Ella thought about Sydney’s expertise with the bow back at Rochella’s. A total badass. A hero.
Tipping her chin in Jesse’s direction, she said, “But he deserves to be forgiven. He’s not the enemy, and your brother will see that.”
God, she hoped so. She was barely able to stomach the breakfast Jesse had forced her to eat on the train that morning, and every time she imagined her family refusing to welcome Jesse into their arms once back home, she wanted to puke.
“Zoran won’t forgive his brother though,” Sydney stated, her tone icy. “If Dragan really did sleep with his wife, and his brother is the biological father, that’s not going to end well.”
“You think Dragan might already be dead? And what about the kid? I don’t want him to be collateral damage in this.”
“We have Carter’s guys watching Dragan’s home, but Zoran’s smart enough not to use the front door. He has to know everyone from the Bulgarians to the CIA are watching that house. But I have no doubts he’s found a way to confront his brother. There may even be an underground network of tunnels to and from the home.” She lifted her iPad and switched the view to one of the cameras Carter’s men had positioned on the house. “He won’t hurt his son. And we won’t let anything happen to the boy when we take down Zoran.”
Ella nodded, trying to be optimistic, given Sydney’s confident tone.
Falcon was lucky to have Carter’s “other men” at their disposal for an assist, which just added to the mystery that was Carter. Ella had built him up in her head as some billionaire vigilante. Of course, she knew nothing about his finances, but based on everything she’d witnessed so far, the man had money. Lots of it.
“No sign of Yuri or his men yet, which we expected,” Sydney continued, keeping her voice low, presumably not to wake Jesse. “But he’s somewhere in Hallstatt. I’m sure of that.”
“And you think Zoey’s right about Yuri having a backup plan?” What is with the boxing match going on in my stomach? Ella pressed a trembling hand to her abdomen. “Is he going to plant a bomb in that small town?”
Sydney let go of a deep exhalation and looked up from her screen to peer at Ella. Her expression hardened, and she looked more like the woman with a bow in hand back at Rochella’s, a warrior. “I think so, but we’re ready for whatever he throws our way.”
Ella’s eyes followed Sydney’s hand to the iPad, where she switched screens back to whatever she’d been previously studying about Hallstatt.
“We’re fairly confident Yuri wants us inside that mountain.” Sydney tapped a short nude-colored nail at the screen. “The salt mine there is the perfect location for a . . . well, battle. It cancels the risk of a drone aiding us if we’re inside the mountain. Plus, we won’t have access to thermal imaging to know how many tangos we’re up against. No working comms.” She swiped through a few images, schematics for the salt mine within the mountain.
The website headline revealed the salt mine was 7,000 years old and home to the oldest wooden staircase in Europe that’d been used to carry “white gold” (aka salt) from the mountain. It was now a tourist destination, and the ninety-minute tour also included going down a 64-meter miner’s slide.
“Tunnels,” Sydney noted. “There’s a maze of opportunities for us to get lost in. The skywalk and Rudolf’s Tower nearby for overwatch positions. Yeah, this is where he wants us. Plus, it’s closed for renovations right now.”
Well, the “lost” part and lack of thermal imaging didn’t exactly do wonders for Ella’s nerves. “But do we want to go there?”
Ella had listened to the team discuss the salt mine last night, but all the military jargon and acronyms they’d thrown around had gone over her head.
And apparently, Gray would be team leader for this op, unlike in Albania. There’d been some heated exchange about the role of “Alpha One,” and the team had decided Carter’s history with Yuri might jeopardize his objectivity on the mission. Zoey had agreed, which drew a few snarls and broody looks from Carter toward her.
“It’s most likely the best way to keep the people in the town safe. Far enough away to prevent any casualties,” Sydney said with a nod. “As long as we deactivate whatever bomb we’re certain he’ll have planted somewhere in the village, at least.”
“And you said Oliver’s got that covered? He has explosives training?” Ella asked, shifting her focus to Jesse when his head rolled forward a bit more, and she hoped he didn’t startle awake.
“He does, but Carter’s more experienced, though, for obvious reasons, we need him with us. I’m sure he’s schooling Oliver during their car ride now.” Sydney was quiet for a moment before adding, “Gray’s a solid team leader. A great operator. You have nothing to worry about. I trust him with my life, which is saying a lot, I promise.”
Ella set her hands to her jeaned thighs and leaned her head back against the couch, which converted to a bed, but they wouldn’t be staying the entire length of the “two-day” excursion. “Gray. Is there a story there?” Why did I just ask that? “Sorry. Not my business. I’m just anxious and—”
“We dated at West Point,” she answered, her tone softer than Ella had expected.
“It’s not hard working together now?”
“It’s been a long time. We lost touch over the years.”
Ella dropped her focus to the iPad now resting on Sydney’s thigh. “Do you think maybe . . .” Mind your own business, she quickly chided herself. But when she looked up, an apology on the tip of her tongue, Sydney spoke first.
“We’re not right for each other. And we never were, which is why I turned down his marriage proposal right before his first deployment.” Sydney blinked, seemingly surprised at herself for sharing such personal information so easily.
Ella kept her mouth shut, unsure how to react to that news.
“Gray didn’t even know my real last name back then. He didn’t know I’m an Archer. Young love. Nothing more.”
Right. Archer. The billionaires. Ella almost laughed at how fitting it was for Sydney to be so proficient with a bow given her family surname. “I heard that your call signs back in the Army were Romeo and Juliet. Kind of . . . poetic, no?” Maybe that wasn’t the right word. But still.
A small smile crossed Sydney’s lips. More unexpected emotions from a woman Ella had pegged as icy. Maybe she was just guarded, and she had every reason to be. “The story of Romeo and Juliet doesn’t end well. In any version or remake.”
True. And yet, Ella knew Savanna’s romantic heart would try to rewrite Sydney and Gray’s ending. But hell, maybe Sydney was right. Some stories were meant to end tragically.
Not hers and Jesse’s story. No damn way.
Before either could say more, Jesse jerked his head back as the train began to slow. They must’ve been approaching the station in Frankfurt for the fifteen-minute stop there.
Jesse immediately locked his focus on Ella, his eyes bloodshot from fatigue. How was he supposed to operate tonight without rest? And that’s what the team was planning. They had no intention of dragging out their time in Austria.