Page 2 of Under Fire in Big Sky

“Any reason for them not to have peace of mind?”

“Um, well,” Jason muttered. “The grand opening will be rather busy, lots of folks coming in, and we have the top investors in this week. We’re battening down the hatches, sir.”

“We know.” Eli lowered his voice. “About the threat.” He kept it vague to see how much the security guard knew.

Jason hesitated.

“If you’ve beefed up security in response, it’s smart.” Eli hoped the soft nudge would be enough to get him talking.

“We were told not to discuss it with the rest of the staff,” Jason whispered. “About New Dawn Revolution. Only security has been briefed.”

“Between you and me, a lot of good people believe in the NDR cause. Ecosystems are being destroyed. Nature’s perfection spoiled. For what? Money. How much do these billionaires need? Right?”

Jason tensed, jaw hardening. “I don’t care about billionaires. I care about feeding my family. This job has been a lifesaver for me since I got out of the military and for a lot of other people. I’m not letting NDR threaten this place.”

“That’s the spirit,” Eli said. “I served, too.” Getting people to talk was all about building a connection. “What branch were you in?”

“Navy. Where did you serve?”

“My last duty station was Malmstrom Air Force Base. I was with the RED HORSE unit.” A cool acronym that condensed a mouthful—Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineer. Also, redundant. “But I deployed everywhere.”

“Yeah.” The security guard’s eyes brightened. “I’ve heard of you guys. You’re like the Navy Seabees. You combat engineers get into the thick of it. Go on assault missions and blow stuff up.”

Eli had the training of a tier one operator, on par with SEALs. But EOD—explosive ordnance disposal—took nerves of steel. That he didn’t miss. “Build a lot of stuff, too.”

Jason offered his hand, and they shook.

“Are you familiar with the entire staff?” Eli asked.

“I know maybe seventy-five percent.”

The other twenty-five percent was Eli’s concern. He spotted Olivia going back to their luggage. “When is your shift over?”

“We change out at six.”

In four hours. “Can I buy you a drink?” Pump him for information about the staff.

Jason leaned in. “Not here. The prices are sky-high. We can meet down the road at the honky-tonk. The drinks are cheap but strong.”

After his talk with Olivia, he was probably going to need a strong drink. “How’s eight?”

“Okay.”

“Drinks will be on me.” Aegis was picking up the tab.

They shook again, and Eli met Olivia near the luggage.

“Here’s the key to your room.” She gave him one for 324. “I’m right next door in 326.”

Separate rooms. Maybe it was just for a professional cover but unease still percolated in his veins.

“Keep receipts. I’ll need to submit them for the expense report. So, what do you think?”

He had too many thoughts to share. “This place is as bougie as it gets.” He wasn’t sure why that one surfaced first. Other than nerves. He was out of his depth when it came to Liv and having the talk, which was probably code for the end.

Not that he blamed her. This thing had lasted longer than he expected. She deserved more, a guy who could give her all of himself, and that wasn’t him.

When they met, he was one of many enlisted engineers, while she was the sole intelligence officer assigned to his team. Their fling was forbidden, considered fraternization, and a violation of regulations. From the start, it was doomed.