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  “I am fairly certain, Lieutenant Jones, that you are watching this with your squad. For Rihana, I pray you are in transit to the Helix.”

  I scan the streaming video, looking for clues. The landscape is dark, but there’s a noise in the background—the sound of crickets chirping and a dog barking. Bashur may be in a neighborhood.

  “In case you require proof that your wife is with me…”

  The screen fades in and out. Second clue, Bashur and Rihana are not together.

  Rihana, strapped to a chair, appears on screen. Other than the restraints, she doesn’t seem harmed.

  A heavy voice in the distance demands, “Speak.”

  Rihana rolls her eyes and looks away from the camera. Third clue, she isn’t afraid of the person speaking. Familiarity.

  “I said speak,” the voice says again.

  Someone, face unseen, comes to her side and places a gun near her head. The person cocks the weapon.

  Now I see the slight tremble in her lower lip, the only sign of fear. Fourth clue, at least two people are holding her, and this one is terrifying.

  “Do whatever Bashur tells you to do. He won’t hesitate to kill me. Aza, make sure someone reads to Viyan. Her favorite book is on the third shelf to the right of the big blue one. We are on page one five three.” There’s a clue here, but what is it?

  The image fades, and Bashur is back on the screen. “Time is ticking by. You should hurry.”

  The screen goes to black.

  Zared speaks, “That’s all I’ve got.”

  “Z, don’t hang up yet. Rihana gave at least five clues in that message.”

  Steve gazes over at me. “What did you see?”

  “The most important clue is that Rihana is being held someplace separate from Bashur. Next, she was reading from a card. Rihana doesn’t use contractions when she speaks, and she always uses Raman. Someone wrote out the words for her to say.”

  “Not much of a clue, but continue,” Steve urges.

  “There isn’t a bookshelf in the room Viyan is sleeping in. Those instructions may have been coordinates or an address.”

  “Did you catch that Zared?”

  “Yeah, Steve. Three, right, blue, one, five, three. I’m not sure what it indicates, but I’ll start working on it.”

  Steve taps his fingers against the car door. “I have a list of properties in the safe. Check the list for anything with that info. I’m suspecting she gave us their location.”

  “Anything else, Asher?” Steve says.

  “She’s being held with at least two men. One of them is familiar to her. Rihana doesn’t fear him. The second person terrifies her. Last thing, Bashur is somewhere outside in a neighborhood.”

  “Mmmm…” Breathing noises from Zared come over the speakers. A few seconds later, he says, “Got it. Any properties located on a street where the third house on the right has a blue door? Address could possibly be 153?”

  “Not off the top of my… Zared, look up the location for the Fakhourys. I have them stashed in two different houses.”

  The tapping of keys filters over the speaker.

  “Asher, I think I have something. There’s a property listed on Azure Street. The address is 153.”

  “That’s got to be them,” I exclaim. “Let’s go—”

  “No,” Steve objects. “Zared, send a team to the location. That’s not one of the safe houses for the Fakhourys, so send another team to their houses. When they’re found, have the team bring them back to the compound.”

  “On it,” Zared says.

  “Oh, make sure the team going to Azure Street knows not to engage. They are to lay low and just observe, no action unless the situation escalates. Understood?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Good. Keep us updated.”

  As soon as the call ends, I ask, “Why aren’t we going to the house?”

  “We can’t move on the first tidbit of news. It could be false information, Asher. We have to check out everything. Besides, there’s a chance Bashur is watching us.”

  I exhale loudly. He’s right. “What’s next?”

  “We keep going, act as if nothing’s changed. Zared’s sent word ahead to my team stationed in Colorado. They’ve already gone to the bunker.”

  Man that was fast. I rub my hands on my pants legs. My heart is thudding against my chest so hard I’m waiting for a rib to crack. Why is my body choosing now to rebel against me? I lean forward, placing my forehead against the back of the seat. Nothing quells the quivering inside me.

  “Breathe, Asher.” Steve’s hand lands on my back. “I know you’re worried about Rihana, but I told you she’s trained.”

