Hallowed Ground

by Mary Alford

  “Listen up, everyone,” he announced, and all eyes shot to him. Seconds later, the team was standing around him. No doubt expecting answers he couldn’t give.

  “Tonight’s mission is a scrub.” He glanced around the group. A mixture of shock, relief, and doubt haunted their faces.

  “Why? What’s up?” Tyler voiced the question they all wanted to know. “First, the bad intel this morning, and now tonight’s mission is off? Something’s going on. You must know more than what you’re saying.”

  Jax wished he had a better explanation to give his team. “I’m sorry, I don’t. I have no idea why the mission was scrubbed. Maybe another intel breach, like earlier.” He lifted his shoulders. Against his will, his gaze went to Erin. He could read her thoughts easy enough. She didn’t believe anything he was saying.

  Tonight’s mission would have been the second fake mission he’d been enlisted to guide his team through. Dylan was the target tonight. Jax planned to leak the location to him shortly before he’d gotten the call from Peter. So far, the plan to draw out the traitor had failed miserably.

  “Sorry I don’t have more for you, but that’s all the intel I’m privy to at the moment. Hopefully I’ll know more later on.”

  Leaving the team to their assumptions, he ignored Erin’s attempt at drawing his attention. He couldn’t have the discussion she wanted right now. He needed to talk to Peter. Alone.

  Jax returned to his makeshift command center. Before he could call Peter, the sat phone beeped.

  “Murphy.” He could hear the strain in his tone.

  “It’s me.” Peter’s voice came through clear enough for Jax to hear the concern. “Are you alone?” Even through the static on the line, something in Peter’s voice warned him this was going to be bad news.

  “Yes. Is the line secure?”

  “Affirmative,” Peter confirmed.

  “I need to know what’s going on, Peter. My people have questions. Why was the mission scrubbed?” Jax’s frustration bled into his tone. He wanted to get all the lies over with and return to the task of bringing down Al Hasan.

  Peter heaved a heavy sigh into the receiver. “Something’s happened.” He paused before adding, “Something big.”

  Jax’s blood ran cold. It was a couple of seconds before he could bring himself to ask, “Like what?”

  The silence on Peter’s end didn’t bode well. “Hours ago, we received some very disturbing intel. That’s the reason tonight’s mission was scrubbed. This is critical, Jax. I need your unit deployed tonight to a different location . . . and I’ll meet you there.” Those words confirmed Jax’s worst fears. “This is not another drill. This is the real thing.”

  “Okay,” Jax said at last. “What are the coordinates?”

  Peter didn’t answer right away. “I need you to keep the location confidential. We can’t afford a screw up here. Our intel has been verified. Something big is in the works. There’s a training camp nestled in a valley some distance from the Mendiu Pass. We believe it’s where Al Hasan is camped out. We hit it tonight. I repeat, no one can know about this, Jax, not even Erin. The last thing we need is another disaster like what happened with Blake.”

  An uneasy feeling slithered down Jax’s spine. He blew out a breath. “Okay. What do I tell my people?”

  “Tell them the mission is back on, but nothing more. Once I’m onsite and we’re a go, I’ll announce the details to the team.” Peter gave him the coordinates, then added, “Good luck.”

  Luck. Jax would need more than luck to see this through. He needed divine intervention, and he planned to ask for it. But, first, he needed answers. “What aren’t you telling me?”

  His commander’s sigh carried volumes. “I’m afraid it’s bad. We’ve had a team combing through every member of your unit, tearing their lives apart. Phone records. Associates. Finances.” He stopped. Drew in a breath. Announced the worst news possible. “We’ve found something.”

  Jax could almost feel the blood drain from his face. Why didn’t Peter spit it out? “What?” he prompted, his tone irritated.

  “An offshore account with a quarter of a million dollars in it. Jax, it’s in Erin’s name.”

  The revelation almost took his knees out from beneath him and sucked the breath from his body. An offshore account in Erin’s name? Impossible. He couldn’t get the words to compute. Erin was intense. Driven. Passionate about her beliefs. She was all those things. What she wasn’t was a traitor. Nor did she care about money.

