Rowan grabbed his phone. Another text had come in.
Sierra
Seriously, where are you? Huck’s event is starting.
And then another, about ten minutes later.
Sierra
Are you okay?
And then three missed calls. Oh, he was in trouble. He pocketed the phone. Better to show up, pronto, and explain face-to-face.
Saxon was jogging back from his vehicle.
“Got him.” Saxon’s voice cut through his brooding. “Jamie tracked his phone to an industrial area about twenty minutes from here. Looks like a food-processing plant.”
“Food processing?”
“Alpine Fresh Foods. They make frozen pizzas.” Saxon consulted his phone. “Jamie says his GPS signal has been stationary there for the past three hours.”
Martinelli approached. “What’s the plan?”
“We go get him,” Rowan said. “Three of us, quick entry, fast extraction.”
“Hold on.” Martinelli raised a hand. “We don’t know what we’re walking into. Could be a trap, could be a hostage situation. Protocol says we call for backup.”
“How long will that take?”
“Hour, maybe two.”
“We don’t have time for protocol,” Rowan said. “Every minute we wait is another minute they have to eliminate Rousseau or move him to a different location.”
“And every minute we rush in unprepared is another chance we get ourselves killed.” Martinelli’s gaze fixed on Rowan’s.
Saxon stepped between them. “What if we compromise? Fast reconnaissance, assess the situation, then decide if we need backup?”
Martinelli considered this, then, “Reconnaissance only. We see what we’re dealing with before making any moves.”
Rowan got in the truck with Saxon, not needing any of Martinelli’s ire.
The drive to Alpine Fresh Foods took twenty minutes through industrial sections of the city. He stared out the passenger window at warehouses and processing plants, his hands clenched in his lap.
“I hate this,” he said finally.
“Hate what?” Saxon said.
“Being helpless. Not seeing the entire picture. I’m walking in blind.” Rowan’s jaw tightened. “And not just now, but with Sierra, and Huck and…” He blew out a breath. “Last night, Huck nearly got killed.” He actually put a hand to his chest.
Saxon glanced at him in the rearview mirror. “Well, look who’s human.”
“I gotta figure out how to get past this?—”
“Past loving someone? Rowan.”
“Past letting emotions rule my life instead of logic and training.”
“That what you’re worried about? Feeling too much? C’mon.”
