Page 8 of Poison Evidence

“Cressida opened the direct link.” Mara projected her voice away from the phone. “Do you have CAM on the map?”

Ivy heard a muffled response before Mara said, “You’re nearing the bridge to Koror.”

A glance at the road ahead showed signs for the bridge. “Yep. I planned to report what happened once CAM and I are settled in a safe place.” She then explained to Mara what happened in the swamp. “I need to talk to Aurora Ames,” she added, naming the US attorney for the District of Columbia, who was personally handling Patrick’s prosecution. “She can add selling CAM to the charges.”

“I’ll brief Curt. He’ll want to send out a team of FBI investigators, but it will probably take a few days to get them out there.” Curt was US Attorney General Curt Dominick, Mara’s husband. If anyone could get the FBI to respond quickly, it was the head of the Justice Department. Ivy had been battling panic from the moment she heard the soft curse in the swamp. This reminder that she had powerful allies led to her first deep breath in what felt like hours.

“We need to consider bringing you home,” Mara said.

Dread settled in her gut. The test of CAM was going so well. “I understand. I don’t want to leave. But I understand.”

“If we could ensure your security, you could complete the project, but I doubt the Navy will be willing to send a team. It’s too expensive.” After a pause, Mara added, “I’ll see what I can do.”

“Thanks, Mara. Did you have a chance to see the upload I did today?” Because of the scheduled party, she’d worked in her hotel room all day, giving Ulai the day off. She’d used her direct satellite link to upload the latest data, which she’d already compiled into GIS layers.

“It’s amazing,” Mara said, her voice full of awe. “I can’t believe how detailed the map is of the submerged Zero. And I could swear you found a tunnel in the Peleliu jungle.”

“Me too. I planned to go out there in a few days, to confirm.” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “It would be a win for Patrick if I had to run home and hide.”

“I know, Ivy,” Mara said. “And I know what CAM means to you. I’ll do what I can on my end. In the meantime, promise me that if you’re in distress, you’ll lock CAM down.”

Lockdown would mean full abort of the project. Her stomach clenched at the thought. “I promise.”

She’d initiated CAM’s tracking signal. He wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. No doubt she had a direct satellite uplink. He didn’t have the skills to block it.

Just the idea that she’d been on the phone with Curt Dominick’s wife… It brought both a shiver of fear and…hope. The man could be an ally, but given his straight-arrow reputation, he was more likely a foe.

It was absolutely vital for him to earn Ivy’s trust, or the game was over. For him and for Ivy.

Even after the assault in the swamp, she probably didn’t realize exactly how much danger she was in, because she had no idea what the stakes were. He was the only one who knew.

So far she trusted him. But then, he’d been trained to be a charmer. A seducer. Part of the job description.

He wanted to believe he was a good guy, but all evidence pointed to the contrary, even if none of it was his choice.

Free will. A key trait of humanity, and the one thing he’d always lacked. He had more in common with Ivy’s mapping drone than anyone knew. The day he achieved control over his choices was the day he’d both enter and leave the human race.

Ivy MacLeod was his ticket to humanity. His liberation. And eventually, his death sentence.

He couldn’t fuck this up. More than his and Ivy’s lives hung in the balance. The sister he hadn’t seen in years and the nephew he’d never met were vulnerable. Freedom waited for them if he pulled this assignment off.

“What branch of the military were you in that you learned to fight like that?” she asked. “Were you special forces?”

The reckless side of him wanted to tell the truth, just to see her reaction. But he’d learned to curb that impulse after a few lessons at the end of a hockey stick reinforced the message of control at all times. “Major Jack Keaton, US Air Force, retired.”

She glanced at him askance. “You’re a little young to be retired.”

“Medical retirement.”

“I’d have guessed you were more the Green Beret type. Aren’t they all about the hand-to-hand combat?”

“Sometimes pilots have to bail in enemy territory. It’s important to know how to fight.” He’d been assured Jack Keaton’s military records would hold up. All he had to do was say the right thing.

He pulled into the marina parking lot. She had to let him help unload the cases from the backseat of the truck cab. “Sorry I was difficult at the hotel. You were being so great and helping me. I shouldn’t have… I—I’m a bit mother-bearish about CAM.”

He draped an arm around her shoulder and pressed his lips to her temple. “I get it. We’re cool.”

She leaned against him, and he felt her tremble. She was running on fumes.

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