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Walker moved like a shadow through the darkness, her pulse steady but thrumming with a fierce, personal determination. Tonight wasn’t about flags or agencies. It was about Cooper “Skull” Sullivan, the man she’d been forced to leave behind for the sake of an innocent family. That decision had sliced through her like a blade to the gut. She imagined Skull’s defiant gaze as he faced his captors alone, battered but unbowed. She remembered how he had sent his hand over his heart when he’d said he wasn’t alone, and that only made her own heart melt, fueling the cold fury in her veins.

She crept around the perimeter of the warehouse, pausing only when a soft scrape caught her ear. Instantly, her knife was in her hand. A heartbeat later, she exhaled in relief. That shape was a steadfast and determined Malinois. His muzzle twitched as he searched for any sign of his handler. The dog’s intense eyes met hers, demanding answers she didn’t have time to give.

“Aren’t you the persistent one?” she whispered, managing a tight smile. “All right, boy, let’s get him out.”

Of course, Bones had returned. His loyalty to Skull ran as deep as her own feelings for the man. She took a moment to scratch the dog’s ears, heart clenching at what they were about to face together. Eight armed men in close quarters were no joke, but she and Bones had both been trained to operate in darkness, to strike and vanish. Besides, she’d tackled worse odds than this.

Keeping low, Walker edged toward a gap in the corrugated wall, making a slow sweep around the structure. Two guards loomed near a side entrance. In the hush, they never heard her approach. She dispatched them both with silent precision, barely a flicker of motion in the gloom. Once they were down, she wiped her blade on one man’s shirt and angled toward a broken window for a better look inside.

Through the lens of her night vision, she spotted four figures lit by the glow of a flickering lantern. Okay, her man had eliminated two men all by himself. That made the odds a little better. Three men were by a collapsed section of floor and another was watching the doorway. No sign of Skull. But Walker knew he was in there somewhere in those shadows. Anger coiled tight in her chest at the thought of what the death squad might have in store for him.

She slipped back to where she’d stashed Bones behind a sagging stack of crates. “Stay close,” she murmured, pointing to indicate the direction of their approach. The dog’s ears perked, and he pressed himself into her side, alert and focused. Together, they slid through the gap in the wall. Crouching behind another pile of debris, Walker raised a fist, freezing them both. Footsteps approached—a guard, the one she’d seen by the doorway. If she went for him now, it might alert the men deeper inside. But waiting came with its own risks.

Walker’s breathing slowed, her mind gliding into the assassin’s calm she knew so well. If they wanted to hurt Skull, they’d have to get through her first. And judging from the shouts and threats that drifted through the gloom, they had already been trying to break him.

She pressed herself against a rusted support beam and removed her night vision goggles, letting her eyes adjust to the dim interior lantern light. Three men, she counted now, patrolling the open expanse of the warehouse, rifles slung casually but within easy reach. Too casual, she thought grimly. That confidence would be their undoing.

Her gaze slid to Bones. With a quick hand signal, she killed the lantern light by yanking a cable free, plunging the warehouse into almost total darkness. That was their cue. “Take him,” she hissed under her breath.

Bones streaked away, silent as a phantom. The tall guard had just enough time to register movement in the corner of his eye before the dog’s jaws clamped down on his forearm. His rifle dropped with a clatter, and his scream of panic died as sixty pounds of sheer power of attack drove him to the ground.

The other three whirled, momentarily blinded by the sudden darkness. Walker was already moving, a lethal blur. She covered the distance to the first man in a heartbeat, elbow slamming into his gut. He stumbled into a barrel with a crash, and she ended him with a single thrust of her knife. A shot cracked from across the warehouse, spitting sparks where it struck a metal beam. Walker rolled beneath the muzzle flash, coming up on one knee. She feinted left, drew the attacker’s attention, then lunged right, slicing the second man across the ribs, then a plunge to his heart. He crumpled with a strangled gasp.

