Page 77 of Bound By Water
“You feel okay?” I ask Quaid.
“No, I’m irritated as hell at you,” he replies shortly. “Why?”
“Something is off,” I tell him, looking around at everyone else. Their attention is completely focused on Captain Walker as she outlines the plan she’s devised for the next attack. None of them are rubbing their chests. “Don’t you feel it?”
His hand stills. “It’s her. She’s gone.” With a curse, he strides out the door.
Surely she wouldn’t be so rash. Where could she go that’s safe? Did River tell her about a place? I hurry to catch up with Quaid.
“The sun set over an hour ago. Her room,” I tell him, watching him pivot away from the walkway leading to the bench and back to the dorms.
Instead of knocking, he pulls out the master key he keeps with him. Normally, I’d protest, but every inch of my gut is screaming. He thrusts open the door and stands there, taking in the room.
I step in and frown. Were we wrong? Feeling slightly stupid, I rifle through the clothes hanging in the closet. Two sets. Standard issue for every rescue is three, which means she’s wearing one. Everything else seems in order. I move to the bathroom. Shampoo and conditioner in the shower. Soap is gone. So is her toothbrush.
Quaid curses, and I return to the bedroom. “She left a note. Addressed to you.” His voice is gruff as he hands it to me and paces back and forth. “I’m calling Nash.”
Oliver,
Please don’t blame River. He begged me to stay here, but I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself if I did. By saving me, he put his family at risk. As an orphan, I can’t bear the thought of his family paying the ultimate price. Families deserve to be together. Seeing those captives today brought home the reality of what they’re facing, and I can’t bear the thought of safety while they remain in Raven’s grasp. I hope we make it back here, to the safety you’ve promised, but if I don’t, forgive me.
Thank you for everything,
Greer
“Damn it. Lionel put her in my care, and I fucked up,” I curse, closing my eyes for a second to think. Failure is not an option. “Nash. What did he say?” I could hear Quaid talking on the phone while I was reading the note.
“Actually, he was just about to call you. I believe you asked him to track River’s movements for the last two years. It took a while. River frequently changes his appearance, but once the software concentrated on the one feature he didn’t change, he was able to connect the dots,” Quaid states with satisfaction.
“His eyes,” I pick up where he leaves off. “Where?”
“Nash said he moved around the country a lot, but always returned to one of three places,” he replies in a hard tone. “Atlanta, Lubbock, and Asheville. Nash searched our internal data for bases in those areas but found nothing. But he thinks there’s a secret list of government facilities that aren’t listed in the larger database. Kind of like this place. Think your father can help?”
Without answering, I pick up my phone. When my father answers, he spends the first two minutes giving me hell for giving up my commission and leading an attack against one of our government facilities.
Having heard enough, I butt in. “Stop. Do what you do best—damage control. Right now, I need you to reach out to your contact in the Pentagon and find out if there are any government facilities near Atlanta, Lubbock, or Asheville. I need the information ASAP. I’ll call back in thirty.”
Quaid practically rips the phone out of my hand when he hears that last comment. “Thirty gives Greer and River one hell of a head start.” He stalks to the door. “I’m going to get my gear, and you better pray we catch up to them. Who’s our best tracker?”
“Jax, but Gabe would be easier,” I answer, hurrying to follow him. “Did you ask Nash to start a new search for River and Greer in the cities surrounding us? We need a direction.”
“Affirmative,” he replies gruffly. His cool intellect already working out the possible routes. “He’s on it. Meet you back here in ten.”
I nod and round the corner, almost running into Jax. “Sorry. By the way, we’re borrowing Gabe for a while.”
Jax lifts a cool eyebrow. “Sniping or tracking?” His bright ocean blue eyes are watching me closely.
“Tracking,” I reply with a wave. “Maybe both. Not sure.”
He immediately moves in front of me, stopping me in my tracks. “What’s happening?” Hands on hips, he looks relaxed, but I don’t buy it. He’s a master at disguising his real thoughts. Too many years spent in hidden places, preying on the enemy.
“Greer and River are gone,” I tell him, trying to slip past. When he steps in my way again, I turn my stare on him. “Get the hell out of my way. Time is of the essence.”
He raises his hands. “I’m better at tracking and sniping. Take me.”
I consider it. He’s the best, which is the reason I requested his reassignment to this compound, but he only follows the orders he chooses. “Fine. Inform Quaid. We leave in five.” Pushing past him, I enter my office in a rush. “Captain, you’re in charge. If we don’t make it back in seventy-two hours, head to the location Beckett gives you. We’ll meet you there.”
She takes one look at my set face and automatically salutes me. “Roger that.” Her nose wrinkles, then she chuckles. “Sorry, saluting is a hard habit to break. We’ll continue working on the plan.”
