Page 22 of Raven’s Claw (Raven’s Cliff #2)

Chapter Eleven

Kash sat in the back of the helicopter, side doors already open as Foster skimmed across the trees, only the stars poking through the night sky as any source of light.

Foster had night vision and instruments, but it still amazed Kash that his buddy handled the machine with such precision when Kash could barely make out Nyx sitting between his legs.

Mac shadowed them in another chopper, making it look just as easy.

Jordan placed her hand over his and gave it a squeeze, silently asking him if he was okay.

If he was still all-in. She’d been doing that all day, randomly checking in.

And not just with him. Chase, Zain, Bodie, Mac.

She’d given them all an out. Had suggested that Rook showing up was more than enough motivation to attempt the trek, alone.

A part of Kash loved her for that. For worrying about his brothers. About him. But they’d never backed down from a fight, and they sure as hell weren’t starting now.

He looked over at her. “Still not bailing.”

She sighed. “You realize it’s not you or your buddies I’m questioning, right? I’ve just never worked as part of a team. I’m not sure I know how.”

“Easy. You worry about doing your part and let us do ours.”

“What if Rook shows up? I’m just supposed to let you handle him? Not step in front?”

Kash straightened — crossed his arms over his chest. “If you want to step in front, put on a vest.”

“I’ve never worn a vest. Ever.” She slapped the one he wore as if it might bite her. “I promise, if we live through this, I’ll get used to one. But I can’t face Rook without being the best version of me. And that means I need to move a certain way, which I can’t if I’m wearing a vest.”

“Which I promised you I understood. But you can’t get mad when I jump in front of you if bullets start coming your way.”

She frowned, staring at him for a while before shaking her head. “And you can’t get mad at me if I eliminate any resistance before they get a chance to fire.”

“You’re determined to be difficult, aren’t you?” He leaned over. Kissed her. “All you have to do is believe in us, and everything will fall into place.”

She nodded, though he suspected she wasn’t quite sure how that worked. Whether believing meant running beside them or allowing them to take half the risk.

His comms buzzed, Foster’s voice coming through. “Infil site in thirty.”

Kash rocked to his feet, placed his headset on the seat and had Nyx poised between his legs a second later. Zain and Bodie followed suit, keeping Jordan between them. She gave them each a raise of her brow, then settled in.

The bird banked over, evergreen branches whizzing past before Foster flared off the speed and brought them into a two-foot hover just in from the edge of one of the cliff sides. What they’d agreed was the fastest route while minimizing both them and the helicopter as a viable target.

Kash and Nyx jumped down — provided support as soon as the machine stopped moving, the rest of the team filing out behind him.

Bodie and Zain ran ahead — took up point while Jordan moved in beside him.

She wore boots and form-fitting everything with weapons tucked in places he didn’t want to think too hard about.

Nothing like him and his team. Black cargo pants and sweaters.

Body armor with knives and frags for good measure.

But he had to admit, she moved like a ghost, virtually floating over the ground.

All but disappearing as soon as they entered the woods.

Blending in with the shadows until he had to focus just to bring her into view.

Bodie and Zain cleared the path until they neared the cabin — dropping to one knee as they waved him ahead.

Kash moved up with Nyx, keeping the pace steady but not rushed.

Nyx scented the ground, moved ahead, then scented, again.

Continuing toward the cabin before stopping.

She tilted her head, gave him a whispered bark.

Not loud enough to carry, but he heard it.

“Stay.” He moved in beside her, scouring the forest floor.

Needing a second pass to pick out the thin silver wire woven through some ferns to some rough IED strapped to a nearby log.

What would have taken one or two people out — made one hell of a heat signature for anyone with IR-capable satellites scouring the area.

Bodie darted up. Disarmed the thing in all of ten seconds. Kash wasn’t sure if the man had been an ordnance specialist or if he’d learned some new tricks as part of his deputy status. Either way, they moved on in under a minute.

Nyx identified two more at the edge of the small clearing encircling the cabin. Though, clearing wasn’t really the correct term. More like the cabin had been slung beneath a chopper and plopped into a space barely large enough to fit everything.

Bodie disarmed one, left the other in case anyone came in behind them, then waved Kash ahead. Kash quickstepped to the door, allowing Nyx time to fully scent it before motioning the rest of his team forward.

