Page 33 of Forbidden Access

“Fine.”

She stood in the corridor and watched him march past her to his bedroom. A moment later, the door shut, and she heard him lock it from the inside. The sound of the key turning felt as final as a pin being pulled from a grenade.

An icy chill clutched at her heart.

Why’d she feel so… bereft?

She let out a long, slow breath, then turned to check the alarm system.

Focus. She had work to do.

No more distractions.

CHAPTER 13

The sound of the helicopter’s rotors grew louder as it descended toward the helipad, whipping the surrounding trees into a frenzy. The powerful downdraft flattened the grass, sending leaves and debris swirling through the air.

Thorn shielded her eyes from the blinding dust as the helicopter touched down, its skids settling firmly on the ground. They’d opted to take off from a nearby hospital, not wanting to make it obvious to anyone watching the house that they were leaving.

Hawk had driven them to the hospital in the Blackthorn Security van, while two FBI operatives—vaguely resembling Thorn and Damian in height and build—had moved into Damian’s house to make it appear like they were still there. It wouldn’t fool anyone for long, but a few days was all they needed.

She turned to Damian, who stood beside her with his travel backpack slung over one shoulder. His eyes were focused and determined, but she could see the tension in his jaw. They had packed light—only what they could carry and what was absolutely necessary for the days ahead.

They were posing as backpackers, traveling through Mexico before heading south to Central America and beyond. Innocent, guileless, with no set agenda.

If only…

Her pack was strapped tightly to her back, filled with essentials and gear she might need in a pinch and Anna had given her an untraceable burner to use when she got there. Only for emergencies.

“Ready?” Thorn shouted over the deafening roar of the rotors.

Damian nodded, gripping the strap of his backpack. Without another word, they sprinted toward the helicopter, their footsteps pounding against the concrete helipad. The pilot, a stern-faced man in dark aviators, gave them a quick nod as they approached.

Thorn reached the helicopter first, tossing her backpack inside before turning to help Damian. He handed her his pack and climbed in after her, the wind tugging at their clothes as they ducked under the spinning blades.

Once inside, Thorn slammed the door shut and secured their bags, checking to make sure everything was in place, just as she’d done multiple times before on her way to Kabul from the Afghan airbase.

The pilot didn’t waste any time. As soon as they were strapped in, the helicopter lifted off, leaving the city behind. Thorn glanced out the window, watching the ground fall away beneath them. They were heading to a small Mexican village where they could lie low until the summit.

She turned to Damian, who was staring out the opposite window, lost in thought. How did he feel about leaving his home, not knowing if he’d ever make it back there? Apart from the pensive look, he seemed fine. Composed, collected, calm. Even with the threats and sudden departure, he was keeping it together.

The guy was tough; she’d give him that much.

As the helicopter soared through the night, she thought about what lay ahead. The conference was only a week away.

Somehow, she would keep him safe until then. She had to, or the bad guys would win, and Damian would be dead. A pang of something she couldn’t decipher hit her full in the chest, and she took a shuddering breath.

Failure was not an option.

The sun had yet to poke its head above the surrounding mountains when the helicopter touched down on a dusty field on the outskirts of a quaint Mexican village called Las Piedras.

“Let’s go,” Thorn called, and they ducked under the spinning blades and sprinted away from the chopper.

Anna had found the most remote, unassuming village she could. It was off the beaten track, so it was unlikely to be frequented by mainstream tourists or have any internet cafes, WiFi, or CCTV. No way for anyone to spy on them.

They could see the ghostly shadow of a town from the clearing where the chopper had dropped them. It was nestled in a valley surrounded by rugged mountains, hence its inaccessibility. “The only way in is by car over the mountain pass,” Anna had told them prior to leaving. “You should be safe there for a while.”

Damian set off in the direction of the town, taking big, determined strides. Thorn had a map folded up in her jacket pocket since reception in the mountains would be nonexistent, but she didn’t need to use it.

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