Heart hammering, Walker whirled to see the last gunman fumbling in the dark, terror etched on his face. Before he could run, she dashed behind him and ended it in one precise thrust. Within seconds, all that remained was the ragged sound of the first guard still pinned under Bones. Walker put him out of his misery, then forced herself to breathe in the heat of battle, to remember why she was here.

Bones was already bounding toward a shape on the floor, whining softly. Walker snatched a discarded sidearm, stepping carefully over the sprawled bodies. Her pulse thundered as she neared the faint outline of a man huddled in the gloom.

Skull lay on the cold concrete, vision darkening at the edges. Each breath burned, reminding him of bruised ribs. His captors’ questions had been relentless, their fists brutal. But he would never give them anything. The metallic taste of blood lingered on his tongue. His one solace was the hope that Walker and the others had gotten away safely.

When the overhead lamp had suddenly sputtered out, and the warehouse fell into blackness, he’d hoped. That silence had been deafening, then a low, savage growl that made Skull’s heart stutter. Bones. It had to have been his lethal boy. If Bones was here, then…

Then that scream had ripped through the darkness. Skull’s breath catching. There had been the unmistakable sound of a dog’s powerful jaws finding a target, followed by frenzied shouts. Another series of crunches and thuds had echoed across the cavernous space. Men were dying. A glint of hope had kindled inside him, but that hope mingled with fear. What was happening? Then, there had been another scream, then the pop of a muffled gunshot, and silence fell again.

Skull blinked, trying to focus. A flashlight beam cut through the dust, illuminating a swirl of debris in the air. Slowly, a silhouette materialized. Dark clothing, knife in one hand, sidearm in the other. He recognized the shape, lithe, lethal, unstoppable. Walker. Relief crashed over him like a wave. He tried to speak, but the words got lost in the ache of his battered body.

A warm muzzle pressed against his shoulder, and Skull let out a ragged laugh that turned into a cough. “Bones…” He managed to lift a shaking hand to the dog’s neck, ignoring the pain slicing through his ribs.

Walker crouched beside him, her face etched with worry and anger. Blood spattered her gear, and she was breathing hard. She seemed half storm, half angel, and entirely the best damn sight he’d ever seen.

Her hand found his cheek, fingertips gentle against bruised skin. “I’m here,” she whispered, voice trembling with leftover adrenaline. “I’ve got you.”

Skull swallowed thickly, a wet rattle in his lungs. “You…you came back.” He breathed out, almost in disbelief.

“Of course I did,” she said fiercely. Her eyes shone with a mix of fury and relief. “You think I’d leave you to these bastards?”

Before Skull could form a response, she leaned in, hand sliding behind his neck. Her lips pressed against his in a kiss that was as raw and desperate as the world around them. In that moment, the pain in his ribs vanished behind the surge of warmth and gratitude—and something deeper that he dared not name yet.

Sudden shouts and flickers of light signaled the arrival of the rest of the team—SEALs and fellow operatives swiftly securing the warehouse. Bones pulled back from Skull’s side, ears perked, hackles still raised but relaxed when he recognized friendly faces.

“Clear!” someone yelled. Boots thudded across the floor. Another voice rang out, “Over here!”

Walker withdrew from the kiss, her breath unsteady as Skull watched her reorient to the reality of the situation. GQ and Boomer arrived first, sweeping flashlights across the carnage. Four bodies lay strewn about, plus two more outside. Six kills, courtesy of one lethal woman and her dog.

GQ let out a low whistle. “Damn,” he said, faint admiration in his tone. “You left nothing for us.”

Walker simply shrugged. “You snooze, buddy. You lose.”

Kodiak and Breakneck quickly moved in, scanning for any further threats. Kodiak knelt beside Skull, assessing bruises, checking for broken bones.

“You okay, man?” Kodiak asked, gently probing Skull’s ribs.

Skull grimaced at the pain, then forced out a cough-laugh. “I’ve been better.” His gaze slid to Walker, unable to resist a wry grin even through split lips.

