The late afternoon light caught the highlights in her hair, and for a moment I was transported back to Afghanistan—to stolen moments between missions when it felt like we were the only two people in the world. Before everything went to hell. Before I learned exactly how badly I could fail someone I cared about.
“We should head back,” I said, forcing myself to stay in the present instead of the past. “We need to discuss the fireworks angle with the team. Hopefully, Noah will fill us in tomorrow morning.”
The drive back stretched ahead of us. Twenty minutes alone in a car, trying to maintain professional distance. The longer the silence lasted, the more my brain returned to that touch in the dark tunnel. Her hand on my chest.
How often had she done that once upon a time?
And why couldn’t I shake that memory and focus on the amphitheater? On Fenix?
It was the same problem I’d had six years ago. I just had to be sure I kept her safe this time.
Chapter 19
Brooke
I leanedagainst the metal railing of the rooftop terrace, watching the sun sink over the sea. The sky blazed with fiery oranges and deep reds, reflecting off the water in shimmering patterns. After the intensity of the day—Norris’s condescension, the underground tunnels, and the horrifying revelation of Fenix’s dual-deployment plan—I’d escaped to this quiet sanctuary while the team strategized below.
Eight thousand people. The number kept circling in my mind. Eight thousand unsuspecting concertgoers who would become test subjects in Fenix’s twisted phoenix ritual.
The Mediterranean breeze cooled my skin. I inhaled deeply, pulling in the scent of the sea. From this vantage point, I could almost believe peace was right around the corner. No more barreling into labs after a hot tip, no more forgetting what time zone I was in, no more chaos.
I traced the edge of my scar behind my ear, feeling where the texture of new tissue gave way to the skin I’d been born with.
The creak of metal interrupted my thoughts. I turned to see Rav at the top of the staircase, pausing when he spotted me.
“Sorry,” he said, already retreating. “I didn’t realize you were up here.”
“It’s fine,” I replied, turning back to the twinkling lights in the distance. “There’s room for both of us.”
He hesitated, then his footsteps grew closer. “Seems we had the same idea.”
I turned halfway, angling my body so he’d join me on the right side. “Great minds, I suppose.”
He stopped next to me and folded his arms, staring out at the view. He was still in the clothes from our reconnaissance—dark jeans and a navy henley that stretched across his shoulders. The fading sunlight accentuated the sharp angles of his face and the intensity of his dark eyes.
“It’s a lot,” he said quietly. “What Fenix is planning.”
I nodded, shifting my gaze to the city in the distance. “I’ve been with Pendragon for three years tracking down Dr. Haddad’s research and anyone who might have had access to it. We found three of his lab partners who had pieces, and a few hackers who’d tried to grab the information from Mnemis’ servers, but no one ever had the complete formula.” I shook my head. “We really thought the Greek Fire formula wouldn’t make it into the wrong hands. And now here we are, facing a mass civilian attack.”
“We’ll stop them.” His voice carried the same quiet confidence I remembered. It wasn’t a hopeful statement; it was just a fact.
“You sound very sure of that.” I glanced at him again, finding his dark eyes already on me.
“I am.” He turned to face the view. Neither of us could look at each other. “Reynolds won’t fail. Scarlett won’t let it happen.”
“You really trust her that much?”
A small smile crossed his face. “With my life. Have since we were kids.”
I studied his profile, noting how the lines of tension around his eyes softened when he spoke about Scarlett. “She said you’ve known each other since you were twelve?”
“Ben oui.” He shifted his weight, leaning his forearms on the railing. “I was the new kid in school. Moved from Quebec after my parents died, came to live with my grandmother in Halifax.”
“I remember you telling me about her.”
“The kids at school made fun of my accent and height.” He shrugged, the movement almost imperceptible. “Scarlett decided I was worth saving, apparently. She sat with me at lunch one day, told everyone else to back off, despite everything she was going through.”
This was new information. I’d always pictured Rav as the confident protector, not the one who needed protecting. “She sounds like a pretty amazing woman.”
