Page 43 of Rogue Hope (Hope Landing: New Recruits #4)
Zara moved alongside Finn, her boots making no sound on the polished concrete floor. Every shadow seemed deeper, every corner a potential ambush point. The building that had become her home—her refuge—was now hostile territory.
Lord, protect my team. Give us strength and wisdom , she prayed silently, her grandmother’s silver cross a reassuring weight against her sternum. Faith had sustained her through Finn’s betrayal in Paris, through her diagnosis, through everything.
It would sustain her now.
She crouched behind a storage cabinet, watching three Vanguard operatives sweep the corridor ahead. The adrenaline coursing through her system kept the worst of the pain at bay, but she knew she’d pay for it later—if there was a later.
Through the mesh grate above them, Zara glimpsed another team of operatives moving through the upper level. Six total that they’d spotted so far, probably more they hadn’t.
“They’ve isolated the building,” Finn whispered, his breath warm against her ear. “Cut communications.”
They edged forward, utilizing Zara’s knowledge of the building’s blind spots to avoid detection. Her heart ached for her team—scattered, hunted, possibly captured. Ronan and the others had been drawn away by Reynolds’ false intel, leaving the facility vulnerable. The perfect trap.
As they approached the main security hub, Finn gripped her arm. “Three more, coming in from the east corridor,” he breathed. “And four securing the north entrance.”
Zara risked a glance around the corner. “They’re herding us,” she realized, watching the methodical sweep patterns.
A flash of movement ahead snapped their attention forward. Five operatives emerged from the command center, their uniforms marking them as Vanguard’s elite team.
Finn’s expression hardened into resolve. “We need to give Kenji more time. We need to split up.”
“Negative.” She protested immediately, gripping his arm. “That’s exactly what they want. Reynolds needs us both alive for a reason. We’re safer together.”
Something flickered in his eyes. “Actually, we’re not. You’re not,” he stressed. “He needs both of us.”
“What?”
“I don’t have time to explain,” Finn whispered urgently, his attention shifting to the approaching operatives.
Trust . The very thing she’d sworn never to give him again. Yet here, with everything at stake, she found it rising within her—fragile but real.
Before she could respond, shouts erupted from the corridor ahead—they’d been spotted. Finn pulled her swiftly into a maintenance shaft, their shoulders pressed together in the narrow space.
“Get back to Kenji. Don’t let Reynolds escape.” Before she could say more, Finn moved. Not toward cover, but deliberately into the open corridor.
“Looking for me?” His voice carried down the hall, drawing every eye, every weapon in his direction.
The reaction was immediate—shouts, movement, the unmistakable sound of teams mobilizing.
Zara pressed herself deeper into shadow as the operatives converged on Finn. He moved with practiced efficiency, leading them away from her position, deeper into the east wing. A perfect diversion.
A perfect sacrifice.
Prayer formed on her lips as she slipped toward her new destination, the weight of Finn’s decision heavy on her heart. Faith under fire—it had always been their team’s motto. Now it was her lifeline.
Lord, keep him safe. Keep us all safe.
She moved silently through the shadows of Knight Tactical, hunting the man who had been her mentor for so long, now her enemy. Whatever Reynolds planned, whatever he wanted from her, he would find her ready.
Ready, and no longer alone in the fight.