Bones nudged him again, tail wagging as though proud of his own part in the fight. With effort, Skull patted the dog’s flank. Walker slid an arm around his shoulders, steadying him as she glanced at Kodiak for a prognosis.

“We’ll get him fixed up,” Kodiak assured her. Then he paused, noticing the way Walker’s hand lingered on Skull’s arm. A small smile flickered across his face, but he said nothing more as he got to work patching him up quickly so they could move out of the danger zone.

GQ eyed Walker with a grin. “Stop hogging all the fun, or I’m telling the boss you’re stealing our thunder.”

Walker snorted softly. “Oh, boo hoo. You’re too slow on the draw.”

Despite the soreness in his body, Skull couldn’t help but chuckle at their banter. Relief flooded him, mingling with fierce gratitude that left him momentarily speechless. Walker had come back for him, and she’d torn through a squad of killers like a force of nature to do it.

He turned to her, voice rough. “You saved my life.”

Walker’s gaze flicked over him, her lips pressed together as though she couldn’t quite form the right words. Finally, she said, “That’s what teammates do, right?” Yet her eyes held a deeper meaning, a promise that whatever lay between them was more than just a mission.

Skull swallowed, pain sparking in his ribs, but the warmth in his chest outweighed it. Reaching out, he took Walker’s hand, ignoring the blood staining her glove. She gave it a gentle squeeze.

Outside, the night still stretched black and dangerous, but in that moment, they were safe enough to share a look heavy with unspoken truths. Around them, the team secured the warehouse, voices barking out in short commands. Bones stayed close, his gaze never leaving Skull’s face, as if to confirm that his partner still lived and breathed.

Walker helped Skull to his feet, slipping an arm around his waist for support. As they began to move, her tone fell somewhere between an order and an entreaty. “Easy. Let’s get you out of here.”

Skull nodded, leaning on her more than he cared to admit. But if there was one person he trusted not to let him fall, it was this relentless woman who’d plunged into the shadows to save him. Their ragtag group headed for the exit, a battered formation of warriors, dog, and him. Tomorrow would bring new dangers, new battles. But tonight, they had each other and the promise of survival.

Walker glanced over at Skull, meeting his gaze. In her eyes, he saw the same unyielding devotion he felt deep in his own bruised heart. With Bones trotting faithfully behind them, they slipped into the darkness that had momentarily become their ally, knowing that somehow, through blood and shadow, they’d found a bond impossible to break.

Walker stood in the doorway of the sterile interrogation room, arms folded as she observed the tense reunion unfolding before her. Lupe, Musica, and Romano clung to Blade, relief and fear shimmering in their tearful eyes. The overhead light glinted off the silver handcuffs binding his wrists to a ring bolted in the table. A bead of sweat traced down the side of Walker’s temple as she inhaled the lingering odor of disinfectant that always seemed to permeate the compound’s makeshift holding cells.

“Daddy, can we go home now?” Musica asked in a shaky whisper.

“Soon,” Blade assured softly, gazing from his wife to his children with evident guilt. “I promise.”

Walker stepped forward, footsteps echoing on the concrete floor. Her voice cut through the quiet sobs. “Time’s up. Everyone out. He needs to talk to me.” She cast a pointed glance at the Marine guard, who gently guided Blade’s family away from the table. Their expressions pleaded for more time, but Walker shook her head and steeled herself. There was no room for sympathy here, not with Pincho’s vicious hired gun in front of her.

Once Blade’s family was ushered into the hallway, Walker leaned over the table. “So,” she said, fingers tightening around the folder in her hand, “we had a deal. You’d give me something actionable. Something real.”

He swallowed hard, glancing toward the closed door. “I’ve got a name,” he began, voice low. “Diego Canto, Pincho’s second in command. He’s…he’s going to be at a function tonight, some fancy Shakespearean play. A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Word is he’s obsessed with the actress playing Titania.”