  “I shouldn’t have let her go home alone,” I mutter. “This could have been avoided.”

  “Listen, Rihana did the best thing leaving with Bashur instead of putting up a fight. She gave us clues so we can find her. Your wife is smart. I seriously doubt that Bashur would know Azure is a name for the color blue. It’s dark out. He probably doesn’t even know the house number. If that’s where they’re at, we’ll find her.”

  “And Bashur will know that we know,” I contradict.

  Steve ignores my warning. “We have to trust that Rihana will be fine. We’ve trained her. She knows what to look for in case of emergency. Asher, she asked to learn these things. Rihana’s had a contingency plan in place ever since she came to the territory.”

  My head jerks up, and I stare at Steve.

  “Rihana believed that, one day, the Alliance would catch up with her. We drew up documents. We’re Viyan’s guardians in case both of you die. She trained in order to protect herself and your daughter.”

  “I had no idea,” I mumble.

  “She said she would tell you once you came home. I guess you didn’t get that far.”

  His words put a momentary smile on my face as I think about the night in front of the fireplace.

  “Listen, Asher, we’ll free the Helix. The team will expose whatever information they find in the bunker. For now, we’ll stay put and let Bashur believe we’ve gone to Colorado.”

  “And what happens if the Helix isn’t in Michigan? What if there’s nothing in the bunker? What then?”

  “We’ll find them. I promise you, Asher, we’ll find them and Rihana.”

  —

  The SUV comes to a halt outside a tall chain link fence with barbed wire across the top. One of the team hops out. He opens a panel on a pole, enters a code, and a gate rolls back.

  We ride past rows of empty buildings, some in various states of disrepair, before approaching the airfield. At one edge of the open space are hangars. The vehicle picks up speed, and we cross the area in a matter of minutes.

  Someone opens the doors of a hangar, and the driver maneuvers the SUV into it. The doors are pulled closed behind us.

  We’re back to where I started.

  “You coming?” Steve says from outside the vehicle.

  I realize I’m the only one left in the SUV. “Yeah, sure.”

  Following my step-grandfather through the maze of workstations, members of his team salute. Really not necessary. I’ve never been one to stand on formality.

  We enter the ready room, and Steve points to a chair. He stops to pour us some coffee. As I take a seat, the door creaks open, and a guy with a ruddy complexion and a blond buzz cut sticks his head in. “Gonna be with us a while, sir?”

  “Afraid so. Check in with Cruz. He’ll catch you up.” My step-grandfather waves in my direction. “Taft, meet my grandson Captain Jones.”

  “This is your grandson? Hot damned! You got a boost in rank? I can say I’ve finally met the man once known as the notorious Sergeant ‘Take No Shit’ Jones.” Taft holds out his hand. Up close, the man appears to be in his thirties. “Glad to meet you, sir. Whatever you need, don’t hesitate to ask.”

  Eyeing the guy with suspicion, I hesitate before shaking his hand. “I didn’t know I had a reputation.”

  “That’s an understatement. If
you have some time, I’ll clue you in.”

  “Taft, don’t you have something to do?” Steve says as a reminder.

  “Sorry, boss.” Taft closes the door behind him.

  Steve sits on the other side of the table and passes me a cup. “He’s a good man. Works hard, but you have to keep him on task. You know the syndrome? Not the best soldier on the team.”

  Nodding, I ask, “Why do you keep him around then?”

  Soldiers who can’t be trusted to do their job don’t stay on my team long. Maybe that’s the reputation Taft hinted at.

  “He’s excellent at administration. I can trust him to keep this place running when I’m not around.” Steve adds a couple of packets each of sugar and cream to the cup, grabs a stirrer lying on the table, and swirls the contents around. He takes a deep sip and lowers the mug. “We’ll hang out here until we get word from the team in Colorado. Once we hear from them we can make our move.”

  My finger traces the table top’s pattern. “And what move will that be?”

  “I’m all for letting my men handle this entire mission. They can destroy the bunker and then go on to Michigan and extract the Helix. There’s nothing for us to do but sit and wait. Besides, I’m not comfortable leaving the area. We might have to liberate Rihana before all is said and done.”

