He nodded. “And he now has military-grade NVGs.” He studied the streaks on the rocks and shook his head. “We need to hurry.” He tucked away the flashlight again, and they resumed at a brisk pace.

They reached the intersection for the trail that led to the archaeological site and jogged up the hill into the forest. Full darkness had descended. Storm clouds cloaked the sky, leaving them without moon or stars to light the path or provide direction. Audrey could barely see the ground beneath her feet, but she kept up with Xavier just the same. She couldn’t let him down.

They reached the top of the slope and continued to follow a game trail, just as narrow as the cliffside trail, but without the sheer drop-off. She used the glowing dial on her watch to check their bearing when it was time to leave one trail and cut a path to the other.

During the pause, Xavier tried his cell again. They were close to the cell tower up here, but it didn’t matter. Whatever had been used to jam all radio and cellular signals had been effective.

She could just make out his eyes in the shadows. Handsome and focused, he reminded her of another time, when he’d stared at her with similar intensity, but without the accompanying tension. Darkness made it easier to see the man she’d met in November. She didn’t see CW5 Rivera. He was Xavier, Jae’s friend, a man she’d been drawn to as if caught in a charismatic tractor beam.

Having sex with him had been both incredible and inevitable and was something she’d never regret, no matter how awful he’d been weeks later. She touched her belly. At a little over eleven weeks, she wasn’t showing, but her uterus was firmer. She couldn’t feel that firmness under the padded raincoat, but the reflexive touch comforted just the same. Later, she’d tell him she was pregnant, and maybe, just maybe, it would be joyous news, shared with excitement.

They were a long way from anything close to settled, but at least she had a respite from the seething anger. She used the hope she and Xavier could salvage a workable relationship for the sake of their child to tamp down her fear.

Because fear threatened to swallow her whole. Her worry for George had expanded to include the SEAL team that was en route along with Xavier and his team of trainers.

Strange that the fear for herself was more focused on the baby she carried, even though it had only just transitioned from embryo to fetus. According to the week-by-week pregnancy guide, her fetus was the size of a fig.

She followed Xavier as they cut a path through the woods, focusing on the little fig that would change her life and the man before her who might play a huge role in that new reality.