Page 70 of Burning Secrets

Dogs barked, and he slowed. A guard holding an AR-15 stood at the gate, half watching the chaos inside. He turned when he spotted Crew, and Crew lifted his arms. “Hey, Tank. It’s just me.”

Tank hesitated, glanced at the fire, back to Crew. “Where’ve you been?”

“Getting information for Viper. What’s going on?” He lowered his hands.

“Not sure. A cabin is on fire.”

He stopped next to Tank, shoved his hands into his pockets. “You see them bring in anyone?”

Tank frowned, shook his head. “No. Viper came back a few hours ago, but it’s been quiet, except for when that chopper left earlier.”

He glanced at the guy. Early twenties, a grimy handkerchief around his snarled long brown hair, wearing green camo like he might be in aRamboremake. A kid, really, although Crew might only be a few years older.

He felt ancient.

“The chopper left with all of them?”

“Yeah. Including the doc.”

“Okay, well, I’d better see if I can help.”

Tank opened the gate, and Crew took a breath.

Here went nothing.

The cabin smoldered, gray smoke still tufting off it, but someone had grabbed a hose and sprayed down the building, now charred and smoldering, and if he hadn’t spotted JoJo on the roof, he might not have been upright. He refused to look in her direction.

He needed to get the attention away from the cabin, let Tristan sneak into the back?—

A couple of the German shepherds ran up to him, barking, but they knew him. Even war dogs could be sweet with people they knew, and now they nudged him. He scratched their ears. “Hey, boys.”

Didn’t look up as he heard his name, lifted over the fire and the shouting.

“Hey, Titan. Sarge. Good boys. Try not to wreck this for us, huh?” he said, and lifted his head when Viper called his name again.

The man walked out into the yard, sooty, his face blackened, his eyes reddened. He spat on the ground. “What are you doing back here, Crew?”

Crew came toward him, stopped twenty feet away. “What do you mean?”

Hurry, Tristan.

“We saw you on the camera outside the greenhouse.”

The voice came from the side, and he glanced over, seeing Jer charging at him. “We know you’re FBI.”

“What? No, I’m not.” He backed up then because Jer charged. Took a swing at him.

Crew ducked, and Jer twisted, falling off balance.

Crew danced away. “I don’t know what you’re thinking, but I’m not an FBI agent.” Stick to truth. “My girlfriend found the greenhouse, thought it might be weed.” He laughed, keeping Viper in his peripheral vision.

“You burned the barn,” Viper said, his voice low, a bit of a growl to it.

Jer found his feet, rounded on Crew.

Stay light on your feet, son. Control your distance and angle of attack.

His dad’s voice, and he dodged another swing from Jer, who fell.

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