  “Agreed.” I lean back in the chair. “So, what do we do in the meantime?”

  “I can guarantee you Bashur nor his men know of our location. Try to relax.”

  Easier said than done. A good distraction is hard to come up with. I stare into the coffee cup and say, “Why don’t you fill me in on who you really are? I don’t think we’ve ever had that conversation.”

  Honestly, I’ve only known Steve Winters as a bodybuilder. I’ve never seen him compete or even seen a trophy.

  “True.” He clears his throat. “I’m a former Seal, a commander. Go ahead and ask your questions.”

  My eyes dart around the room. They land on him and I ask, “What do you call this place?”

  “Trident HQ. It’s made up of three branches of the former U.S. military—the Army, the Navy, and the Marines.” A satisfied smile settles on Steve’s face. “The New Order only knows the team exists, but they’re not sure of our location. We tend to move around. Essential operations are mobile. At any given moment, this place can be dismantled and placed on a semi.”

  It’s obvious why the New Order allows Steve to operate. Whenever our country’s leaders get into deep shit or an important citizen goes missing, no scientist can do what his team can do.

  “And my grandmother? Does she know about all of this?”

  “Yup. The Lord blessed me when he put her in my life. She understood my need for secrecy right from the start. Not once has she judged me. Never has she complained about my absences. Sibley welcomes me home every time, tells me she’s grateful I came back.”

  Definitely not the woman my Grandma Bernice, my father’s mother, described years ago. The two grandmothers never agreed on anything. Grandma Bernice saw Mama Sibley as a flighty woman with loose morals. Mama Sibley said Grandma Bernice was a subservient individual who set women back a hundred years.

  Steve leans forward. “You know, Asher, Rihana has a lot of the same traits as Sibley. She’s a good woman.”

  He’d get no argument from me. I raise an eyebrow. “So the bodybuilding thing?”

  “Sibley thought it was a good cover story. You’ve seen my gym, so it’s not a big stretch.” A smile flickers on his lips. “But I’ve never been on a stage a day in my life. We keep equipment on-site. Any man can pack a bag and tell his loved ones that he’s off to a competition. We all train hard. To outsiders we look the part.”

  “Clever.”

  “I know it’s a moot point, but if you want to rest I can show you your private quarters. We’re in the same building.” His gaze sweeps over me for a moment. “Kapernecki and her team are here. I’ve instructed her to rescind her no-meds order. If you require something to help you sleep, go see her.”

  “Thanks.” I don’t think I’ll be sleeping anytime soon, though.

  “Asher, no one will question anything you do or don’t do. Pray, don’t pray. The choice is yours. You’re not the only Muslim here. There’s a makeshift mosque on the property.”

  Rubbing my forehead, I say, “What haven’t you thought of?”

  “A way to bring Bashur to his knees.” Steve stands. “Gonna take care of that right now. You’re welcome to come along. It’s up to you, though.”

  “I must stay busy or I won’t make it. Is it possible for a member of your team to track someone for me?”

  “Who?”

  “Fletcher was still looking for Mark.”

  “Hmmm… You haven’t changed your mind about Outlaw.” Steve’s nose wrinkles. Before I can question my step-grandfather, he adds, “Yeah, I know your code names, Surfer. And I know quite a bit about that man. I’ll have Taft look into it. Once he’s located, I’ll arrange for his transport.”

  What is it about Mark that rubs Steve the wrong way?

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  “The oppressor came through and cast you to the wind like sand in a sandstorm. We were pushed from our homes yet again. I say unto you, do not fall victim to the ways of the jackal. Our way is not crime and violence.”

  —from the Honorable M. Raman Bashur,

  Kurdish political & religious thinker

  Watching computer screens and waiting for a call that’s slow in coming is boring as hell. Thankfully, Taft finds me a pair of sweats and a T-shirt so that I can work through my frustration.

  In the middle of my third set of bench presses, Taft runs in with a phone and waits while I rack the weight. I snag a towel from the floor and wipe my forehead.

