Your methods were . . . unorthodox, but you saved thousands of lives. The Bureau owes you a huge debt.”

“Just doing my job, sir.”

“No,” Cook said. “You went far beyond that.”

As Cook was called away, Ty, Colton, Jake, Atlas, and Hudson appeared in a circle around them. Maverick hadn’t had a chance to really talk to his colleagues since all of this happened. The government had been too busy questioning him.

“Maverick, I can’t express how sorry I am that you had to go through all this,” Ty started. “I feared we had a mole within Blackout, but I didn’t know who. I didn’t want to believe it was any of my guys.”

“None of us did,” Jake added with a deep frown. “Kyle played us all.”

“I still can’t believe he would do something like this,” Hudson shook his head, his gaze heavy. “I would have staked my life on his innocence. In my defense, I didn’t think you were guilty either, Mav.”

“I’m just glad this is all over,” Maverick said.

Sheridan squeezed his hand. “Me too.”

Colton leaned closer and lowered his voice. “But here’s what worries me. Based on everything we’ve learned, Rebecca was basically middle management in Sigma. Someone else higher up is calling the shots.”

“You’re right. Someone is.” Maverick’s jaw tightened as he realized this wasn’t over yet.

They needed to cut the head off of the snake. Otherwise, the attacks would continue happening.

After the press conference, Sheridan felt herself finally relax, even if it was just slightly.

Maybe she could finally breathe—at least until her next assignment.

The past few days had been such a whirlwind, and that wasn’t including the investigation that had led her to Lantern Beach in the first place.

She still couldn’t get over Rebecca’s involvement in this. She could only imagine how Danny would feel if he knew.

He’d be devastated.

Sheridan was considering visiting Rebecca in the hospital. She hadn’t decided yet. There was no answer Rebecca could offer that would feel satisfying. Maybe Sheridan should simply trust the justice system now to do their job and make Rebecca pay for what she’d done.

Even people who seemed the most trustworthy could sometimes be swayed or bought. But she still held onto the belief that there were good people out there. People who wouldn’t stab you in the back.

People like Maverick.

Her heart warmed at the thought of him beside her. They had so much to talk about.

A man she’d never seen before approached them as they were ushered out of sight of the press.

“Trey . . .” Maverick said beside her.

So this was the elusive Trey. The man was exceptionally tall—probably six-five—with dark hair and a square face.

He reached for Maverick’s hand. “We all have a lot to thank you for.”

“You deserve a lot of thanks as well,” Maverick said. “I appreciate you sounding the alarm at the base. If those explosives had detonated . . .”

“It would have been ugly,” Trey finished. “I’m glad it all worked out.”

“Me too.”

They chatted a few more minutes before Trey left them alone.

Sheridan touched Maverick’s arm as she peered up at him. “You doing okay?”

“Getting there.” He studied her face. “What about you? The two of us haven’t really had time to talk. What about your career with the FBI? Is it?—”

“It’s intact. Cook’s actually recommending me for a promotion.” She smiled. “But I’m thinking about taking some time off first. Maybe not a lot of time. But a few days at least.”

“Oh, yeah? Some time off sounds really good right now. You have any plans?”

She grinned. “Actually, I do. I’m thinking about unwinding on a secluded little island off the coast of North Carolina.”

Maverick raised his eyebrows as a smile tugged at his lips. “That sounds like the perfect place to unwind.”

“From what I hear, I may be able to be down there as early as Saturday.”

“That’s only in a couple of days.” He tilted his head.

“I was hoping you might meet me at the beach Saturday morning. At the same spot where we first met.”

His eyes crinkled at the edges. “Where you tackled me?”

“Where I arrested a suspected terrorist who turned out to be a hero,” she corrected.

Maverick’s grin widened. “I’ll be there. Eight hundred pounds of explosives couldn’t hold me back.”