Page 146 of Dangerous Mission
So thoughtful. But there’s an undercurrent to his voice that makes my forehead crease.
“Is everything okay?”
“We’ll see. There’s been a development.”
Justice jogs past us in his wetsuit. Beast is already by the water, propping his mask and snorkel on the top of his head. The others have stationed the dive tanks around the edge of the water.
The energy is focused and heavy, leaving no doubt, something is happening.
Scout carefully puts me down on a tarp that’s been placed over the wet ground. He covers my feet with the raincoat he brought for that purpose because he’s obsessed with taking care of my foot injuries.
Then he turns even more serious. “The professor and his student were using a UUV in the first part of the cave and they spotted some women’s shoes.”
“Oh no,” I breathe as I cover my mouth. “I hope they don’t belong to her…”
“Me too.” He looks toward the water, his brow drawing down tightly.
The surface is the color of mercury, and dotted with pockmarks from the rain. It’s deceptive. Water like thatlooks so calm, but it can be full of secrets and hidden dangers.
Scout folds his fingers over mine. “The other situation is that conditions are far worse than expected in the cave. It’s going to be a very hard dive. There’s a lot more current than anticipated.”
Fear strikes me, stealing my breath. The cave is already known for being incredibly difficult due to the narrow passages. I squeeze his hand as a shiver builds in my muscles. “Don’t let them go.”
“What if MZ’s trapped? It’s been days since the caves filled with rain. We are her last hope if she’s trapped in one of those chambers.”
Cold sweat peppers my skin.
“I don’t feel good about this,” I say, pulling him closer.
“Stop! Stop! Don’t!” A woman’s frantic voice echoes off the water and the walls of the cave, making all eyes snap toward the origin of the sound.
Standing between the trees, she looks almost ethereal in a ghostly operative kind of way. Pale blond hair hanging in long wet pieces, a dark coat, dark tactical pants and boots.
“Who is she?”
“Her,” Scout rumbles and stands to his full height. “That’s Allison Westerly, our missing woman.”
“Thank god,” I rasp as relieved tears fill my eyes.
Chapter Seventy-Three
Nothing ever fully prepares you to come face to face with a ghost.
I’m vaguely aware that there’s a pain behind my sternum. Any doctor would probably be alarmed, but I know I’m already dead inside so there’s nothing left to break in that particular cavity.
Out of all the people standing around staring at the woman who just shouted, my team leader shoves me. “Go get her.”
As if there’s a disconnect between my brain and my feet, it takes a moment to get all six-foot-six inches of my skeleton moving.
It’s damned hard to walk toward the thing that could put you in the grave. Again. This time maybe for good.
My long strides cover the ground with some momentum once I get on a roll. I need to get this done and figure outhow to dig myself out of the dirt for the second time in my life.
Or hell, maybe I’ll just stay there.
“Allison?”
Shit, I sound like I feel. Hollow and wrecked.