“Diego Canto?” Walker repeated, the scathing disbelief in her voice making Blade flinch. “You held that back until now?”

“I—” Blade hesitated. “I wanted to protect my family. If I told you sooner, you wouldn’t have done what you did to get them safe. And I didn’t know for sure you’d?—”

Walker slammed the folder onto the table, swallowing her anger. “So, you played me? Made sure I’d bust my ass to keep your wife and kids from the crossfire. All you had was a name? I expected something more and you knew it. Well, guess what, Blade? We don’t have time to cull intel from another source. You put us in a tight spot and ramped up the danger for her hostages.”

He lowered his gaze. “Security’s going to be heavy,” he said, his jaw clenching. “And there’ll be civilians at that theater. Storming the place is too risky even for you.”

A snort of anger escaped Walker. “Yeah, thanks for reminding me how complicated you’ve made this.” She took a moment, pressing her lips together as she thought of Iceman and Anna. They were going to be furious. She couldn’t blame them. “This better work, or your family will pay the price.”

Blade’s voice trembled slightly. “They’re innocent in all this?—”

“We’re all guilty of something,” she interrupted, keeping her tone cold. She straightened, flicking a glance at the door. “You were Pincho’s trigger man for too long, and now the only reason you’re breathing is because I stuck my neck out. Don’t ever forget that.”

A tense silence filled the room. Blade looked away, his breath uneven. Walker took a last calculating stare at him before heading toward the exit.

She paused in the doorway and spoke over her shoulder. “We’re not done with you. Stay put until I get back. And pray to whatever God you still believe in that your intel is legit because I’ve got no patience left.”

With that, she marched out into the hall, her heart pounding with fury and an edge of disappointment in herself for trusting Blade, even a little. She had a new plan to form, and only a short window to brief Iceman and Anna. The mission wasn’t finished, not by a long shot. Walker exhaled, cracking her knuckles as she strode away. None of this was going to be any fucking fun.

Skull leaned against the back wall of the cluttered conference room, arms folded tight across his chest. The harsh overhead lights illuminated the group gathered around a long wooden table scarred by countless operations’ worth of frantic planning. At the head of the table, Walker stood with a straight posture, though her expression wavered between guilt and a simmering anger. His whole body ached from the beating, but he was determined to stay in the fight. A little pain only reminded him how alive he was, and that was what he wanted for Hazard and Leigh.

She exchanged a look with Iceman and Anna before speaking. “Blade gave us exactly one name,” she said, her voice echoing in the cramped space. “No location—just a name: Diego Canto. Pincho’s second in command.”

“Diego Canto?” Anna scrubbed a hand over her face, her frustration barely contained. “That’s not exactly the lead we were hoping for.”

Iceman, so chilling he practically sucked the heat from the air, inclined his head. “This is a fucking setback.”

“Your rear on the line with the commander,” Anna murmured.

“I don’t give a flying fuck about my ass being on the line. I want viable solutions to this problem we’re working. If I have to get chewed out, then so be it.”

From across the room, Skull watched as Iceman’s gaze flicked to him, then back to Walker. That combination of ice and steel in Iceman’s voice usually meant time was short and the risk was high.

“Yeah, well, maybe it’s not so bad,” Breakneck drawled from the side of the room, feet kicked up on a spare chair. His grin was all swagger. “We got a name, right? That’s more than we had yesterday.”

Boomer snorted. “Thanks, glass-half-full. Doesn’t change the fact that we still don’t know where they’re keepin’ Hazard and Leigh.”

Walker’s fingers curled around the edge of the conference table. “Emotions aren’t going to get us anywhere,” she said softly. “Not to Hazard. Not to Leigh.” She took a steadying breath. “Diego’s going to be at a function tonight, a Shakespearean play. A Midsummer Night’s Dream .”

GQ, leaning against the wall near Skull, lifted an eyebrow. “Diego’s the theatrical type?”

