Rachel had worked hard to build her reputation as a journalist who didn't flinch, who could handle herself in the field, who earned her access through competence rather than charm. But something about Hayes made her nervous in a way she hadn't felt since her first embed.
Maybe it was the redacted files. Maybe it was Anders's warning. Maybe it was just watching him move across that tarmac like violence was a language he spoke fluently.
Or maybe it was simpler than that.
Maybe she was just afraid he'd see right through her, see past the competent journalist to the woman who was still running from her brother's death, still trying to make sense of why Danny died while she got to keep breathing.
Rachel lay back on the thin mattress and stared at the ceiling. The fan creaked overhead, barely moving the hot air.
Sleep wasn't going to come easy.
4
Ghost stepped down from the helicopter with a heavy thud, boots sinking into the hard-packed dirt. Dust caked the sweat on his neck, mixed with exhaust fumes and oppressive heat. Combat smells. The faint metallic tang of blood completed the familiar combination. He caught it even through the chaos around the landing zone, a reminder of how close the night had come.
The others followed behind him. They all knew the mission report would call it a success, but Ghost and his team knew better.
He rolled his shoulders. His gear dug into pressure points that had been screaming for the last six hours. Every muscle felt locked up, wound too tight for too long.
The base looked stark under the floodlights, all sharp edges and harsh shadows cutting across the ground. Ghost headed straight for the briefing room, his team falling in behind him.
The air inside hit him like a wall. Sweat, frustration, leftover adrenaline. His team lined up on the left side of the steel table. Carver's Rangers took the right. The tension was thick enough to choke on.
Ghost sat first, elbows braced against cold metal. He scanned the room. Torch leaned back, eyes sharp despite the exhaustion written across his face. Reaper's fingers tapped a slow rhythm against his sidearm, steady as a heartbeat, always steady. Brick sat forward, hands on his knees, jaw clenched. Rogue looked like he was about two seconds from coming across the table at someone. Frost stayed near the wall, arms loose, gaze focused.
Across from them, Carver looked untouched, calm, too damn calm. Ghost had seen men use that expression like armor when they were hiding something.
The Rangers behind Carver didn't match the look. They were worn down, trying to hide how close tonight had come to going sideways.
Commander Anders stood at the head of the table. His uniform was crisp, out of place in the heat, but the exhaustion in his eyes had nothing to do with missing sleep. Ghost recognized that look. The weight of too many close calls, too many names on casualty reports.
"Hell of a mission," Anders said, voice low and controlled. "You brought the package home. Minimal losses. That's a win in my book."
He nodded toward Bear, who sat still while a medic wrapped gauze around his arm.
"Good to have you back."
Then his tone changed. He leaned forward, voice going sharp. "Now someone explain what went wrong."
Ghost didn't hesitate. "We were compromised. They knew we were coming."
Carver let out a soft scoff. "They're always jumpy out there. Could've been coincidence."
Ghost turned toward him. "That wasn't coincidence. The compound was fortified and patrols were tight. They didn't look surprised when we hit them. They looked prepared. That only happens if someone tips them off."
The room went dead quiet.
Bear lifted his head, voice rough from pain and three days without water. "I was blindfolded most of the time, but I heard them talking. They weren't reacting to a raid. They were waiting." He sucked in a breath as the medic pulled the gauze tight around hisribs. "They mentioned special forces. Twice. Like someone told them who to expect."
Every man in the room reacted. Small movements, shoulders tensing, postures shifting, eyes narrowing.
Torch leaned forward. "You sure?"
Bear didn't blink. "I know what I heard."
Reaper cracked a knuckle beneath the table. "Then this wasn't normal chatter."
Brick's jaw tightened. Frost's arms dropped from their fold, eyes going sharp.
