“When you put it that way…” He leaned toward Saylor. “I’ve got Chase on standby, just in case she snaps.”
Mac swatted his chest before shaking her head as she focused on Saylor. “I’m sorry I missed the excitement last night. I was in the middle of hurling for the hundredth time, and Foster thought the retching wouldoutus.”
Saylor inhaled. “He didn’t actually say that, did he?”
Mac gave Foster her best stink eye. “Every. Word.”
“I’m impressed Chase isn’t digging a round out of Foster’s ass.” Saylor grabbed her hand and squeezed. “You don’t have to apologize.”
“Still…” Mac leaned back in the chair, taking another cautious sip before handing Foster the mug. “So, any news, yet?”
Zain grunted as he pounded his fist on the table. “Not a damn word.”
Saylor rested her hand on his arm. “Bodie said it could take a few days.”
“Which would be fine if we weren’t in the middle of a damn war. They tried twice in one night, and it’s nearly dark, again. We’re running out of time.” Zain stood and paced across the room, leaning against the far wall. “Not that I want to risk Foster’s sanity, but if we don’t hear something soon, I’ll call Becca, myself.”
“Jesus, less than twenty-four hours and you’re already replacing me? That’s cold, brother.”
Zain whipped his head around, smiling at the man standing in doorway. “Nothing you don’t already know.” He walked over and clapped Bodie on the back. “I hope the fact you came in person means you’ve got something big.”
Bodie shrugged, nodding at Saylor. “If the images of the research crew’s big, then, yeah.”
Saylor inhaled, the chair nearly toppling as she surged to her feet. “You found them?”
He placed his laptop on the table, then pulled up a seat. “The fact you asked like that cuts deep.”
“I looked everywhere, but…”
She froze. What if the guy wasn’t there? If she’d imagined everything? The face, the sounds, the lights.
What if she really was losing her mind?
The chair scraped across the floor, then Zain’s arms wrapped around her waist, tugging her against his chest.
He pressed his lips to the soft spot behind her ear, a heated breath soothing that initial punch of fear. “Everything’s going to be okay.”
She nodded, probably looking like a deranged bobblehead, but the simple motion eased the tension in her muscles. Allowed her to finally pry her eyelids open.
Zain pulled another chair over, snugging his up beside hers. “If you’re not up to this, I can take a look. Or Kash. It was dark and we had to leave fairly quickly, but we’re pretty good with faces.”
“No.” She smoothed her hands down the hoodie Zain had loaned her. “I’m fine.”
Zain shook his head. “Stubborn.” He moved in beside her, his thigh touching hers as he looked over atBodie. “Is this secure enough? I recall your place has jammers and special film over the windows.”
“We’ll definitely be meeting there if I can scrounge up intel on that classified mission and the chip you guys removed from that drone.” Bodie sighed. “But for this, I thought Saylor might be more comfortable here, all things considered.” He reached into his bag and removed a small unit. “I brought a portable jammer, though, just in case.”
It took Bodie a few minutes to get everything set up and his laptop humming as the rest of Zain’s teammates ambled in, grabbing seats before Bodie slid the computer over to her. “I separated them so there’s only one per page. That way, you don’t have to hunt for him. Just, take your time.”
A deep breath and a pep talk not to lose her shit, and she clicked on the first image — quickly moved on to the next. Then, the next, each face tightening her chest a bit more until it took all her focus just to suck air in and push it out. She paused on the last picture, tears burning her eyes, those familiar dots starting to close in as she pushed the laptop away, praying the floor miraculously opened up and swallowed her.
She palmed her forehead, that eerie tone echoing around her. “He’s not here.”
Bodie frowned. “Are you sure? You can look, again.”
“I’m positive. None of these men are the one from the salvage ship.”
Her breathing kicked up. Shallow, gasping pants that had the room dimming. The table starting to tilt left and right.
