window. Even though he has limited mobility, he can use his hands to move the locks and lift the window enough to create a gap."
"That doesn't explain how Bishop found them!" Matias snapped impatiently. I automatically reached my hand out to him. He took it without hesitation and linked his fingers with mine. My intent had been to calm him, but I needed his strength just as badly.
"My guess is Bishop was able to track them using the communication board that Ryan uses," Ronan said. He shifted his gaze to me and asked, "That's how he called you just now, isn't it?"
I felt sick to my stomach as I nodded. Ronan had made it clear before Elliot and Cruz had left that neither could have their regular cell phones on them, just the burner phone. It hadn't even occurred to me that Ryan's communication board had a cellular connection. "Oh God, this is my fault," I whispered.
"This is not your fault," Matias said angrily. "When this is over, you can put the blame where it belongs. On me. That's it. Do you hear me?"
"Every single one of us can claim responsibility for this," Ronan said. "I should've realized the communication board was a potential way for Bishop to track them. Just like I should've planned for them to come under possible attack. But I assumed Bishop would come after you two."
"Just tell me how we’re going to get my children and Cruz back," I said.
"By giving Bishop what he wants," Matias said.
"Me," I said with a nod.
"No, not you," Matias responded. "Me."
Chapter 29
Matias
I knew nothing about this mission would be easy. First off, I couldn't even think of it as a mission. Not like the ones from my past, anyway. Missions like that required a certain lack of emotion and there was no place for fear when it came to that kind of operation.
I was failing on both levels. I was beyond terrified for my brother, Elliot, and of course little Ryan. The idea that all three of them were in mortal danger because of me was making it hard to process any kind of information. In the Army, strategy had come as naturally to me as breathing. But this wasn't the Army and the three people inside the small cabin on the outskirts of Yellowstone National Park weren’t just friendlies in need of rescue. They were my family. Each and every one of them.
Although the cabin was remote, it was easy to see how Bishop had managed to get into the place. There were multiple footpaths leading up to the back of the cabin and there was plenty of brush where he could've hidden in wait for the operative he'd ended up taking out. The young man he'd murdered in cold blood had been new to the team and had been charged with driving Sam's van when Elliot and Cruz had taken Ryan out and about throughout the day. After killing the driver, Bishop had set the van on fire about a hundred yards from the cabin. By the time Ronan’s men had returned to the cabin and entered it to do a routine search, Bishop had already been inside and had overpowered Cruz and Elliot with next to no effort since all he’d had to do was threaten Ryan's life.
That was where things stood now. My brother, his lover, and Sam's younger son were in a windowless room in the cabin. The only communication we had with Bishop was through the board on Ryan's wheelchair. There was no roof access or any other way to get in the room except through the door. Which meant there would be no element of surprise. I’d figured as much as we’d made the trip to the cabin. We’d taken Ronan's jet, so it had only taken us an hour or so to reach our destination, but it had still been the longest hour of my entire life.
Sam was managing to keep it together, but he hadn't said more than a couple of words here and there. I'd hoped that by the time we reached the cabin that we’d come up with some kind of plan where I wouldn't have to put Sam in danger, but the more Ronan's men briefed us, the more I knew there was really only one option. Sam and I would both have to go in. My hope was that I could convince Bishop that he didn't need anyone but me in that room with him.
I went