  “No way. Someone’s setting her up.” The reality of what Peter said made it impossible to keep Jax’s anger from showing.

  “I’m inclined to believe you, but the evidence against her is hard to dispute.”

  Jax couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Well, we have to try. Erin’s one of us, and she needs our help. We have to help her.”

  “What do you think I’m trying to do?” Peter snapped. “I’m doing everything in my power to find out the truth. But the fact remains, Erin has to be considered a suspect until we can prove differently.”

  Jax understood that truth, but still, he couldn’t imagine Erin in that role. “How long before you have to share this with Director Dean?”

  Peter took his time answering. “A few days. I can’t keep a discovery like this secret for long. Sam was the one to uncover the account before you deployed. I’ve asked him to keep it to himself for a while. He’ll honor my wishes for now out of respect for both Erin and Blake, but we can’t sit on this long.”

  “I understand. What can I do to help?” He couldn’t believe Sam had held onto information this big without sharing it with him. Jax’s thoughts shifted in a dozen different directions. Why would someone want to frame Erin for Blake’s death? Something more was going on here, and he had to find out what it was before it was too late.

  “Keep your eyes open and your opinions unbiased. If she’s guilty, she’s guilty. If not, the truth will come out. Stay safe. I’ll see you soon.” Peter ended the call.

  Jax still held the phone in his hand. He didn’t care what evidence they might have dug up; he’d never believe Erin was capable of such a horrific thing. Yet if someone with this much juice was trying to frame her, then finding the real person behind the crime was going to prove a difficult task.

  When he couldn’t stand his own company any longer, he went outside. “Listen up,” he said and garnered everyone’s attention immediately. “We have new orders. The mission’s back on. We leave at 0300 hours. Get some sleep.”

  Stunned silence followed. Frustration covered their faces. His people didn’t know what to make of the newest command. Unfortunately, he couldn’t enlighten them. Jax stepped away before they could ask any questions.

  He needed to talk to Erin. Needed her to help ease his concerns. He glanced around, but she had disappeared.

  She stood away from the camp in the shadows of the rocks near the ridge they used as camouflage. She looked like she wanted to be alone. But he needed answers.

  “What are you thinking about?” he asked when he drew close. She swung to face him. He’d startled her. His lips turned up into what passed as a smile. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

  This was the part of the job every agent hated the most. The waiting. You’d spend hours—even days—sitting around trying to keep from going out of your mind with boredom, waiting for orders that would send you into a firestorm of danger. Thinking about the possibilities of what awaited them was as agonizing as it was endless. He’d take boredom any day.

  Erin placed her hand over her heart. She’d looked so lost when he came upon her that he shoved aside his worries about the mission and the charges mounting against her.

  “No, it’s okay,” she said at last when she’d accepted him into her personal space. It was no small feat. Erin was naturally a private person. Blake was one of the few people able to get her to open up to him. Not so much for Jax. But then, he was the one she turned to with her grief. That had to mean something.r />
  “I was thinking about that last night. You know, before . . .”

  He understood what she meant. In hindsight, that night had been fraught with warnings. If only they’d been looking. Jax reached over and clasped her hand, entwining their fingers. “I know.”

  As he peered into her eyes, one thing became clear. He was crazy about her. If only he could foresee a happy ending for them. He prayed for the strength to let her go gracefully when the time came.

  She didn’t move away for a moment. As always, whenever he was close to her, he wanted more. Wanted what she couldn’t give him.

  Erin pulled her hand from his and faced him head-on. He let her go reluctantly, knowing what was coming next. “What’s going on? The mission this morning felt off from the start. Almost as if we were playing a game.”

  Jax glanced back at the team. A few had bedded down for some much-needed rest. Some sat around talking quietly.

  He’d been sworn to secrecy, yet he knew he’d tell her everything . . . except the allegations being formed against her. He couldn’t even think about those horrible lies. “That’s because it was a setup.”

