Page 10 of The Fixer

They moved quickly, their footsteps muted by the damp earth. The pilot, a wiry man with a weathered face, greeted them with a curt nod. “You’re late.”

“Had to shake a tail,” Jake replied, handing over a bag. “We clear?”

“For now,” the pilot said, gesturing to the floatplane. “Let’s go.”

Jake helped Lyndsey into the cabin, his hand firm on her arm as she climbed aboard. The interior was cramped but functional, the faint smell of fuel mixing with the musty scent of the lake. Jake settled into the co-pilot’s seat, keeping his Glock within easy reach.

The plane’s engine roared to life, shattering the stillness of the night. As the floats skimmed across the water, the shoreline quickly receded, the dark expanse of Lake Huron stretching out before them.

“We’ll stay low,” the pilot said, adjusting the controls. “Radar won’t catch us at this altitude.”

Jake nodded, his gaze fixed out the window. Lyndsey sat quietly in the back, her profile illuminated by the faint dashboard glow. She looked out at the water, her expression unreadable.

The flight was brief, the plane skimming just above the lake’s surface. When the Canadian shore came into view, the pilot banked toward a narrow inlet, where a second, more secluded dock awaited. A small cabin sat nestled among the trees, its outline barely visible in the twilight.

The floatplane skidded to a halt on the placid waters of a secluded cove, its engine sputtering into silence. Jake leaned out of the cabin, scanning the tree-lined shore for any sign of movement. The pilot, a grizzled man with sharp eyes, turned to them.

“You’re clear for now,” he said, his voice low but firm. “But Cerberus is picking up chatter. Whoever’s after you, they’re not backing off. I’ll stay under the radar and wait for the all-clear.”

Jake nodded, gripping the pilot’s hand briefly in thanks. “What’s the setup on this side?”

The pilot gestured to the dock ahead. “Small cabin. Satellite phone, speed boat, and an SUV in case you need to bug out. Passports and IDs are inside the cabin if you have to go dark. Cerberus will be in touch when there’s new intel.”

Lyndsey, who had been quiet for most of the flight, finally spoke. “And what if we need backup before that?”

The pilot’s eyes flicked to her, his expression grim. “Then you’d better hope Sands here knows what he’s doing.”

Jake grinned faintly. “Don’t worry about that.”

The pilot gave a curt nod before turning his attention back to the controls. Jake helped Lyndsey onto the dock, his hand steady on her arm as she stepped down. The warmth of her skin lingered longer than he’d expected, but he shoved the thought aside. They had work to do.

The cabin was small but well-equipped. Jake moved swiftly through each room, checking locks and securing the windows. Lyndsey stayed by the fireplace, her arms crossed as she watched him work.

“You do this every time you enter a room?” she asked, her tone teasing but tired.

“Every time,” Jake said without looking back. “It’s how I keep you safe and stay alive.”

Lyndsey sighed, sinking onto a nearby chair. “It must be exhausting being you.”

Jake spared her a glance, his lips curving into a faint grin. “It has its moments.”

Once he was satisfied with the perimeter, Jake set up additional security measures: motion detectors near the windows, tripwire alarms on the doors, and a reinforced lock on the cabin’s main entry.

Lyndsey watched with a mixture of fascination and exasperation. “You really don’t leave anything to chance, do you?”

“Not when someone’s life is on the line,” he replied, straightening. He turned to face her, his gaze steady. “Let’s talk about the threats. You said before it doesn’t make sense to kill you if they need your research.”

She nodded, leaning forward. “Right. I mean, the nanobots aren’t even fully operational yet. They’re close, but without me, finishing the programming would take years.”

“Unless they already have part of it,” Jake countered. “Or someone else with similar expertise.”

Lyndsey frowned, her green eyes narrowing. “There’s no one else with the same level of familiarity. I designed the entire system from scratch.”

“Then maybe they’re trying to destroy it entirely,” Jake suggested. “What you’ve created could change the balance of power. Governments, corporations—they’d all want a piece of it, or want it gone.”

Her shoulders sagged slightly as she absorbed his words. “I’ve always known it could be dangerous work, but this...” She trailed off, shaking her head. “It’s different when you’re the target.”

Jake stepped closer, his voice softening. “You’re handling it better than most would. Better than I expected.”

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