“Apparently he has a soft spot for the actress who plays Titana,” Walker continued. “He’s attended this show multiple times. The problem is security’s going to be heavy, and the place will be packed with civilians. We can’t just storm the theater. Not unless we want an international incident.”

Anna set her hands on her hips, her frustration giving way to curiosity. “So what’s your plan?”

Walker’s lips pressed into a thin line. “We need to grab that actress…discreetly. Detain her somewhere safe. I’ll take her place in the production and slip into the role of Titana. Theater lighting is dim, and with the right disguise, no one will be the wiser until it’s too late. Since he’s hot for”—she looked down at her notes—“Zulia Perez, I’ll extend an invitation for him to meet me in my dressing room during intermission.”

She held up a hand to cut off the wave of protests that threatened to erupt. “I speak fluent Spanish, and I have a theater degree, and many years of being undercover. I know Titania’s part by heart.”

A moment of stunned silence followed.

“Really?” GQ drawled, flicking a quick glance at Breakneck. “This is either the best plan I’ve heard all week, or we’ve officially jumped the shark.”

Boomer let out a short laugh. “I vote shark. But I’m game.”

Walker’s eyes flashed. “This is off the books. I know that.” She bit her lip. “This is all risky stuff. Diego might not talk, but we’re out of options. Regardless of the craziness of this op, we should get a solid lead to Hazard and Leigh.” She hesitated just long enough for Skull to notice the tiny crack in her otherwise determined demeanor. “I’m going to make this performance Oscar-worthy.”

Iceman studied her for a long moment, and the hush in the conference room pressed in until the hum of the overhead lights became audible. “You’re sure you can pull this off?”

She lifted her chin. “Iceman, you should know me by now. If I’m not confident?—”

“She’ll wing it anyway,” GQ quipped. “For the record, I retract everything I said about the CIA and in particular, you two.” He included Strekoza in his gaze. “We’re lucky to have you. This has been an emotionally charged situation, and you two have come through for us every step of the way. I’m fucking impressed by everything you’ve done.”

Anna smiled, giving Walker a warm smile. “Impressing Navy SEALs. Well, that’s something.”

Boomer chuckled. “You don’t count, Anna. Your brother is a SEAL and so is your husband. We’re already impressed with you.”

Anna’s expression shifted from amused to thoughtful. “We still need backup. If something goes sideways?—”

Skull stepped forward, the metal chair behind him screeching across the floor. “Boomer and I’ll be in the audience, posing as regular theatergoers,” he offered. His voice was gravelly, underscoring the risk. “If you need us, we’ll be close.”

Walker nodded. “Perfect. And Strekoza will handle distracting Diego’s guards in the lobby or wherever they post up. Once I lure Diego backstage, you’ll converge, neutralize him quietly, and get him through the back door.” She glanced pointedly at Breakneck and GQ. “We’ll have a van waiting a block away. If we do everything right, no one will realize Diego’s missing until well after intermission.”

Breakneck’s grin widened. “Smooth. I always thought we should go into show business.”

Anna exhaled slowly. “All right. It’s risky. Hell, it’s insane, but I’m in.”

Iceman gave a cold nod, meeting Skull’s gaze one last time before turning to Walker. “Let’s get this done and get our people home.”

Drawing a measured breath, Walker gave them each a strong, reassuring look. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to let Hazard and Leigh down. Or any of you.”

An electric silence hung in the conference room. Everyone knew there was no turning back. Plans formed, roles were assigned, and the grim tension lingering in the air felt both desperate and resolute. Skull’s gaze swept over each of his teammates, silently wondering who was truly ready for this “jump the shark” moment. They had no choice, and one by one, each nodded in agreement.

Walker opened the door and led them out. “All right,” she said, voice tight with resolve. “The show must go on.” She was rewarded with groans. All joking aside, she as well as Skull was desperate for this to go off without a hitch, desperate for Canto to give them intel they could use.