  She stared him down, trying to make sense of what he said. “What do you mean a setup?”

  He tugged her further from the camp. The night was pitch-black. The sky full of stars above. No moon yet. With the exception of the cloud cover, it could have been the night before Blake’s death.

  “I mean there was no sightings of Al Hasan. It was all a setup.”

  Erin blew out a breath. “Why?” she asked incredulously.

  He took his time answering. “Because it’s believed that someone on our team has been leaking confidential information to Al Hasan.”

  Jax was inches from her. He could almost feel her reaction before he spotted the wide-eyed shock on her face.

  She stared at him for the longest time before shaking her head. “That’s . . . impossible. These people are like family. And Blake was the one who brought Kabir in. He trusted him implicitly.”

  When Jax didn’t answer, Erin’s gaze narrowed, her voice raised slightly. “Wait, are they saying Blake might have been dirty?” His silence answered her question. “That’s ridiculous. He’s dead, for crying out loud.”

  Jax’s gaze shot to the people around the campfire, then back to Erin. “I’m telling you that, right now, no one is beyond suspicion.”

  “Where’s this coming from?” she asked in a shocked tone.

  He’d been sworn to secrecy. But she had his heart.

  “Tell me, Jax. Is it Peter?” She probed him with her gaze. He’d given something away. Or maybe she’d become good at reading him. “Higher?”

  He slowly nodded, confirming her hunch. “This is from the Pentagon. The secretary of defense delivered the news personally before our last briefing stateside.”

  Erin stepped away, putting more distance between herself and the camp. He followed.

  She whirled back to him. “This is crazy. Isn’t it? Tell me it’s crazy. There’s no way any one from our team is dirty.”

  Jax had argued the same points to no avail. “I know that, and so do you, but I have my orders. Until everyone can be cleared, we continue on with the fake missions.”

  “What happens when everyone is cleared? Are they going to try and sweep this whole thing under the rug or lay it at Blake’s door?”

  He wished he could answer no, but his gut was pointing him in a different direction. “I don’t know.” He blew out a sigh. “I honestly don’t know.”

  “What about tonight’s mission? You sounded different when you mentioned it just now. Is it real?” She knew him too well.

  He nodded. “Yes, it’s real. Peter called it in. He sounded . . . worried. This one’s important.” And he had a bad feeling about it.

  After a silent standoff between them, she moved closer. His heartbeat went ballistic as usual. He was crazy about her, and it was getting harder to keep his feelings to himself. If only she felt the same way about him.

  Jax shelved that argument for another time because her eyes darkened and she stepped closer. He drew her into his arms without resistance. Felt hers circle his waist. They stared into each other’s eyes for the longest time before he lowered his head, his lips claiming hers. All the while, his heart wished for so much. For the war to end. For life to return to normal. For Blake to still be alive. For Erin to return his feelings.

  She kissed him back with the same reckless abandon he felt swirling inside. The kiss deepened. All thoughts disappeared but the woman in his arms. He lost himself in her gentle touch.

  When she pushed against his chest, it took a moment before he realized what was happening. His eyes flew open. Seeing the uncertainty in hers, he reluctantly let her go. Erin turned away. Her breathing labored like his.

  “I’m sorry,” he said, but didn’t feel sorry. Anything but. “I shouldn’t have done that.”

  She didn’t look at him. “We should go back. The others will miss us.” She brushed past him without as much as another word, and he let her.

  Her footsteps faded away, and he closed his eyes. Foolish. He’d behaved foolishly. It was imperative that he keep his focus on what lay ahead tonight. His gut told him they were heading into a violent situation, and it was going to take all their wits to come through it alive.

  He felt so lost. Desperate for help that could only come from one place, he closed his eyes and prayed, pouring out his heart to God. When he’d finished, a sudden breeze kicked up all around him, then returned the desert to its former peace. If only he could find the same for his aching heart.

  Chapter Seven

  Enemy territory

  0300 hours

  The unnerving silence inside the Humvee spoke of the gravity of the mission. Everyone inside felt it. No one said a word.

