Page 108 of The Honeymoon Hack

“Sounds like it.”

“The team will be here in two minutes,” Percival said as he returned. “But you need to be aware, Lark’s our breacher.”

“Tabernac,” muttered Rav. He clicked the mouse a few times, and the video of Brie split into four. One of them began skipping backward in minute-long bursts—Lark with his gun at Brie’s chest. Brie on the ground. Lark further down the cluster. “You’re telling me this lunatic has explosives?”

“Yeah,” said Percival. “We should find out if he’s set any?—”

“Already on it.” Rav started another of the video feeds, switching to a different angle and rewinding it as well. “Keep an eye out for him setting charges anywhere.”

Explosives. Of course. Because a knife to Brie’s throat wasn’t enough. The rifle hanging across his chest wasn’t enough.

“Let’s see what they did on their way.” Rav scrolled through a menu for the fourth video, landing on the Atlantic section’s security checkpoint. “They would have gone through?—”

He cut off when the video feed appeared. It was live. Three more dead guards on the floor.

Brie was with a man who’d killed everyone on his way to the data center.

“Rav?” My voice was tiny, unable to claw its way out from the panic choking me.

“Hold on.” Whether he was talking to me or to Brie, it didn’t matter. He was doing his job. His real one—protecting his Reynolds family. He stared at the four video feeds. One showed Brie typing slowly, while Lark threatened her life. Three more were scanning backward. Then he paused the second feed, where a trio of men had appeared in a few frames.

“Roll that video forward,” said Percival.

As he did, three technicians appeared on screen, hurrying through the racks while the lockdown announcement warned them to move. They rounded a corner into Lark’s path and froze when they saw him. But instead of firing, Lark shouted something at them, and they bolted.

All three escaped.

Why let them go?

On the live feed, Lark suddenly released Brie and moved toward the middle of the cluster, his attention focused on one of the racks. For a split second, she was free. Why didn’t she run?

Because she’s not stupid, Will. Running would get her killed.

The checkpoint corridor filled with the sound of approaching footsteps. Four of the Pendragon operatives appeared, moving with lethal precision. One of them said, “Sit rep.”

“Lark killed the guards at the next checkpoint, as well.” Percival gestured to the screen where Rav was still running the footage backward. “He has one woman as a hostage.”

Hostage.As if she were some random bystander instead of the most important person in my world.

“Here’s the server room layout.” Rav pulled up a facility map on an adjacent monitor. “It’s a ten-by-ten grid with each server cluster approximately forty feet long.”

“Lots of directions for him to run and hide.” The team leader studied the display. “But we’ve run CQC with this layout.”

They’re talking about this like it’s a tactical exercise. Like Brie’s life is nothing more than another variable.

“Which means he knows your tactics.” Rav backed away from the console. “I’m going in with you.”

The leader shook his head. “You’re not one of us.”

“I don’t care,” Rav said simply. “I’m sure you’re all qualified, but you’re down two team members, and she’s one of mine.”

Percival held up a hand before his leader said anything else. “He’s the JTF2 guy from Operation Clearwater.”

“Fuck me,” said his leader. “You didn’t think that was important enough to share with the rest of us?”

Claire and the dark-haired woman—Brooke, apparently, who also knew Rav—appeared in the corridor together, both women moving with purpose. While the tactical team discussed approach routes, all I could do was ask questions.

“What does Lark want from her?” I asked the women.