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Chapter Thirteen

Mackenzie sat in Foster’s truck as he drove toward town, fatigue weighing heavy on her mind.

They’d spent the day searching the areas of Foster’s home that hadn’t been renovated but had come up empty.

While they still had a few more rooms to go, each unsuccessful search had been like a punch to the gut.

A reminder that Josh and Foster’s parents had been killed for a stash of drugs that might not even be there.

That maybe none of this would end in justice.

Foster tapped her thigh, tilting his head when she glanced over at him. “You’re unusually quiet.”

She laughed. “Is that your polite way of saying I talk too much?”

“It’s my polite way of asking if you’re okay without you getting defensive about it.”

She shrugged, pausing to look out the window.

Thick gray clouds raced across the sky—the promise of more rain heavy in the air.

“I think we both know that I’m not, but that’s been true since Josh was killed.

Dawson didn’t really tell me anything new, he just connected your dots with mine.

Which means, I should be asking how you are because you’re the one who just learned your parents’ death wasn’t accidental.

That’s got to be a hard pill to swallow. ”

Foster’s left eye twitched as he focused on the road. “Just something else I missed that could have been prevented.”

She frowned, shifting over until she was as close as possible.

“Foster. There’s no way you could have known any of this was going to happen.

Which suggests that whatever else you think you should have spotted and stopped was probably beyond your scope, too.

And I have a pretty good idea it involved your last mission. Why Sean died.”

She held up her hand when he slid his gaze her way. “I don’t expect you to talk about it. Classified or not, I know firsthand some demons are better left buried. Though, if you ever want to. I’m here.”

Foster stared straight ahead as a heavy silence fell over the cab for several minutes before he sighed and rolled his right shoulder.

“I haven’t mentioned it because it’s eerily similar to what happened to Josh.

A rescue mission that was more of a setup.

Rogue agents who opened fire inside the helicopter.

Same end result. Only Sean died because he shielded me.

Thought I was the only one who could get everyone else back in one piece. ”

He grunted then pounded his left hand on the steering wheel.

“And all because I missed how edgy those bastards were getting. The increased tension. Not to mention flying in weather I had no right chancing.” He gave her a quick side-eye.

“So yeah, sweetheart, I should have realized the increased stress in my dad’s voice meant something was off.

That I needed to ask questions instead of just believing he was tired.

That they simply missed me and wanted a chance to visit. ”

Mackenzie inhaled. She hadn’t thought he’d actually talk about the mission.

Though, it explained a lot. She studied him for a few moments before softly placing her hand on his shoulder.

“Nothing I say is going to sway your line of thinking with respect to your parents. Though, from everything my dad’s told me about them, and your dad in particular, he didn’t strike me as the kind of man to dance around a subject.

I think if he really thought there was something nefarious happening, he would have told you, if for no other reason than to get your opinion.

As for Sean… Did he shield you before or after you were hit? ”

Foster frowned.

Mac smoothed her hands over the marks she’d noticed on his skin last night. “Those scars on your shoulder and back from all those plates and screws you had implanted. They can’t be more than a few months old.”

“You noticed them, huh?”

“We were naked last night, and you definitely had my full attention. Which suggests you’re only telling me the part of the story where you feel you failed.”

She eased back, giving him some space. Though, based on how he was staring at her — eyes narrowed, and chest heaving — he didn’t seem as if he wanted any space.

“Which I also get because Josh outright told me he thought the new recruits were too twitchy for ex-special forces. To which I told him he was reading too much into it. That adjusting to civilian life took time, and they just needed to acclimate. Pretty sure that makes me responsible, too.”

Foster drove for a bit before blowing out a rough breath. “Are you always going to use logic against me? Because if that’s the case, I’ll have to change my strategy.”

“Only when it’s really important.”

“Why do I get the feeling every discussion will be important?”

“Because you’re paranoid.” She smiled at him then eased back over. “I am sorry about your folks. I was overseas on a TACLET mission when my mom died of cancer. Still haven’t really forgiven myself for missing those last few months.”

Foster shook his head. “We’re quite the pair.” He nodded at a nondescript building not too far from the hanger. “That should be Bodie’s place. Here’s hoping he didn’t ask us to stop by because it’s actually some kind of intervention your dad arranged.”

