I leaned into Zeke’s ear, my voice just above a breath. “Follow the knife markings in the wall. When it stops, turn right. You’ll end up in the warehouse. Walk out the yellow door near the big rigs to the cliff where we found you and your hotshot crew. There’s a dirt bike there. Take 25 north to Black Forest. Second right, two miles on foot you’ll find a car with a full tank of gas. Keys behind the driver’s side tire. Go find my father.”

“In Arizona?” he breathed into my ear.

“We’ll be safe there,” I whispered.

He shook his head. “I’m not leaving without you.”

“Zeke,” I hissed, trying to stay quiet, “you can’t stay here another day. I can take care of myself, remember? I’ll catch up with you.”

He leaned back to look into my eyes, seeming conflicted. Promise? he mouthed.

Tears burned my eyes. “Promise.”

“Do you copy, main house?” Gibbs looked at me in horror then took a step back. The rest of his team did too.

I breathed out a sigh of relief.

“What is this?” Gibbs barked. His tone didn’t fool anyone. He was afraid.

Trex stood next to me, then Kitsch, Sloan, Martinez, and Harbinger climbed out, pointing their rifles at the Deep Echo team.

“It’s a fucking rescue mission,” Trex said. “Didn’t they warn you who we were before we walked the halls here?”

Zeke’s mouth fell open, watching my team train their weapons on the men in front of us.

“You made it,” I said, leaning in as Trex kissed my sweaty, dirty cheek.

One of Gibbs’ men reached for his sidearm.

“Go ahead, peckerhead, I dare you,” Sloan said. “I haven’t gotten a headshot in a while.”

“Stand down,” Gibbs said. He glared at Trex. “You’re all going to federal prison.”

I held up the recorder, letting it play. My voice filled the dark room, then Peter’s.

“I’ll play the game, but your word is worth nothing to me.”

“What if I told you for every hour you spend with me, that is one less hour of Zeke’s contract he must fulfill?”

“That son-of-a-bitch,” Zeke said through his teeth.

“Tell Peter not to follow us,” I said. “I have the entire recording of our conversation uploaded, and if I don’t check in every week, it will go straight to every news network in the world.”

Gibbs glared at me then looked at Trex. “Now what?” Gibbs asked.

Trex kept his eyes on Gibbs and his team but spoke to me. “Get him out of here. We have forty minutes before their comms are back online.”

“Trex,” I began.

“We have a plan B, and you’ve got the recording. I’m sure Bennett will be even more willing to negotiate.”

I hugged him, and he kissed my forehead. “What’s your plan B?”