Page 46 of Lost Hope

But where to go from here? He paced the floor, trying to channel Griffin’s mind.Think.

The lights flickered. Security cameras cycled through random feeds. Somewhere, an alarm started wailing.

“Breach!” Star called out. “Someone’s in our?—”

Every screen in the command center went black.

Boots thundered up the stairs. Christian burst through the door, Austin and Jack on his heels, weapons ready.

“Got a ghost in the system,” Ethan announced, his usual calm cracking. “They’re playing with?—”

A digitally distorted voice filled the room: “Aww, professional branding. How cute.”

The main screen lit up with a spinning Knight Tactical logo. Then it shattered, pixels scattering like broken glass.

“Multiple system breaches,” Star reported. “They’re everywhere.”

“Not everywhere,” the modulated voice taunted. “Just wherever I want to be.”

New images flashed across the screens.

“How are they seeing these angles?” Austin demanded. “We don’t even have cameras there.”

“Nothing’s impossible,” the metallic voice sang. “Just improbable.”

Ronan felt the corner of his mouth lift. He knew that pattern, that style.

A shadow detached itself from the corner behind them. Ronan wasn’t surprised to see Zara hadn’t changed—same tactical black, same coiled grace, same knowing smirk. His team’s ghost, their digital phantom, looking exactly as she had the last time he’d seen her three years ago. Even her dark hair was still cut in that precise chin-length bob that never seemed to move, no matter what she was doing.

“Your system’s good,” she said, her natural voice replacing the digital distortion as she materialized like smoke. “Mine’s better.”

Maya had her weapon half-drawn before Ronan caught her wrist. “She’s one of us.”

“Was wondering when you’d call,” Zara dropped into the chair next to Star, who was staring at her with equal partshorror and admiration. Zara narrowed her eyes at Ronan. “Though technically, you didn’t.”

“How did you—” Star started.

“The same way I knew you ordered Thai food last Thursday, have a dinner date tomorrow night with the hubs here, and really need to change your personal banking password.” Zara whipped out her phone, studied the screen, and grinned. “Also, FYI, you’ve got three more bogies about to breach your perimeter. But don’t worry. They’re with me.”

Movement near the back wall caught Ronan’s attention. Axel emerged from behind a desk, his face too pale, hands slightly trembling.

Ronan could have kicked himself. And Zara. Two years out, Ax was doing better, but it still didn’t take much to activate his PTSD.

Zara’s smirk vanished. “Ax, I’m so sorry. I didn’t think?—”

“I’m good,” Axel cut her off, but his voice was rough. “Just ... maybe text next time?”

Ronan shifted closer to his friend, not touching, just present. The Knight Tactical team politely found other things to look at, but Ronan caught Maya’s concerned glance. She’d read the signs, but she wasn’t asking. Good.

The tension broke as heavy footsteps approached—two sets, moving in sync. Deke appeared first, his six-foot-four frame filling the doorway, looking every bit like the former NFL linebacker he was. Even in tactical gear, his athletic build was impossible to miss.

“Deke Williams,” Jack said, impressed. “Raiders defense never recovered after you left.”

“That touchdown in the Cleveland game?” Austin added. “Legendary.”

Deke’s laugh rumbled through the room. “That was a lifetime ago, boys.”

Ronan caught Maya watching as Deke quietly bowed his head before speaking, noticed her small smile of recognition. She’d grown up with that same quiet certainty he’d always envied in others.

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