Page 49 of Burning Justice

“We only met a couple of times. Then someone turned me over to some Russians in Syria. They had a deal going with the locals. While I was there, thinking somehow I’d made a misstep and been found out, he showed up. That’s when I knew it was him who’d betrayed me.”

Hammer said, “But Langley knew you’d been snatched and sent us to find you.”

“Elias would’ve known he couldn’t show up there with your team. When I realized later that he was part of it, I figured he probably betrayed you because he’d have been found out. Or it was a convenient time to put the plan into place. I don’t know.” Her breath hitched. “Maybe he double-crossed the three of you because of me. After all, his people and the ones holding me would’ve realized he was playing both sides. They probably would’ve thought he was a US double agent, and they’d have killed him.”

Hammer said, “He probably plans to claim that if he’s caught, even now. Probably plans to drag my team through the mud and make us look like the traitors so he goes free and we get life in a military prison.”

“I’m not going to let that happen. I was there. I know the truth.” She wanted to grab his hand but had to remember to do that with her left. The one with the IV. She held on like she was holding on for dear life. And maybe that’s what she’d been doing with them for two years. “He can’t win. He’ll destroy too many lives.”

“So then ID the guy who hurt you.” Hammer held her gaze with a steady one. “And let me finish this. Before anyone else is destroyed.”

Maria sniffed back tears. She couldn’t even voice what she’d been thinking about her father and the fact he hadn’t come to find her. She might be able to tell Kane though. In fact, she needed him in here so she could see for herself that he was all right.

She couldn’t believe that after those guys had crashed the bus and taken her, he’d bounced back from the hospital to come all the way up to that homestead and find her.

Wading in to save her yet again.

Kane.

“Do me a favor?” Hammer said. “Think about what they all say about Jesus and God’s grace. It’s worth listening to.”

She stared at him, unsure this was even the same man who’d led a team into Syria to rescue her. “Really?”

He nodded. “Really.”

“Okay. I’ll listen.”

“You know, he did us a favor that day.”

Maria frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Elias. He cost us a teammate—him. But he gave us you.” He leaned down and kissed her forehead. “I’ll take that trade any day.”

“This was really your highest priority for today?”

Kane gripped the wheel of Saxon’s 4Runner, which he’d borrowed specifically to take Sanchez from the hospital back to the base so she could rest in her own bed and they’d all be nearby to take care of her. “Can’t think of anything I’d rather be doing.”

“Baloney sandwiches.”

He laughed. “I’m not lying.”

“Spill.”

At least she was in good spirits. That counted for something, right? She might have some bouts of grief or sadness when she was alone, or frustration when she had a hard time getting changed or one of the girls had to help her shower for a while.

Right now, she was smiling in the passenger seat, the splinted, bandaged hand on her lap.

“Talk, Kane.”

“Okay.” He reached over and squeezed her knee. She didn’t need to beg, and neither of them needed to joke about fun ways to torture information out of each other.

If that happened never, it would be too soon.

“Tucker ordered me and Saxon to take the smokejumpers’ qualifier test.”

“Ordered?”

Kane pulled onto the highway out of Copper Mountain and headed toward the base camp. A crack of lightning splintered the sky, lighting up the heavy clouds.

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