Page 31 of Secret Hope (Hope Landing: New Recruits #5)
The maintenance corridor smelled of industrial disinfectant and ozone from the approaching storm, a sharp contrast to the tropical luxury that had defined their first few days on the isle.
Kenji took point, cataloguing potential threats as he led the ragtag team through the utilitarian maze of the resort's hidden infrastructure, his body positioned protectively between Cassidy and any danger that might emerge from the shadows ahead.
This is it, he thought, checking his improvised weapons one final time.
Our one chance to turn this nightmare around.
The dive knife was still secure at his ankle, but he'd supplemented it with a heavy-duty wrench from a pipe repair kit—eighteen inches of solid steel that could crack skulls as easily as it could turn bolts.
A can of industrial wasp spray from pest control supplies was tucked into his belt—not as good as pepper spray, but it would blind an attacker for crucial seconds.
The coil of zip ties in his pocket completed his makeshift arsenal.
While he and Cassidy headed out after the Security Chief, he'd tasked Spencer and Sophia with outfitting the two hiding places he and Spencer had scouted out what seemed like weeks ago now.
Had it really only been a few hours?
The first was the resort's water treatment facility—a concrete bunker built into the hillside, designed to withstand Category 5 storms. Its underground location and reinforced walls made it nearly bombproof, while the maze of pipes and machinery provided multiple hiding spots and escape routes.
The constant hum of pumps would mask conversation, and the facility's separate power grid meant lights even if the resort lost electricity.
The backup site was an old Japanese fortification from World War II, hidden in the jungle about a quarter mile from the resort.
The concrete structure had survived eighty years of tropical storms, its thick walls and underground chambers offering protection from both weather and bullets.
The overgrown entrance was nearly invisible unless you knew where to look, and the interior stayed cool and dry despite the humidity. But there was only one way in.
Not ideal, but it would make a defensible last stand.
Their plan was simple. As part of Van Der Merwe’s final security sweep, he’d head for the security hub buried deep in the utility area beneath the resort. That’s where they’d corner him, show him proof that his daughter Emma was safe, and convince him that cooperation was his only path to survival.
It had felt foolproof just hours ago, when they'd been huddled in his room, mapping out approaches and contingencies with the confidence of people who finally had hope.
Now, moving through the storm-battered resort toward their target, Kenji was hyperaware of Cassidy behind him.
The memory of their kiss on the beach flickered through his consciousness like heat lightning—supposed to be for the surveillance cameras, but the gentleness in her response had felt anything but fake.
The way she'd looked at him afterward, as if seeing something worth saving beneath all his broken pieces.
Focus, he commanded himself. Personal feelings later. Mission first.
But it was impossible to ignore the way his pulse quickened every time she moved closer, the way his protective instincts had evolved into something deeper and infinitely more dangerous to his operational effectiveness.
When had keeping her safe transformed from professional duty into personal necessity?
The hurricane's fury was building to a crescendo outside, rattling the resort's infrastructure with increasing violence.
Emergency lighting cast everything in harsh amber, making shadows dance and shift with each power fluctuation.
Through the maintenance corridor's small windows, Kenji caught glimpses of palm trees bent nearly horizontal, debris flying through the air like missiles.
The familiar itch crawled beneath his skin—the desperate need for the sharp focus that only cards and chips could provide. His hands wanted to shake, his mind craved the mathematical purity of calculated risk. Even now, facing life and death, part of him was calculating odds like a gambler.
Kenji raised his hand, signaling Cassidy to stop. They'd reached the security station where Van Der Merwe should be conducting his final systems check—a windowless room buried in the resort's heart, away from both guests and most staff. Perfect for a private conversation.
Even better for an ambush.
Everything depended on the next few minutes. On surprising Van Der Merwe when he entered.
Kenji approached the door, his movements controlled and silent despite the chaos outside.
Years of covert operations had taught him to compartmentalize, to function despite internal chaos, but Cassidy's presence made everything more complicated.
He could feel her watching him, trusting him to get them through this alive.
Please, Lord, help me get us through this, he prayed desperately. Whatever else I've messed up, don't let me fail her.
The prayer felt rusty, unpracticed. He'd been bargaining with God for months— just this one hand, just this one win, just this one more chance —but this felt different. More honest.
Less about what he wanted and more about what was right.
He tested the door handle—unlocked. Weird. He signaled the others to stay back and inched it open.
Game over.
Van Der Merwe sat slumped over his desk, his body positioned with the unnatural stillness that belonged only to the dead. Blood had pooled beneath his forehead where it rested against the keyboard, the screens around him still flickering with security feeds and storm warnings.
A single gunshot wound to the back of the head. Professional. Efficient.
All their planning, all their hope, all their desperate faith that they could outmaneuver Vega—gone.
Behind him, Cassidy whispered something—a sound of pure devastation that cut through his professional detachment like a blade. Kenji moved immediately, positioning his body to block her view of the corpse even as he noted details that would matter later.
"We need to go," he said, his voice steady despite the chaos raging inside him. "Now."
But when he glanced back, Cassidy stood frozen, the color drained from her face. The weight of Van Der Merwe's death was crushing her—he could see it in her eyes, the way her shoulders had collapsed inward as if trying to protect herself from a physical blow.
The knowledge triggered something fierce and protective in his chest. Kenji reached out, his hand finding her shoulder.
"Cassidy. Look at me."
When she raised her eyes to his face, he saw his own devastation reflected in her green gaze. But he also saw trust—the kind of absolute faith that terrified him because he wasn't sure he deserved it.
"We're not them," he said quietly, surprised by the conviction in his own voice. "We don't kill innocent people. We don't destroy families. And we're going to make sure Vega pays for what he's done."
Even as he spoke, Kenji pulled out his phone, quickly snapping photos of the crime scene from multiple angles.
The action steadied him, gave him something concrete to focus on besides the crushing weight of failure.
The lights flickered again, staying dark for several seconds before emergency power kicked in. Van Der Merwe's death changed everything, but it didn't change his mission. Keep Cassidy, Sophia and Spence alive. Get them home.
Make Vega pay.
He backed out of the room, locking eyes with her again. "Now we adapt. All we have to do is evade Vega until my team arrives. We’ve got this."
“W-what do we…. Where do we?” Cassidy flailed her hands. “What now?”
He slipped his phone from his pocket. No bars. Not that it surprised him. He thought for a second as the cement walls of the hallway vibrated from the storm’s energy. "The resort's internal communication system might still work."
He was already scrolling through apps. "There—emergency broadcast system for staff. Should reach any device connected to the resort's WiFi. Vega’s people could trace it…eventually, but I’ll have to risk it."
He typed the message to Spencer:
Security chief is dead. Abort all plans. Get Sophia and meet at Site #1. Move carefully.
"Think they'll get it?"
"Spencer's phone is practically grafted to his hand. He'll see it." Kenji stood, offering her his hand. "We should move. The longer we stay in one place?—"
Another power fluctuation plunged them into darkness for long seconds. When the emergency lighting returned, Kenji caught Cassidy's gaze again. In the amber glow, he saw her fear—but also something else that made his chest tight.
Faith. In him. In their chances. In whatever was growing between them despite the impossible circumstances.
The knowledge was both humbling and terrifying.
"We need to move," he said, already heading back down the corridor. "We’ll meet Sophia and Spencer at the rendezvous point. Then we hide. I’ll warn you. We’ve got a long, boring, uncomfortable night ahead."
He hoped. The alternative was unacceptable.