Maybe I’ve been going about this the wrong way, she thought. Maybe instead of pushing so hard, I need to let Jed come to me. Play a little hard to get . . .

And on that cue, her phone chimed with a text message notification. She pulled it from her bag and looked at the screen.

Hi, Maria, so sorry for the radio silence, but I just got back in town. Meet for coffee tomorrow? Can’t wait to reconnect!

Flush with possibility, she thumb-typed her reply: How about getting together for drinks tonight? I’m available . . .

His reply took over a minute:

Would love to, but I’m completely wiped. I’d be terrible company. Going to bed. Tomorrow, okay?

Irritation blossomed in her chest, but she tamped it down and decided to take his word at face value. He’d responded and wanted to see her. That was a win.

Sounds good. Can’t wait to see you!

She added the kiss emoji at the end and waited.

And waited . . .

Finally her phone dinged and she saw that he’d responded in kind.

A victorious smile curled her lips. It had taken time and persistence, but her plan was working. She was worming her way into both Jed’s and Rachel’s hearts. When the opportunity to complete her mission presented itself, they’d never see it coming.

CHAPTER
ELEVEN

DOWNTOWN NASHVILLE

0847 HOURS LOCAL

Identifying a coffee shop he could access without going outside was a challenge, but eventually Jed found a solution—a Starbucks built into the lobby of the Margaritaville hotel downtown. Grumbling to himself, he stomped through the covered parking lot toward the garage entrance to the hotel. An existence where he couldn’t go outside for fear of being vaporized at any given moment was no way to live.

If this is the future of warfare, then we’re all doomed, he realized with creeping dread. Which is why we’ve got to find this weapon and destroy it.

Suddenly feeling the crush of time, he glanced at his watch. He wasn’t late, but that was irrelevant, because he didn’t have time for this. He’d offered to meet Maria, driven by a sense of guilt and obligation, but that had been last night . . . when he’d been exhausted and still reeling from his soul-baring, emotionally charged conversation with Rachel. Now, rested and clearheaded, he regretted that decision. Everyone else on his team was working like dogs at Trinity on the case, while he ducked out to have coffee with his girlfriend.

Hold on—is that what she is now . . . my girlfriend?