Mackenzie laughed. She had to admit, she loved Foster’s sense of humor. Though, she had a nagging feeling it wasn’t the only thing she loved about him. In fact, the more she thought about it, the more obvious it seemed.

She’d been completely honest when she told him that being with him had been the first time she’d felt whole in what had probably been years. Flying was the only thing that ever came close, and even that had been lacking lately — as if she was missing a piece.

A Foster-shaped one.

Mackenzie groaned inwardly. The nonstop threats and lack of sleep were obviously getting to her. And she needed to rein in her emotions before she made a complete fool of herself.

Foster parked the truck outside the office door, looking over at her as if he knew she was having an internal conversation. And she had a bad feeling she wasn’t hiding those emotions nearly enough. As if it was written in the lines of her forehead that she was falling hard.

That she had fallen hard.

He chuckled, and she knew she was right. “Come on. The faster we talk to Bodie, the sooner I can get you out of those clothes.”

She nearly tripped as she jumped out of his truck, shaking her head before meeting him at the front.

The jerk just smiled and placed his palm on the small of her back, glancing over his shoulder several times on the short walk to the entrance.

Even after they’d walked inside, he scanned the gravel lot one more time.

Bodie strode through another doorway a moment later, his hair disheveled, smudges beneath his eyes. She doubted he’d gotten any sleep.

“Foster. Mac. Thanks for coming over.”

Foster shook the man’s hand then gave him a slap on the shoulder, the same way he did with his other teammates. What Mac assumed was some unspoken show of kinship. “It sounded important and likely something you didn’t want to discuss over an unsecured line.”

“You could say that.” Bodie walked past them, locking the front door before waving them through. “Let’s go where it’s a bit more secure.”

Foster placed his palm on her back, again, leaning in close. “I really hope this isn’t an intervention.”

Mackenzie gave him a playful swat, following Bodie down the hallway then through a set of doors. He motioned to a desk on the other side of the room, closing the doors behind him.

He walked straight to the chair on the far side, sliding onto it then tapping on his keyboard. Ten seconds flat, and the machine was humming, the blue light reflecting off the far window. “You two look as if you might fall down, so pull up a chair.”

Foster held one out for her, giving her shoulder a squeeze before taking his. “This is quite the setup. Bug-proof room?”

Bodie grinned. “That obvious?”

“It’s got that feel about it.”

“And before you say anything, the glass has a coating that makes it impossible to see through from the outside.”

Foster nodded. “Are the doors blast proof?”

“Depends on the magnitude. But it’ll stop a fair amount. And I’ve got an armory behind that wall, so…”

Foster nudged her. “And you think I’m paranoid.”

Mac leaned in. “I’m pretty sure Zain has all of this and more at his place.”

Foster merely grinned, laying his arm across the back of her seat as he focused on Bodie. “I’m really hoping that all of these precautions mean you uncovered something interesting.”

The corner of Bodie’s mouth lifted slightly.

“I guess that depends. Let’s start with that device.

In a nutshell, while it looks innocuous, it’s a freaking art piece.

Small. Unobtrusive and virtually undetectable.

I haven’t seen anything like this outside of the military.

Hell, it might be beyond what they’re using.

Which makes sense considering my next point.

Does having an ex-Green Beret on your ass count as interesting? ”

Foster was out of his seat a second later. “I knew that guy was way too cool to be some run-of-the-mill mercenary. And the way he countered that flash bang…”

Bodie arched a brow. “There was a flash bang involved?”

Foster waved it off, reclaiming his seat. “Old news. So, who’s the name at the top of my shit list?”

Bodie tapped a few more keys then turned his monitor.

“Meet Captain Jack Voss, aka Striker. As I said, former Green Beret turnedmercenaryfor hire. The man left the service a year ago on very unfriendly terms. I can’t confirm a dishonorable discharge, but something went seriously sideways because he was essentially booted overnight. ”

Foster leaned in, studying the man’s image on the screen. “Any idea who he’s currently working for?”

“Now, that’s another interesting part. My sources say Striker’s only had one employer — one Dr. Elias?—”