Page 92 of What I Should Have Done

Fourteen numbers total. Seven numbers split up, and I knew exactly what I was looking at. I knew it had been strange he’d had his tags with him. Because he hadn’t actually had them with him.

“Jacob, you son of a bitch.” I smiled and rushed off to find Dom.

Chapter 31

MIKEY

Crossing my arms, I popped my neck as Dom placed his hands on the table in front of us. “You sure about this?” he asked, lifting a brow and looking over at me.

No.

“It’s the only guaranteed way,” I replied. He inhaled deeply, glancing at the untouched map.

“Yeah, I know,” he muttered.

The doorknob clicked, the lock disengaging from the code being input, and chatter filled the small, cement room. Blank computer screens surrounded us; everything that usually clicked or buzzed was turned off. All of the fancy electronic equipment disengaged in the single, permanent structure on the entire base where all of the IT stuff was housed.

“Damn, I never thought we’d have clearance to be in here,” Bernie said, running a hand along the wall.

“For real,” Ford agreed, pushing aside one of the chairs.

My heart jumped in my chest as Scottie silently scanned the secure room. Sliding past the computers, the tech equipment, and vacant chairs, her eyes finally landed on me. I clamped my teeth together, focusing on remaining expressionless as she approached the circle forming around the table holding the map.

“Whatever’s going on has got to be serious for us to meet in here without the colonel,” Duncan narrowed his gaze suspiciously.

“Mikey figured out where the Black Box is hidden.” Dom tossed a thumb my way, standing up straight. “Well, technically Thompson did and then entrusted it with Mikey when he realized he wasn’t going to make it. Anyway, Mikey came to me an hour ago with the news, and I’ve decided we’re going to do this a little…differently than we have.”

Bernie hoisted himself up on an empty desk across from us. A rather mischievous grin splitting his lips. “Differently, how? Are we going dark?”

Dom nodded. “I told the colonel I needed full clearance for a black ops mission, no questions asked. He agreed, seeing as we don’t really have any other leads at this point.”

“This is because of the mole, isn’t it,” Scottie voiced, her piercing amber eyes darting briefly to mine.

He nodded. “Speaking of the mole, per my orders, Duncan and Mikey have gathered as much raw data as they can concerning every previous mission of ours. Who was involved, where the intel went, everything. Then they reported the data to the colonel.”

“So, who the fuck is it?” Ford asked, leaning back against the desk beside Bernie.

Dom inhaled deeply. “We just have data.”

“But no actual person that all the shit traces back to,” Bernie muttered.

“Whoever it is, is good at covering their tracks, so not yet. Though, the colonel and I are suspicious of a few people, and I also personally believe that this mole has something to do with your kidnapping, Crow. But this is a huge accusation, so we need to be one hundred percent sure before carrying it further.” Dom pointed at the map. “Which brings me back to this. A simple map of the territory around us. There will be no record of our route, no traceable way to know where we’re going and how we get there. Leading me to my next point.”

Dom glanced at me, questioning once again what we’d previously agreed upon. “Only Mikey and I know the coordinates as of this moment. Not even the colonel knows the Box’s exact location, and we are going to have it remain that way.”

“What?” Ford pushed off from the desk as Scottie’s gaze shot back to mine. Confusion and blatant concern flashed unfiltered across her face. “That’s dangerous. That puts a target on both of your backs.”

“Yes. And he’s accepted the risk,” Dom explained. “But the rest of you need to accept the reality of your situation by not knowing. If you are captured and tortured and they find out you really, truly don’t know, they’ll kill you.”

Bernie shook his head. “Or if they take you or Mikey, and realize they aren’t getting the information out of either of you, they’ll kill you too.”

Scottie closed her eyes but remained silent, slipping backwards into the shadows.

“We fight as a team. We die as a team. At least our promise to Griffin will be kept,” Duncan mumbled.

“Come on, Dom,” Ford pleaded, but getting nothing from Dom, he turned his gaze to me. “Mikey?”

“You know this is the best decision,” I quietly replied, looking down at my boots.

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