Page 21 of Dangerous Devotion

May’s eyes widened. She slowly turned her head to meet Henner’s expression. “Oh my god. Do you mean these guys don’t even know what they have in the back of that truck?”

Silence throbbed for a heartbeat.

“Cobra, I’ve gotta go.”

“Copy, Chickie.”

For a moment, Henner didn’t respond to May’s question. Not that she needed one—she already knew the answer to that before the words ever passed through her lips.

They continued down the road, navigating away from the dock. They hit the interstate and turned west.

The road was almost deserted at this time of day, without many semitrucks taking up the lanes.

She hunched her shoulders. “It’s hard not to be obvious that we’re following them.”

“Anyone can look like they’re following someone on an interstate. We’re all heading the same direction at the same speed.”

“But they’ll have to stop for gas sooner or later. What happens then?”

“Then we stop for gas too.”

“Oh, that won’t look fishy at all!”

He grunted. “You have very little trust in my abilities.”

“I don’t trust or distrust you. I don’t know your abilities.”

He gave her a flat look. “I’m deep black ops. I know what I’m doing.”

“All right, Mr. Smarty, why don’t you tell me how you plan to get on that base? You couldn’t even enter a military gala without the fear of being recognized.”

His expression sobered even more than it already was. “You’re right. I’m supposed to be in the grave.”

She couldn’t keep the worry out of her own expression. “I have the military clearance to get on base. But what reason do I have to be there that doesn’t look suspicious?”

His silence concerned her more than any response he might give.

FIVE

The highway stretched in a faded gray ribbon toward the horizon they never got closer to reaching. Two hundred yards in front of them, the military truck’s red taillights were a beacon in the pre-dawn light.

Inside the car, the tension hung thick in the air between Henner and May. Neither tore their attention off that truck, as if it would vanish if they did. If they lost that truck, they’d also lose their only chance at stopping a massive disaster that would rock the nation.

May kept her stare locked on his phone, watching as the facial recognition software analyzed the blurred photo of the driver and passenger she’d managed to snap as they briefly passed the truck before slowing down again and slipping into the right lane.

A match popped up instantly. A photo of a young man barely out of high school filled the screen.

“Jesus Christ.” Henner darted his attention away from the screen but that image was fixed in his mind.

“Private First Class Aiden Moore,” she read aloud. “Nineteen years old. Stationed at Fort Leonard Wood.”

Another notification dinged on his phone. Another match.

“Private Jackson McKinnon. Eighteen. Fresh from boot camp.”

Henner chuckled but it held no humor. In fact, it was tinged with sadness; those young new recruits had no clue what they were doing right now.

And if he and May didn’t pull off this op, Moore and McKinnon’s lives may be at risk.

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