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CHAPTER FORTY

C allan tried to feel optimistic.

Grant was not only a former Green Beret and a current police detective, he and his wife were part owners of a private security company. His wife, the model-beautiful blonde in the library playing the part of bodyguard, had actually been a bodyguard.

That would teach Callan to judge a book by its cover.

Grant had called on their other bodyguard buddies, who were on their way up from Boston. He was seated at the table, staring at a screen containing a map of the island, and talking on the phone to a man named Bartlett, another owner of the security company. They were strategizing.

Gavin had been in touch with Agency contacts. One offered to send resources, but the operatives were too far away to be of any use tonight.

The old spy had reached out to the management team at SJSS, hoping they could disable the drones even if Alyssa got access to the command system. He was waiting for a call back, pacing the small dining-room-turned-command-center.

Callan stared at the screen, waiting for something to happen. Why wasn’t Alyssa in the code? Had something gone wrong?

Was she dead? Was Peri?

Type something.

Come on, Alyssa. Give me a ? —

He blinked. Had he imagined it, or did the screen shift?

He must’ve gasped because Gavin moved close. “What?”

Callan didn’t answer, just stared, and then…

A line of code appeared.

Random letters and numbers. He tried to decipher it. It didn’t make sense as code, which meant…

He wrote the line down.

“What does it mean?” Gavin’s tone was commanding, but Callan ignored him.

COMMANDHQP1LDKJE2UIR3HQI4LDKJS1UIA2HQF3LDKJE4

“That makes no sense.” Gavin sounded furious. “What are we supposed to?—?”

“Quiet.” Callan issued the command as he circled the numbers.

Putting together the letters after each number, he saw LUHL …

That meant nothing. But the letters before the numbers…

PERISAFE.

Peri. Safe.

Hot tears stung his eyes.

Thank God. Thank You, God.

Gavin squeezed his shoulder. “Looks like they both are.” The for now was implied.

The line disappeared.

Another replaced it.

COMMANDHQM1LDKJA2UIN3HQY4LDKJM1UIE2HQN3

The numbers corresponded with the letter placement, so he knew this was a four-letter word, followed by a three-letter word. “She says many men.”

Grant had moved closer. “How many?”

“If she knew, she’d tell us,” Callan snapped. “She’s doing her best.” He copied the next line of code and deciphered it.

“Cabin number eleven, south side of the island.” The next line of code was more concerning. Callan turned to Gavin. “She gave him Sputnik’s name.”

“I’ll take care of it.” Gavin pulled out his phone to make a call.

Gavin would make sure the Russian double-agent was secured. That didn’t concern Callan so much as what Ghazi had done or threatened to do to get Alyssa to give him the name.

A knock sounded on the door, and then Summer and Brooklynn stepped inside. “You wanted our help?” Summer asked.

Grant must’ve texted her because he answered. “Brooklynn, take Callan’s spot.” To Callan, he said, “So we can work out a plan.”

Brooklynn pulled up a chair.

“Watch the code. If you see a line appear, write it down fast.” He explained how to decipher it, and then left her to it.

Grant, Summer, Gavin, and Callan gathered at the table, conferencing with Bartlett and Michael. Together, they worked out a plan.

“She wrote something.” Brooklynn bent over the notepad. When she looked up, her face was pale. “They have drones.”

Drones.

Of course there were drones providing overwatch.

Their plan relied on the element of surprise.

Which they wouldn’t have. So…

How was this going to work?