  Outside, the night was pitch-black. Titanic clouds blotted out the stars and moon. The coverage would work in their favor to a certain extent. The element of surprise would be on their side, but reaching their destination through the rugged terrain in such blackness could prove fatal. Keeping their movements secret, even amid the vast desert, would be impossible. Enemy combatants roamed this area.

  Peter’s presence confirmed the seriousness of what they were doing. They’d been deployed to a target location deep within the foothills of the Hindu Kush mountain range bordering the porous pathway into Pakistan. They were armed with few details and no military backup. Another indicator of the severity of this mission. Secrecy was critical.

  Jax sat next to Erin, his arm touching hers. She found it oddly comforting in spite of the tension she could feel in him. Reaching for his hand, she held it. She couldn’t not care about him.

  It had been almost five weeks since the ambush that ended in Blake’s death, yet even now, his death—being back—felt surreal. She still expected to see him every time she walked into CIA headquarters in Langley. She could almost picture him seated next to her now. Cracking dumb jokes to ease the tension.

  Her heart tattooed an unsteady beat against her ears. She wished she could think of something to say to help ease Jax’s mind—hers, everyone’s—yet her brain was a blank, while her gut practically screamed warnings to her.

  Kabir pulled the Humvee behind some rocks. They'd be covering the last two miles on foot. In this part of the desert, the mountains worked as an amphitheater. Sound carried for miles. They couldn’t afford to alert the enemy they were coming.

  “Let’s go, people. Everyone keep your eyes and ears open,” Peter ordered in a terse voice and then exited the Humvee. The unit fell out after him.

  Jax turned to her with that same expression on his face the night Blake died, and her stomach clenched.

  He whispered, “I don't like it, Erin. Something’s not right. Stay close to me. I don’t want to lose you too.” Normally she would have argued, but something about this mission didn’t feel right to her either.

  “If you see anything out of the ordinary, sound the alarm right away,�
�� Peter said in a low voice.

  They spread out in small groups. Jax and Erin taking the lead. They were in enemy territory.

  For the past hundred feet or so, they'd been steadily gaining altitude. In these foothills, the temperature had plunged at least twenty degrees in half an hour. They tried to keep as quiet as possible. Erin felt alert like an owl, glancing in all directions.

  As they continued their upward climb, the altitude played havoc with her breathing. She sucked in breaths but couldn’t seem to capture enough air in her lungs.

  Once the unit summited the final rocky hill standing before them, Jax took out his night vision binoculars and panned the area below. He focused on one particular spot. Erin did the same, quickly seeing what he was looking at. Their target. A compound nestled in the valley between two rugged mountains. There was no sign of life below. Nothing stirred. Had the camp been deserted long ago, or had someone tipped its occupants off?

  Erin’s uneasiness increased tenfold. She thought about what Jax said about the secretary of defense’s accusations that one of their team was dirty. The fake mission they’d worked earlier. She stared at the quietness below them and realized Jax was right. Something about this whole thing felt off. Where was Al Hasan? His men?

  Al Hasan first emerged on the CIA’s terrorist watch list a few years back. It wasn’t long before he’d reportedly became one of the deadliest men around. It was suspected that he was training dozens of troops and moving massive amounts of weapons into the country at an alarming rate, yet there was no clear picture of him available anywhere. A vague surveillance photo had been captured a few years back when he first appeared on their radar. It showed a man dressed in traditional clothing with little of his face visible. He looked like so many other men.

  “Listen up,” Peter ordered. “We go in silent and fast. Intel has close to a dozen of Al Hasan’s men training here. Possibly more. We don’t know what we’ll find inside those tents, people. Dylan and Tyler will enter from the northeast side of the camp. That’s where the drones have the field ops set up, so you shouldn’t run into any resistance, and that’ll hopefully get you into the camp undetected. Sam, myself, and Kabir will enter from the south. Erin and Jax, you take the east end. Once you’re all in place, we go on my command.”