Operation: Midnight Guardian

“Old friends of yours, no doubt.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

But a tremor went through her as he removed the cuffs. A shiver that didn’t have anything to do with the cold and told him she knew exactly what he was talking about. “Save it for your appeal,” he snapped, and shoved the cuffs into a compartment in his belt.

She turned to him, her eyes wide and beseeching. “I don’t know those men. And I didn’t do anything wrong.”

Another laugh squeezed from his throat, only this time it was bitter. “You sold out your country. As far as I’m concerned that puts you on the same level as those animals searching for you.”

As a man who had dedicated most of his adult life to protecting the country he loved, the thought of someone selling out for the likes of money disgusted him beyond words.

The problem was Mattie Logan didn’t look like a traitor. Blue eyed and blond haired, she looked wholesome and kind. But Cutter knew all too well that looks could be deceiving. Mattie Logan might look like the girl next door, but a traitor lay beneath the innocent facade. Remembering the way his body had reacted to her just a few short minutes earlier, he silently reprimanded himself for his weakness and vowed not to let himself be taken in again.

“I didn’t do any of what they accused me of,” she said.

“I don’t care.” And he didn’t. Not one iota. All he cared about at the moment was getting her to the chopper-pick-up location an hour to the south. “Let’s go.”

“Please,” she said. “You have to believe me.”

“I don’t have to do squat.”

“I would never compromise EDNA. That project was the greatest achievement of my career. I safeguarded it with my life.”

Cutter didn’t know the details of her case. All he knew was that she’d been found guilty of treason in a court of law. He trusted the justice system. It was his job to take her back. Black and white, just the way he liked it. Then he could move on to the most challenging phase of his mission: finding The Jaguar and bringing him to justice.

“Someone framed me,” she said. “It’s the only explanation.”

“If you don’t start walking, I’m going to put the cuffs back on and drag you down that trail.”

Rubbing her wrists where bruises had formed, she turned and started walking. “Don’t you care about justice?”

“Justice for whom?” Cutter usually didn’t indulge his prisoners in conversation, but her denials were beginning to annoy him. “The millions of people you endangered by selling EDNA? Did you happen to think about that?”

She started to turn and face him, but Cutter reached out and stopped her by grasping her arm. He wanted to believe he’d kept her moving because he was in a hurry to get to the rendezvous point. But deep inside he acknowledged that he did not want to look into those pretty blue eyes and know what she was. Beauty and evil just did not go together.

“I meant what I said about dragging you,” he warned.

“Please. I can’t go to prison for a crime I didn’t commit. You have to listen to me.”

“Do you have any idea how many times I’ve heard that?”

“It’s the truth! I’m innocent!”

“Take it up with the courts, sweetheart. Right now you have a date with a chopper, and come hell or high water I’m going to make sure you don’t miss it.”

Chapter Two

Dawn broke with a monochromatic sky and the tinkle of sleet against the ground. In the distance thunder rumbled menacingly. The hopelessness of her situation pressed down on Mattie like a lead weight as she made her way down the rugged trail. The last thing she wanted to do was get on that chopper and be transported to prison, but she knew if she tried to make a run for it, the man who’d apprehended her would stop her.

Mattie Logan, you are hereby sentenced to life in prison.

The words echoed until she thought she would scream with the injustice of them. But what could she do? Run? Convince this hard-nosed man she was innocent? Neither option seemed realistic.

“This is Delta Ringo One to Eagle. Do you read?”

Her captor’s voice drew her from her reverie. Mattie turned to see him speak into his radio.

“That’s affirm, Delta.” A voice crackled on the other end.

“I’ve got the package.”

“Roger that.”

“What’s your twenty on the rendezvous?”

“Coordinates two five three point one. What’s your ETA?”

The man punched numbers into a small device. “Ten minutes.”

It was the first time she’d had the chance to study him. He was lean and tall with an expression that told her he was serious about what he did. Wearing faded jeans, high-end hiking boots and a flannel shirt over a turtleneck, he didn’t look like any cop she’d ever seen. There was something dangerous about him that had nothing to do with some badge or even the semiautomatic pistol strapped to his hip. Something unpredictable that warned her not to cross him. But Mattie knew if she wanted to clear her name, crossing him was a calculated risk she was going to have to take.

“Be advised we have heavy weather coming in,” the voice barked from the radio.

“Time frame?”

“Front’s here, Delta. Get your butt in gear.”

“Roger that.” Frowning, he shoved the radio and hand-held device into his backpack and shot her with a dark look. “You heard the man, blondie. Let’s pick up the pace.”

For a crazy instant she considered making a run for it. Now that her hands were free, she would be able to run unencumbered. With a storm approaching, maybe her captor would be forced to return to the chopper without her. She envisioned herself barreling down the ravine to her left. If she could reach the stream…

“Don’t even think about it.”

Mattie glanced at him. Fifteen feet separated them. Not much of a head start, but suddenly she knew this moment would probably be her last chance for escape.

“I can’t go back,” she said.

“Don’t do anything stupid.”

“I know you don’t believe me, but I’m innocent. I swear on my life. All I need is the chance to prove it.”

“You’re not going to get the chance out here in the middle of nowhere.”

It’s now or never…

Mattie broke into a sprint toward the stream at the base of the ravine. She crashed through the brush, veered left to avoid a stand of sapling pines. She could hear his occasional curse behind her as his heavy boots pounded the ground. She ran as she had never run before, hurdling over fallen logs and rocks the size of basketballs. Her only thought was that if he caught her, her life would be over.

The next thing she knew, his strong arms were wrapped around her from behind. She screamed as he dragged her down. She fell hard on her stomach, twisted and lashed out with both feet.