Friday. Somewhere in Gila National Park, New Mexico.BRENDEN FOLLOWED ALONG BEHIND Priscilla as the team walked single file, picking their way through the dense brush surrounding the crash site. He didn't like leaving the flight crew behind, but there was no arguing with them. The best they could do was as Grant said. Get to high ground, keep watch, be ready and do their best to protect both their asset and the crew.At least they'd been able to get into the luggage hold and retrieve much of their gear. With what they carried with them they could fend off a small army and self-sustain for forty-eight hours. When they didn't check-in tonight and their flight was MIA, Zain would begin looking for them.The night air in the desert was chilly. They were still getting a lot of warmth from the rocks and sand. Soon enough that would dissipate and things might get serious.He watched Priscilla inch along ahead of him carrying her two boxes despite Grant's insistence she leave the ev
Friday. Somewhere in Gila National Park, New Mexico.DAMIAN HATED NATURE.The bugs. The plants. The dirt. It was all of the things he didn't like rolled into one. But this was where the job was taking them.He eased off the accelerator and the all-terrain buggy slowed.They'd made it to the park and inside without incident using off-road vehicles they'd picked up from a contact not far away. So far he hadn't seen any signs of the wreckage, and that was alarming.If his coordinates were correct, the plane was only a few miles away.Was it possible they'd managed to land instead of crash?At least there weren't any other vehicles out here. No first responders. Nothing. Just miles of brush, cacti and rock."Boss, how far are we?" Aaron asked via their headsets."We're getting close. Just a couple more miles. Keep your eyes open for movement." Damian pulled out his phone, double checking the map.Yup, they were almost on the spot where the signal had last transmitted
Friday. Somewhere in Gila National Park, New Mexico.BRENDEN STAYED LOW TO the ground, his eyes locked on the shooter pelting the belly of the plane with bullets.He and Vaughn had been staring at the crash, watching for movement, when the first shots fired. They hadn't seen anyone. Their attackers had eluded their detection and now the innocent lives of the flight crew were in their hands. If they died, it was on their team.Spiny plants picked and snagged his clothes, but he kept going. The rocky ground made for uncertain footing, but he didn't let that slow him down.It was unusual to not hear the whispering voices of his team in his ear. He'd gotten used to that. And now, the only thing he heard was gunfire and cries for help.Whoever these people were, they were trying to get into the plane. The shooter was simply a distraction. The real threat would come if or when one of their attackers got up into the cabin. Brenden couldn't see the hatch from this angle, but his g
Friday. Somewhere in Gila National Park, New Mexico.PRISCILLA KEPT HER HANDS braced on the cardboard box, her eyes searching the desert surrounding them. She strained to hear another shot, a cry of pain, something. Anything."What do you think happened?" she whispered.Melody radiated nervous energy, yet her words were calm. "I think everything is fine.""Bullshit.""I have to believe they're okay." There was a cold note to her voice, a fear that echoed Priscilla's own.She reached over and took Melody's hand in hers. Priscilla was so used to being the one out front, the one in the middle of things. Being back here, waiting, it was tough. The not knowing was the worst.There were ten people out there. Ten lives she should be thinking about. And yet, she'd be lying if she didn't admit to herself that Brenden was the one she was most concerned about. He was the kind of brave, selfless idiot who would sacrifice himself for someone else."They stopped shooting," Priscil
Friday. Safe House, Albuquerque, New Mexico.BY THE TIME BRENDEN plodded up the stone walk to the safe house it seemed as though a month had passed in one night. He hadn't seen or heard from Priscilla since putting her in the ATV. No one had mentioned her in all the back and forth with cops and first responders, so it stood to reason she was fine. And yet, he'd be lying to himself if he didn't own up to that anxious part inside of him that needed to know she was okay.What he wanted was to hold her, reassure himself it was all another bad chapter. But he couldn't. There was still too much to do before anyone could rest. According to Nolan the first half of the team had only arrived at the house half an hour ago. Which meant they still had to brief, set up surveillance, make a plan, figure out who the hell those people were. Just because they'd reached a waypoint in the journey didn't mean they were safe, that they could let their guard down, or anything.God, what he wouldn't
Friday. Safe House, Albuquerque, New Mexico.PRISCILLA PACED THE ROOM, along one side of the bed, around the foot and toward the door, then back again.What could she have done different?From the very beginning, was there something she should have done and hadn't? Or something she shouldn't have done?The Rio trip had gone according to plan. She'd arrived, gone to her hotel. The local team had picked her up. She'd toured the site with just the director.Should she travel with security? Was that necessary?Priscilla had always thought herself prepared. That she wasn't an ideal target for kidnapping because she was always aware of her surroundings.That hadn't kept her from getting taken and leading to now.So what could she have done differently?Give in and hand over the money, obviously. Was that it? The thing she should have done differently to save them all from this hell?The flight attendant would be alive then. Hell, Priscilla might have never met Brenden
Friday. Safe House, Albuquerque, New Mexico.BRENDEN WAS GOING TO crack a molar. At least they were done showering. He'd never studied the levels of hell, but one of them had to include showering with a gorgeous woman and not popping a boner. It had taken all of his concentration while sharing the shower head to keep his thoughts in line.To him, this was another day at work. Yes, someone had died. It was a terrible tragedy. It wasn't the first and it wouldn't be the last. The nature of his job was dangerous, and that meant sometimes people were killed.Priscilla didn't have that same mindset. She was upset. He was going to respect that and keep his dick to himself.He swiped the towel over his body, doing a quick dry off. Priscilla didn't move as fast. She focused on her hair then limbs. The water made her tanned skin dewy, and it glistened under the lights. Some of her bruises had begun to turn colors, the new layering with the old. He hated every one of them and wished fo
"You might think differently in the morning." Brenden fisted his hand in the sheets at Priscilla's back."No, I won't." She tipped her chin up, one side of her mouth hitched up.Brenden wasn't strong enough to resist her, and he didn't want to. He pulled the blankets back and yanked his towel out from under him. The sheets slid along his skin, cool to the touch, at least until he got closer to her.For a little while, they'd both forget.He cupped her face and kissed her, keeping his touch tender.He kissed down her body, plumping her breasts and teased her nipples. Her hands stroked his shoulders and neck. He gathered her to him and rolled, pinning her under him.Brenden pushed up, taking in the image of her laid out against the sheets, her damp hair spread over the pillow where it had come free from her towel. Her pupils were dilated and her skin flushed.The rest of the world didn't exist.Right now it was just them.He bent his head and pressed his lips to hers. S