Page 10 of Chinook Winds

He let her go and she hurried away. Stepping outside, Kinsley drew in several cleansing breaths. She loved him. Believed he had feelings for her, too. But there was a whole country standing between them and the place where they’d be stationed.

In her heart she couldn’t help but believe something ugly was on the horizon. Support for Legion might be waning, but its true leaders weren’t ready to give up. There were more games to play, and the stakes had never been higher.

Chapter Three

The occupants of the plane remained silent long after takeoff. Regret weighed heavy on Victor’s shoulders. He was asking the people he’d come to see as family to put their lives on the line yet again. There was a good chance one or all of them wouldn’t make it back to Canada. He respected each member of Strike Force immensely. Had heard their stories of survival, beginning with Sidney’s and Kaid’s. Everyone on this plane had sacrificed so much already. But more was required, and he prayed they would be strong enough to survive what Legion threw at them.

“It’s okay. We all want to be here,” Kinsley said as if reading his troubled thoughts. She’d been through so much already, and now her brother Joe had volunteered to make the trip. He and Kinsley were all the family each had. Victor couldn’t let anything happen to either of them.

Though new to Strike Force, Joe was an FBI agent who had been pulled into the drama when Kinsley reached out to him to assist in spiriting them out of D.C.

Victor faced the woman who was quickly dominating his heart. More than anything he wished for different circumstances. But how could he consider a future when none of them knew how many days they had left?

She locked on his eyes. “We’re all here because this is where we want to be. This battle with Legion must be finished once and for all.”

He clasped her hand in his. “I know. But I just keep wondering how I couldn’t have seen this coming. I knew David Kincaid. Considered him a friend. Yet, I had no idea what he was planning. Howard Duncan sat in on our intelligence briefings from time to time. All the while he and Kincaid were plotting to kill me.” It was a sobering realization. The people next to him had been working for the enemy for years.

“You saw what Kincaid and Duncan wanted you to see, and they were determined.”

Victor struggled to control his anger. It was there whenever he thought about the plot that was right under his nose all along. “Never again. This can’t happen ever again.” And it wouldn’t. He’d do everything in his power to ensure Legion or others like them wouldn’t seize the opportunity to hold the country hostage again.

Her smile widened, her face soft and sympathetic. “And it won’t.” Victor was happy to simply hold her hand. They were two hours into US airspace and so far, the return flight had been a peaceful one. Thanks to the cloaking software James had created, the plane should be shielded from detection. Yet, with Legion having so much at stake, and knowing that he and his team had fled to Canada, he was surprised they didn’t have added fighter jets stationed near the border expecting this move.

This trip certainly was nothing like their desperate trek to reach the border of Canada before. Was the lack of resistance part of Legion’s plan to lure him back to the US?

“Mr. President, I have a call patched through for you from headquarters. It’s from your former chief of staff,” James told him and handed Victor the phone.

“Chase? What’s going on? Are you safe?” Chase Carpenter had been at his side since he’d taken over the presidency. He trusted the man completely.

“Things are sinking further into chaos. As I said, I’m friends with Scott Westlake, Kincaid’s chief of staff, and he’s worried. The White House staff checked Kincaid’s and the first lady’s quarters. They’re gone.”

Shock of the news settled around him. Kincaid and Collins along with Hassanzai were gone. Was another attack being planned? One using nuclear weapons.

“Hang on a second, Chase. I want everyone else to hear this.” Victor put the phone on speaker. He explained the conversation so far.

“After the last round of attacks, government activity was suspended. People are scared,” Chase told them.

“And no one’s minding the store.”

“Exactly. It’s frightening times. We need someone to right the ship, Mr. President. We need you.”

As much as he wanted to share their plans with Chase, someone could be listening in on the conversation.

“Do me a favor and keep me posted on what’s happening. If Kincaid or Collins show their faces, get in touch with me right away. And Chase, for now, let’s keep this conversation between us. As soon as I’m able to let you know what’s going on, I’ll be in touch.”

“We have a problem,” Lincoln Miller, their pilot, captured Victor’s attention.

Kinsley rose and started for the front of the plane.

“I’ve got to go, Chase. I’ll call you soon.” Victor ended the call and stood. “What’s going on?”

“Two fighter jets coming straight for us,” Lincoln told him. “Everyone in your seats. We don’t know what they want.”

The fighters flew past them. “Wide body. Identify yourself,” one of the pilot’s radioed the command.

“There’s no way we can comply with that order,” Cole said. “But if we don’t answer, the next time they fly by, they might start shooting.”

“I repeat, identify yourself. Now.” A second, less-patient request came through the radio.

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