Jaden tucked Lauren further behind him. “Helena’s becoming reckless. She might be leading them to our door.”
“Makes sense.” Gunner’s expression didn’t change. Instead of commenting, he moved to the fire. “May I?”
“Of course. You know about Bryce?”
Gunner’s unfocused gaze started away from the fire as a pained expression dropped his brow. “Yes. I do. We lost another first-rate soldier.”
“He was a good guy,” Jaden agreed.
“You okay?” Gunner asked.
“Right as rain.” What was it with everyone today? Jaden was a big boy. He’d seen other men die on assignment. Right next to him. In his arms. Why did people suddenly look at him with concern?
Gunner frowned. “People like you and me don’t have many real friends, do we?”
Jaden cleared his throat. He didn’t want to focus on the deficiencies in his life right now. He needed information. More than anything, Jaden needed to know if he could protect Lauren. He pointed to the screen. “I took a SIM card off one of them. Maybe we can get photos and figure out where their headquarters is located.”
“Might be difficult to break the encryption, but that could be very helpful if we can,” Gunner admitted.
“What happened to you earlier? You were supposed to be on the beach.” If he had been, Bryce might be sitting here enjoying a beer right now instead of lying dead out there, God knew where.
“Only a select few knew where we were going this morning. I have to believe one of them set us up. I can’t prove anything. There’s only the body count and my suspicion.” Jaden had known it, and still the confirmation from Gunner hit hard.
It was becoming a virus in his agency. He eased his grip on his weapon, tucked it away, and moved to the fire, taking a seat next to Gunner. “What happened to communication? I know Bryce would’ve signaled for help.”
“Someone jammed our frequency. They anticipated our arrival. They led us to what was supposed to be a safe house where we were—”
“Camila Menendez.” Jaden rocked his head. “I’d bet money she’s behind this.”
Gunner nodded. “At one point I had to toss my cell. They must’ve recovered it and hacked into it. I’m sure that’s how they tracked my every move.”
Gunner looked as tired and strained as Jaden felt. “You think they got anything out of Tim while they had him?”
“It would explain how they’re anticipating our every move.” Gunner motioned toward the computer screen. “Maybe we’ll get something off the SIM.”
“I know one thing’s certain, Max might just be the key.” Was this whole mission doomed to fail from the get-go?
The computer pinged.
Gunner moved toward it. “Looks like we got something.”
Jaden was already standing behind him.
“We can retrace this guy’s steps by pinning the locations he made calls from.” Gunner’s fingers danced across the keyboard, and a map of the island popped up in the left-hand corner.
A cluster of red dots populated the map.
Jaden sighed sharply. “I know the area. It’ll be crawling with Menendez’s people.”
The chance to bust Camila got his blood pumping.
Gunner’s expression tensed. “I got intel yesterday about a safe house they have here. It’s the most logical place to stash Max.” He pointed to a spot on the map. “It’ll be dangerous.”
Lauren dropped to her knees. “Does this mean what I think? Max is here?”
“Most likely,” Jaden supplied.
“Is he…”
“Alive? I believe so. And he’s not far. We have a weather window. We’ll have to move fast. I’ll alert Gabriel.” Gunner pulled a new cell from the cabinet and started punching numbers.
Jaden’s stress factor hit a hard run. Normally, an extraction would get his blood going. In this case, it felt risky.
“On the phone, it sounded like they hit him with a bat or something.” Lauren’s brown-gold eyes were wide.
Gunner’s gaze bounced off the floor and back. “As soon as we extract him, he’ll have the best possible medical care available. We’ll do everything we can to help him heal.”
“You’re not saying…he will survive…won’t he?” Tears flooded her eyes.
Jaden’s heart squeezed at the panic in her voice, the bravery she showed.
“From what we know about Menendez so far, I believe he’ll be okay. They don’t want him dead just yet. They won’t have been easy on him. He’ll have a long road ahead to heal. From everything I hear, he’s a fighter,” Gunner said.
“Thank you for helping my brother. I know he doesn’t deserve it after what he’s become, but thank you,” Lauren said, tiny droplets staining her cheeks.
“There’s something else I learned this morning.” Gunner shifted an ominous gaze to Jaden.
“Go ahead and say whatever you need to. I trust her.” Jaden stood behind his vow.
“The Marshal he was talking to has been killed,” Gunner said.
“Max was turning state’s witness?” Lauren asked.
Gunner nodded.
She turned to Jaden. “Did you know?”
“That intel wasn’t part of your file.” He shook his head. “You think Menendez figured it out?”
It would make sense. Revenge would be a good reason for the kidnapping. Making Max’s family suffer before killing him was right up their alley.
“Can’t say for sure,” Gunner said.
Anger had Jaden clenching his fists before he realized he was doing it and stopped. As much as Max might’ve been a criminal he deserved a chance to make his life right. “Does Helena know any of this?”
Gunner glanced from Lauren and back to Jaden again. “It’s possible.”
Jaden didn’t state the obvious fact that people rarely ever got out once they went in this deep. There were two paths for those like Max, prison or death. “Did Max owe money?”
“We have no intel about debts.” Gunner turned to Lauren. “Excuse me for saying, but your recent financial records indicate you’ve taken out loans and cleaned out your bank account.”
Her angry eyes flashed. “Then you already know I brought one hundred and fifty thousand dollars to the island with me.”
“Sorry for the intrusion.” Gunner’s tone was genuine but Lauren didn’t seem to take the invasion of her privacy lightly.
Lauren’s lips thinned. She didn’t speak.
“I’d say it’s just part of the