“Quite the lock for a hut practically hidden in the middle of nowhere.” Kash looked at Jordan. “I assume he sent you the codes.”

“God, I hope so.” She moved in, studied the lock then hit four numbers, waiting until it flashed green twice then put in four more.

The lock clicked over, a steady green light illuminating the wood for a moment before it winked out. She turned the handle, cracked it open maybe half an inch before stopping.

She handed Kash a mirror from one of her pockets. “I think it’d be best to run that along the floor.”

Kash crouched — slipped the mirror beneath the frame. “Clear. I’ll check the rest, just to be sure.”

He took an extra few seconds to slowly slide it between the open door and the frame, once again nodding. “All clear there, too.”

“I’ll swing it open, but Nyx should probably scent our way across. Raider was one paranoid SOB.”

“Your uncle’s code name was Raider?”

“It fit.”

“Like Ember?”

She smiled, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Let’s hope Rook was right about the spark.”

Rook had been right. No doubt in Kash’s mind. Jordan definitely had a fire inside her.

He whistled to Nyx — let her scour the room. “Clear.”

Bodie headed straight for the computer setup, switched on a dim lamp, then got everything humming a heartbeat later.

Zain scoured the forest. That overwatch that was ingrained into his DNA.

Jordan typed in the appropriate access codes, then Bodie started flying through screens and folders, mouth slightly open as he grunted several times under his breath.

Kash alternated his focus between Jordan and the rear windows, the hairs on the back of his neck prickling. And he knew, this wasn’t going to end with Foster simply picking them back up.

“I’ve got all the files located. There’s just one catch.

” Bodie glanced over at Kash, then Zain.

“Jordan’s asset rigged the upload so that once we copy it off the server, it’s permanently erased.

Also, that decryption algorithm she has needs to be run twice.

Once here in order to copy the files over.

Then we can run it the second time back at my office. ”

Zain huffed. “How long?”

“A good five minutes.”

“Shit. Do it, just be prepared for resistance. My freaking sniper senses are off the charts. We’re definitely being watched.” Zain focused on Jordan. “Guess Rook knew about your uncle’s cabin, after all.”

“If that’s true, then…” She kicked at the floor. “Damn it. It means Rook’s been corralling me here this entire time because he needs me to remove all that intel from the server, first, so he knows it’s been permanently erased. That he considered this site his best option.”

She muttered more obscenities as she paced. “Now, I’m thinking that asshole, Bart Conrad, was part of Rook’s little test, only when he realized Rook was going to double cross him, he gave me the actual files.”

A growl. Low. Throaty.

Kash glanced at Nyx. She stood alert by his side. Hackles raised. Teeth bared. She took a step. Muscles primed and ready to pounce. “We’ve got company.”

“Bodie?” Zain didn’t even bother turning around.

Bodie killed the lamp — the glow from the computer still shining through the room — then tossed the answer over his shoulder. “Three minutes.”

“That’s likely two more than we’ve got.”

“I doubt they’ll open fire until Rook’s certain we’ve got the files, which suggests they’ll wait until we try to leave.” Jordan scoured the room. “No way someone like Raider didn’t have another way out of here. One only accessible from the inside.”

Kash moved over to her. “You thinking trapdoor?”

“Some creepy ass tunnel sounds about right. It doesn’t have to go far to pop up in the woods.”

“Nyx. Scent.” Kash walked her across the floor. “It’s not going to be airtight. Nyx might pick up on the airflow bringing in a different smell.”

Nyx had her nose on the floorboards, going over each one. Moving around the cabin until she stopped behind Bodie. Another whisper bark, and her pawing at the floor.

Jordan arrived at Kash’s side a second later, feeling along the area next to the wall, smiling when a small piece lifted up, exposing another keypad.

She input some codes, and a section of the floor hinged downward, exposing a dark, narrow tunnel.

“Definitely creepy. But it’s probably better than what’s coming through the doors in the next sixty seconds. ”

“Kash, you, Nyx and Jordan get moving. Secure the exit.” Zain waved at Bodie. “We’ll be right behind you.”

Kash stared at Zain. “You know I hate it when you do that, brother.”

“That thing looks pretty damn narrow. We’ll need to go single file so get your asses moving or none of us are getting out of here. I’ve got movement in the trees.”