*
Gabe opened the door to the guest cabin, listening hard to ensure the silence. They were safe on Centurion Corporation ground, but he was too keyed up to ignore ingrained habit. Instead, he moved through the rooms and cleared each as Maylin waited for him just inside the door.
She was getting good at following his directions. Her trust evident every time she did it without question. He’d repaid each time with answers once they were safe. Explanations he’d never taken the time to make for anyone else.
And her trust was misplaced.
So far, none of his queries had turned up feasible solutions. He’d called up some old favors and could pull together a small task force, but not one sufficient to go up against Edict and other unknown opponents. He’d been checking messages while Maylin cooked. He’d even talked to Lizzy to double-check his logistics and it didn’t look good.
He had feelers out and at the very least, he’d know what freelance contractors were out there. Some of his old contacts were looking for information on Phoenix Biotech to find out who else they might have on their payroll.
Something might come through. Maybe. But realistically, it wouldn’t be soon.
He closed the door once his sweep was complete and Maylin headed straight for the little kitchenette area. He smiled. She was more at home in a kitchen than anywhere else in a place. Not because of any stupid saying about women and kitchens, either, but because she created things there. It was her domain, where she could make things happen and do things to help the people she cared about. It didn’t matter if she’d just come back from another kitchen.
“I’m putting on a kettle for tea,” she called over her shoulder. “Did you want any? Or would coffee be better? Were you planning on doing any research tonight?”
He stepped up behind her, placing his hands on her waist as she straightened. “Coffee would be great.”
She set the kettle on the stove over high heat, then turned in his arms. As her arms slipped around his waist, he kissed the top of her head. He should tell her.
“We’re close to finding her.” Maylin pressed her face into his chest. “I know we are. Even if she’s not in California, we’re on the brink of something.”
And if they were?
“It will be good to find your sister.” Lame he couldn’t think of anything better. He’d promised her false hope.
“Should we start planning? How will we get her out?”
No more dodging.
“Centurion Corporation isn’t going to.”
She froze in his arms.
“There’s four in my fire team. Chances are whatever facility she’s in has more security than just we four can handle.” He kept his arms loose, let them fall to the side as she stepped back and away from him. “I won’t send my team into a massacre when there isn’t a chance of any of us making it out. It’s a lose-lose scenario.”
“This isn’t new. You’ve known. Since we were in DC.” Each sentence came out carefully measured. Precise and cold. With plenty of time for him to refute her.
And he couldn’t. “I was looking for solutions. There aren’t any.”
The kettle behind her began to go off, a low whistle building in pitch and volume. Maylin ignored it. “You’re giving up. After all that talk.”
He met her gaze, squashed the urge to cringe under the accusation in her clear green eyes. “This ‘small’ biotech looks to have a lot more resources at its disposal than any legit company its size should. It means that wherever your sister is being held is going to be a fortress. Even if we find it, and we haven’t yet, the only result to come out of us rushing in there will be a missing fire team. We’ll disappear off the grid with no evidence to follow.”
And Centurion Corporation would want to come after them, avenge them. But Harte wouldn’t go to war for them when they’d gone ahead of their own accord.
“But you’re the best.” It was the first time he’d heard Maylin raise her voice. Heat flushed her cheeks and her mouth twisted with pain and anger.
“We’re the best because we know how to prepare for the situations we’ll encounter and we’re good enough to recognize what we can and can’t do.” God, he hated himself for what he was saying. But it was truth and he always gave her the bitter truth. “We. Can’t. Do. This. You need to walk away.”
She stared at him. Shock. Pain. Despair flashed in her eyes.
“Qù n? mā de! Oh wait, let me translate that one for you. Fuck off!” Maylin balled up her fists. “From the very beginning you’ve told me ‘no.’ Won’t help me. Can’t help me. I am so done with dragging you all along against your pathetic practicality!”