Page 37 of Deadly Hope
“Then they can wait out the storm too,” Axel cut in. “We’re not risking?—”
Ronan rubbed his hands over his face. “Getting caught in a ground chase with hostile vehicles in a snowstorm would be monumentally stupid.” Then he grinned, like sun breaking out through the clouds. “Good thing I have a better plan.”
Axel gaped at the other man, then groaned. “I’m not going to like this, am I?”
19
Two hours later,Axel braced his forearm against the safe house window, using the cold glass to ground himself. Snow fell in thick curtains now, obscuring the valley below. Perfect weather for hiding the thunder in his head.
The key they’d retrieved from Olivia’s condo sat on Zara’s workstation under intense scrutiny. Old-school, brass, with distinctive notching and a serial number partially worn away. It had taken them less than two minutes to identify it as a safety deposit box key—the size, style, and specific wear patterns were textbook international banking security circa 1985-1990.
Five minutes out, five minutes back—the helicopter extraction had been clean, but even short flights still triggered his edges. He’d kept the shakes internal, the rotor sounds from cascading into full-blown memories. No explosions behind his eyes this time. No burning metal taste in his mouth. Just the edge of panic, manageable with the breathing techniques that had become second nature.
“The teeth are consistent with Swiss-made locks,” Kenjiwas saying, examining the key under magnification. “See how the secondary notches are cut at a forty-degree angle?”
“Ronan and Griff have the Eurocopter secured back at HQ,” Zara said, appearing at Axel’s side with coffee. “Storm’s got us locked in for at least twenty-four hours.”
He accepted the cup with a nod, surprisingly okay with the delay. The key was secured. Olivia was safe.
“I concur.” Zara’s voice cut through his mental checklist. “The key’s markings are definitely Swiss, pre-1990 series.”
“That dating is significant,” Zara explained, enlarging the image of the key’s notching pattern. “Swiss banks underwent a massive security overhaul in 1990. These older boxes were grandfathered in, but they’re special cases.”
Kenji nodded. “They’re practically fortresses. The older systems used mechanical rather than digital security. Can’t be hacked remotely. No electronic records. The only way to access them is with the original key and proper documentation.”
“Or in the event of the owner’s death,” Axel added, catching the implication. “With the right inheritance paperwork.”
Olivia went still. “James must have set this up before ... before everything went wrong.”
“These old boxes were favorites among military intelligence,” Axel said quietly. “Especially for people running deep cover missions. Perfect for storing sensitive materials that needed to stay completely off official channels.”
“And nearly impossible to trace,” Zara added. “The banks don’t even keep records of box numbers matched to names. The key is the only proof of ownership.”
“Which is why someone’s been watching you so carefully,” Axel said to Olivia. “They needed you to find that key. But they also needed you to have the right backup when you did.”
“Us,” Kenji said.
“A team with military clearance, tactical capability, and the resources to access a high-security Swiss bank.” Axel’s jaw tightened. “We’ve been positioned for this from the start.”
The snow continued falling outside, but Axel barely noticed it now. Twenty-four hours to plan their approach. Whatever James had locked away in that box was clearly worth protecting—or worth killing for.
“Geneva?” Deke asked.
“Lugano.” Zara pulled up a map. “Small private bank near the Italian border. Very exclusive, very old-school. I have no doubt Olivia’s brother set up the account so Olivia could access it. Why else leave her the key?”
Axel studied the weather radar. “First we need this storm to clear. But why Switzerland?”
“I have no idea, but I found something intriguing,” Zara interrupted, pulling up a different screen before eyeing Olivia. “Remember three months ago, when your car wouldn’t start? Dead battery, right? Happened the same day your condo was vandalized.”
Olivia hugged herself hard, as if expecting another gut punch. “Sure. Not a great day.”
Zara looked thoughtful. “Or maybe it was.”
“Could be coincidence,” Kenji said, but his tone suggested otherwise.
“Doubtful.” Zara shook her head. “Two months before that, airport security reported suspicious activity at her departure gate. But her flight had been rerouted due to a ‘system glitch’ twenty minutes earlier.”
Axel’s tactical mind kicked in, pushing the last echoes of the helicopter away. “Pattern?”
