Code of Honor

Chapter Thirty-six

Loren concentrated on the highway, refusing to think about the hours slipping away or about what might be happening to Sky. She couldn’t think about Sky being hurt, helpless, alone and wondering if anyone was coming for her. When she did, the rage and fear welled up and clouded her mind. She couldn’t allow that—had to be sharp now, on the most important mission of her life. She had to be in control like never before. In the past, the only one at risk if she failed was her. Now Sky would pay for her mistakes.

She gripped the throttle, held it steady, and ignored the cold wind clawing at her throat. Blinking back tears of ice coating her lashes, she rode on through the night next to Quincy, with Armeo and the truck behind them. Just a few more hours and she’d be heading back in the other direction into the Bitterroots, and when dawn broke, she would find Sky.

*

The jet touched down at Mountain Home Air Force Base, forty miles southeast of Boise, Idaho, at 0300. Blair, Stark, and Mac climbed out and into the waiting Humvee. Stark leaned forward, spoke to the driver, and the Humvee headed for a gate in the twelve-foot chain-link fence that surrounded the landing zone. Blair looked out the window into the night. Mountains encircled them, massive and foreboding. As they left the bright lights of the base behind, stars blinked on in the velvet sky. The night would have been beautiful if it weren’t filled with such terror.

“How far to Silver Lake?” she asked Stark.

“About an hour and a half.”

“I want to talk to Lucinda about the timetable.”

“As soon as we arrive.”

Blair nodded. They wouldn’t get much reception out here in the middle of nowhere, and Stark would want a secure line. Blair watched the night streak by and tried to let her mind go blank, but she failed. The mountains mocked her with their majestic and impenetrable presence. Somewhere in their depths, Cam was at the mercy of terrorists. She couldn’t bear to imagine what might be happening to her. When the fear threatened to incapacitate her, she held on to the one thing of which she was absolutely certain. Cam would never give up. Cam would fight with everything at her disposal, and she would find her way home. Blair believed that with every beat of her heart.

“I want to know as soon as they pinpoint their location. I want to get as close as we can.”

At any other time, Stark would have voiced some objection, but she didn’t. From the instant Blair had called her and explained the situation, Stark had done everything possible to get Blair out here.

“As soon as I know anything, you will too,” Stark said. “And as soon as we have a safe location for a base, I’ll get you there.”

Stark’s face in the flickering light was solemn, strong. She still had the smooth features of youth, but only hard experience showed in her dark eyes. Affection welled up in Blair’s chest.

“I don’t think I’ve ever told you how glad I am that you’re in charge of my detail. Cam made the right choice when she recommended putting you in charge. I trust you, like I do her.”

Stark swallowed. “I’ll do everything I can to deserve it.”

“I know. Just find a way to get me to her.”

Stark nodded.

Blair understood her silence. Cam never made promises she couldn’t keep, either.

*

Cam dozed, listening with part of her mind to Dunbar’s breathing. The antibiotics seemed to be helping. Dunbar was less restless, her breathing slow and steady. The wound itself shouldn’t be debilitating in the long run as long as they kept the infection under control, but she’d lost blood, enough to weaken her, and Cam worried she might not be able to tolerate a long hike in the near-freezing temperatures.

0330. The guards had cleared away the dinner trays and turned out the lights several hours ago. She could hear the low murmur of voices just outside—several guards, probably more stationed nearby. Their best chance of escape would be when they were being moved.

Jones had indicated they’d leave at first light. They’d been held roughly nine hours. Before morning, they’d have to let her speak to someone in DC. There wasn’t much she could say that might help the authorities find them. She knew without doubt Lucinda would have a team looking for them, but she had no idea what information they had to go on. She was blind.

Since she couldn’t do anything about what was happening on the outside, she passed the time piecing together the how and why of their capture. Someone had leaked the purpose of her meet with Skylar Dunbar, and Jennifer Pattee’s organization had gotten wind of it. Kidnapping her was a desperate move, and one that suggested they were confident any reprisals would be minimal. That suggested they had powerful backers. Maybe that was the source of the leak—maybe this conspiracy reached all the way to DC, to areas they had yet to consider. She wanted to find out who their silent benefactor was. No matter what happened with FALA—and eventually they would be crushed as a result of this move—there would be others. Domestic terrorism was on the rise, and no matter how many they broke, until they cut off the power source, the problem would never end.

From the darkness, Dunbar said softly, “If you have a chance to get away tomorrow, take it.”

“We came in together, we’re going out together. And we’re going home together.”

“I’m not going to be as fast as usual. You need to get out of here—you need to find out who’s behind this.”

“We will.”

“If we get separated tomorrow,” Dunbar said, “I’d like you to give a message to someone.”

“If I see them before you do, all right.”

“There’s an agent undercover with the Renegades—the biker club running guns in this area. Loren McElroy. She needs to be pulled out. Her cover’s probably blown.”

“Your operative.”

Dunbar took an audible breath. “She was. She’s more than that now. I need you to make sure she’s all right.”

“Done.”

“Something else. I need you to tell her that I was an idiot. She’ll know what I’m talking about.” Dunbar laughed softly. “Tell her I should’ve mentioned I was in love with her too.”

“Those exact words?”

“Yeah. Especially the part about being an idiot.”

Cam sighed. “All the more reason for you to tell her yourself.”

“I’ll give it my best shot.”

“Then that will be enough. Now get some sleep. We’re going to be busy come morning.”