Was this a mechanical error or a terrorist attack? Or some sort of military fuck-up? Questions lined up on Shane’s tongue but he knew it was too soon for anyone to have real answers.

“We’re obviously going to be searching for more clarity and members of Red team are being deployed to investigate on the ground.” Ackers cleared his throat. “But to my immense sadness, I have every reason to believe Kurt Montana died last night. I’m about to go break the news to his family. Agents Novak and Angeletti, I’d like you to accompany me, if you don’t mind.”

Shane saw Novak draw in a shuddering breath and was grateful the guy had his FBI negotiator girlfriend for emotional support. Charlotte Blood was a sweetheart. Despite his own inner turmoil, Shane made a mental note to text her and warn her. Angeletti looked as if he was gonna hurl. This had hit everyone hard.

Grief and loneliness swelled and settled over Shane as he thought about the lack of emotional support in his own life. Sure, he could call his parents or his sisters, but this would only worry them.

Fuck.

A sudden surge of energy pulsed inside him with nowhere to go. The world had been turned upside again and was now slamming down on his head.

Cowboy swallowed tightly as a tic worked in his jaw. Then the man pushed away from the wall. “Time to run some drills in the shooting house.” He glanced at Shane. “Coming?”

Shane nodded as everyone filed silently out of the room.

He felt hollow inside. To have lost one member of the team was bad enough. To lose two in as many weeks was devastating.

10

Yael yawned so widely it felt as if her jaw was going to dislocate. It was eight a.m. and she was once again trapped in a morning task force briefing at Quantico.

“Last night we zeroed in on a hit on a cryptocurrency payment to a former soldier who was a munitions expert based out of Fort Bragg.” ASAC Carly Sloan stood at the front of the room and explained the information that Yael and Alex had spent most of the night ferreting out after Laura had identified activity on currency linked to one of the murders via the Ethereum platform late last night.

Once Yael and Alex uncovered an ID that suggested the guy might be a viable suspect for Evi1Geni-us’s explosives expert, Alex had made a few phone calls.

Judging from Alex’s absence from the meeting this morning and the fact that half the seats in the room were also empty, the FBI was presumably already en route to execute an arrest warrant.

Yael wasn’t the only one who’d noticed how many people were missing. She could sense Shane’s seething tension.