26. Blake
TWENTY-SIX
Blake
As the team rallies around this new directive, I can’t shake the feeling that we’re playing catch-up in a game where the rules have suddenly changed.
Sophia is at the center of it all.
“Forest’s right.” CJ steps forward, his presence commanding attention. “We follow the data. Both from your badge and from the Trojan. We don’t know Sophia’s true intentions. She might be working for the Sentinels, or she may have been forced into this. Either way, she’s our best lead to the entire Sentinel organization.”
“Remember, this is still a rescue mission.” Sam clears his throat. “Until we know otherwise, we assume Sophia is acting under duress.”
The words are meant to be reassuring but twist in my gut like a knife. Because deep down, a part of me wonders if that’s true. Or if the woman I thought I knew was just another lie.
As the team strategizes its next moves, I stare at the screen, tracing Sophia’s digital footsteps. Somewhere in this data is the key to finding her, and I won’t rest until we do.
“Blake.” Ethan’s voice pulls me back to the present.
“What? ”
“I need you focused. Can you handle this?”
“I’m good.” The question stings, but I understand the necessity. I straighten in my chair, pushing down the tumult of emotions threatening to overwhelm me. “What do you need me to do?
“Work with Mitzy.” Ethan seems satisfied with my response. “You know Sophia better than anyone. If there’s a pattern to her movements, you’re the one who’ll spot it.”
I focus on Mitzy’s station and scan the scrolling data across her screens. The familiar layout of Guardian HQ is overlaid with a maze of colored lines, each representing a different day’s movements.
“Here.” I point to a recurring pattern. “She visited the north server room every day at 1400 hours. That’s when I usually hit the gym.”
“What else?” Mitzy isolates the pattern.
We work silently for several minutes, the rest of the team’s voices fading into background noise as I lose myself in the data. It’s easier to think of Sophia as a puzzle to solve rather than the woman who’s torn my world apart.
A flash of color catches my eye. “Wait, go back. There, in the drone storage room.”
Mitzy rewinds the footage, zooming in on the grainy security feed. A figure slips into the room, emerging moments later with something clutched to their chest.
“Can you enhance that?” I lean closer, my heart pounding.
The image sharpens, revealing a familiar face. Sophia’s eyes dart around furtively as she tucks something into her pocket. My breath catches. Even knowing what she’s done, the sight of her sends a jolt through me.
“What did she take?” Gabe asks, peering over my shoulder.
“I can’t tell.” I shake my head, frustration building. “Whatever it was, she didn’t want anyone to see it.”
“I want a full inventory of that storage room, ASAP.” Sam’s voice cuts through the tension. “Mitzy, keep digging into those server logs.
“Come.” Ethan tugs at my sleeve .
I follow him out into the hallway. Ethan leads me to a small conference room, closing the door behind us with a soft click.
“Sit.” Ethan’s voice carries the weight of command.
I lower myself into a chair, my body tense, ready for whatever’s coming next. Ethan remains standing, his imposing frame backlit by the window. For a long moment, he stares at me, his expression unreadable.
He’s going to berate me for losing my badge and not reporting it.
“I need to know if you can handle this.” Ethan’s voice is low and intense. “Because if there’s even a shadow of a doubt, I’ll pull you off this mission right now.”
“You can’t do that.” The words burst out of me, raw and desperate. “I need to be part of this. I need to find her.”
“What you need doesn’t matter.” Ethan’s harsh tone cuts through my protests. “What matters is the safety of this team and the success of our mission. So I’ll ask you again—can you handle this?”
I want to argue, to insist that I’m fine, but the truth is, I’m not sure. The image of Sophia sneaking through Guardian HQ, betraying everything we stand for, plays on a loop in my mind.
“I don’t know.” The words taste bitter on my tongue. “But I have to try. Don’t make me sit this one out.”
Ethan’s expression softens slightly. He pulls out the chair across from me and sits, leaning forward with his elbows on the table.
“I get it, Blake. I do.” Ethan’s hard gaze holds mine, filled with understanding and compassion. “I’ve been where you are now. With Rebel.”
The mention of Rebel’s name sends a jolt through me. Ethan and Rebel are in a good place these days. It’s easy to forget how their relationship started. I’d almost forgotten about that betrayal.
“That was different.” I shake my head, refusing to see the parallels. “Rebel was trying to find her sister’s child. Sophia—she was spying on us. Do you have any idea how much damage she could have done?”
“Don’t jump to conclusions.” Ethan’s voice is firm but gentle. “ It’s a long swim back, but you must keep your mind open to other possibilities.”
“Nothing will convince me what Sophia did is justifiable.” My fists clench at my sides, knuckles white with tension.
“Blake.” Ethan leans forward, his gaze intense. “I thought the same thing about Rebel, but there was more to the story. There always is.”
I stand abruptly, unable to sit still any longer. “This isn’t the same. The harm Sophia could have caused… It’s far worse than anything Rebel did.”
“Maybe.” Ethan stays seated, his calmness only amplifying the restless energy coursing through me. “Or maybe there’s something we’re missing. Something that forced her hand.”
“Like what?” I whirl around, my voice rising. “What could justify this level of betrayal?”
Ethan’s eyes narrow, his voice low and measured. “Think about it. What if someone had leverage over her? What if they threatened someone she cares about?”
“She doesn’t have anyone.” I sink back into my chair, my mind racing. “She would have told me. We don’t keep secrets.”
“We all keep secrets.” Ethan’s smile is sad. “Sometimes the people we’re closest to are the ones we protect the most fiercely from our worst secrets.”
I run a hand through my hair, frustration and doubt warring inside me.
“Even if that’s true… How can I trust anything about her now? How do I know what was real and what was just—part of her cover?”
“You can’t.” Ethan’s blunt honesty is both painful and oddly comforting. “Not yet. That’s why we need to find her, to get answers.”
“And if those answers aren’t what we want to hear?” The question comes out barely above a whisper.
Ethan’s gaze is steady. “Then we deal with it. As a team. But, Blake, you can’t go into this assuming the worst. It’ll cloud your judgment, make you miss things. ”
I take a deep breath, trying to center myself. “What do you need from me?”
“I need you to be objective.” Ethan’s gaze is unwavering. “To look at the evidence without letting your feelings—good or bad—cloud your judgment. Can you do that?”
The question hangs in the air between us. Can I?
“I can try.” I finally meet Ethan’s gaze. “I won’t pretend it’ll be easy, but I’ll do my best.”
Ethan studies me for a long moment. “Alright. I’ll be watching you. The moment I think you’re compromised—in either direction—you’re out. Understood?”
“Understood.” The word comes out stronger than I feel.
“Good. Now, let’s get to work.” Ethan rises, moving toward the door. He pauses, his hand on the doorknob. “We’ll find Sophia, and we’ll bring her home. You have to be prepared for all possibilities. The Sophia you knew might be gone, or she might be in more danger than we imagine. Either way, we need to find her.”
The words settle over me, heavy with implication. I steel myself for what’s to come as we return to the ready room. Whatever the truth is, whatever we find, I’ll face it. Because the alternative—leaving Sophia out there, alone and possibly in danger—is unthinkable.