eyes and reluctantly, she stopped.
“I'm sorry, but no.” Cassie pulled her hand free from his and bee-lined for the exit, never looking back at him. Keep your head in the game Cassie. She joined the queue for the metal detectors and adjusted the hair of the wig around her face. When it came her turn to be searched, she tried to look calm. She didn’t want to take any chances with the guard, so she immediately mind pushed him to do a cursory glance of her backpack.
“You’re free to go Ma’am,” he said, his voice a little dreamy.
She tucked her chin down and mumbled a thank you. Ten more steps. As she rounded the corner to the outer door, someone called out. “Hey, wait a minute.”
For a millisecond, she paused, weighing and tossing out her options. She had to stop. She was weak and tired, but she could push someone if left with no other choice. She didn’t turn heavy when footfalls thudded behind her.
A meaty touched her arm and a small squeak bubbled up without her consent. Was this the end? Had she risked her friend’s life for nothing?
“You dropped your badge back there.”
Cassie had to take the swipe card. If she didn’t, she’d look suspicious. But if she turned, he might recognize her. Rock, meet hard place. Turning on her heel, she reached out with sweat slick hands and snatched the card without meeting the guard’s eye.
His voice was stern. “Security is extremely important here at Gentech. If you need a refresher on security procedures, ask your manager.”
Nodding her acquiescence she turned and kicked up her pace, veering toward the main parking structure. She had to make sure he wasn’t following before she accessed the private parking lot. Three seconds passed before heavy footsteps pounded behind her.
“Hey, what’s your name? Are you new here?” The guard’s lumbering body followed her at a quick clip. Cassie paused and turned around knowing she was cooked. She watched as panic dawned in his eyes.
Make your decision. Fight or flight. She chose fight.
The guard halted. “Girl, you’re looking to make my career. Two captures in six months. Your brother’s going to write me a big check.”
“Not likely.” She stared him down.
Chapter Two
Assholes and opinions. Everyone had one. Right now, Seth Adam’s asshole du jour went by the name of Peter Reeser. The genetics genius was his story of the month and Seth hadn't been able to get him to cooperate. Seth was good with people. They liked talking to him. He had a face that said ‘trust me’ or so his last girlfriend told him. But as he navigated the darkened rain-slick roads of Jacksonville, a sense of failure threaded through his emotions. Peter Reeser had deliberately stonewalled him.
All Seth wanted to do was turn over the story and get started on his much-needed vacation. Since his return from Afghanistan, he’d taken every writing job he could get his hands on to avoid thinking too much. A few days in the Florida Keys would do him good. Some sun, crystal clear water and sand. Except, sand reminded him of the desert, so maybe The Keys weren’t the best vacation spot. And maybe he would stop thinking up elaborate plans that would send him back to that shit pile in the desert.
Not like he could help it, though. He was a war correspondent. That’s where he was most comfortable. Civilian life made him jumpy. Forget it. After what happened on his last assignment, his editor had pulled him home. No more reporting about civil unrest as bombs sounded in the background. This was his life now. Stories on pompous assholes who cultivated polished lies. The sooner he got used to it, the better. He would take the R&R then figure out his next move. Time he put in some personal time, anyway. All he had to do was finish the Reeser article. But something about the man nagged at Seth. He should have known better than to take this last-minute assignment. Like a dog with a marrow-stuffed bone, he wouldn’t be able to let his suspicions about Reeser go until he uncovered the whole story.
He told his editor that he didn’t need the gig. But Marco had been ever persistent. “It's Time Magazine, Seth,” he said. “It's high profile, Seth,” he said. “You need to keep your mind occupied,” he said.
Seth knew better than to listen to Marco, but he’d accepted the job. And now he was walking away with nothing more than