  “What do you have, Taft?”

  “Captain Jones—”

  “Like, just call me Asher.”

  He nods. “I’ve located your friend. When you finish your call, your grandfather wants to see you.”

  “Thanks,” I say, taking the phone from Taft. “Mark?”

  “What’s going on, Ash? That guy wouldn’t tell me shit.”

  “You remember Raman Bashur?”

  “Your contact in the Alliance? Yeah, I remember him. What about that prick?”

  “Long story short, he’s kidnapped Rihana.”

  “What the fuck? How the hell did that happen?”

  I don’t have to see Mark to know he’s ready to punch a wall. We both can let our tempers get the best of us.

  “It seems like his men got a jump on ours. Killed them and took off with Rihana. Bashur claims he’ll return her once I finish the mission.”

  Noisy breathing hits my ear. “You don’t believe him, do you?”

  “Hell no.”

  “What mission? I thought all you had to do was get that damned SIM card.”

  “That mission’s over. New assignment is to, like, find the Helix, shut down the program, and expose it to the public. But there’s a problem.”

  “Of course, there is.”

  “Bashur wants me dead so that he can have Rihana to himself.”

  Mark exhales. “Oh, hell no. I’ll kill that motherfucker myself. What do you need me to do?”

  “Steve has a team checking a bunker in the New Colorado Territory. Another team is, like, headed to North Woods—”

  “Surfer, please tell me you don’t want me to go back there.”

  “Sorry, dude, you know I don’t trust too many people. I need you in North Woods.”

  “Not without you.” He pauses for a minute. “Meet me there, and I’ll help.”

  “I have to…” Steve can rescue Rihana. He’ll keep her safe. “Okay. Fine. My step-grandfather will have to rescue Rihana.”

  “Patch me through to the boss. I’ll see you soon.”

  “Thanks, dude. It’s good to know I can, like, always count on you.” When I finish with Mark, I return to the ready room. There’s a tablet on the table. I close the door behind me.


  “What’s going on?” I ask Steve who’s sitting at the head of the table.

  “My team is at the bunker. So far, they’ve found nothing. It’s obvious someone’s been there, but not recently.”

  My stomach churns. His news shouldn’t come as a surprise, but the words don’t go down easy. I recall the well-staffed and stocked medical facility at the prison. “The first time I was at North Woods I suspected that the Helix was there. I just wished I followed my gut. Might have avoided this trip.”

  “You plan on going.”

  Not a question, more like a statement of intent.

  “Yeah. Like it or not, a team has to go back in there. Mark will meet me in Michigan.” I start pacing the floor. “Before you say anything, he was at North Woods with me.”

  “Understood. I’ve got a team in the New York Territory. I’ll have them pack up and head to Michigan. They can be there in three hours. It’s going to take you, though, almost eight hours to get there.” Steve starts inputting info into the tablet.

  “I must, like, get a message to Bashur. If he thinks we’ve all gone to North Woods, you should be able to rescue Rihana.”

  “The Fakhourys have been relocated to the compound. Zared informed me there’s a squad guarding the premises. No movement has been seen on Azure Street, though.”

  That fact doesn’t comfort me—no proof that Bashur is at the house. I pause. “How soon can you get me out of here, Steve?”

  “Taft has already sent a prep team to the plane. Give them another twenty minutes, and you’re good to go.”

  —

  Once again, I’m on a plane. But this time instead of it taking me home, I’m leaving my loved ones behind. I’m nobody’s savior, but if I don’t act like one, I’ll lose my heart. If I lose Rihana, they might as well toss dirt in my face. Losing anyone else will kill me.

  With too many miles to go, I should try to rest. Sleep, however, is out of the question. Every time I close my eyes, I see Rihana’s smiling face. If only she had listened… Reality tells me Bashur would have simply found another way to insert his influence.

  No one would have convinced me that Bashur was the true traitor in my life. I trusted this man. I listened to his rhetoric and thought it genuine. Was all this the culmination of a long-term plan? If so, how long has this man hated me?