Chapter 11
Walker
Walker didn’t know when he’s fallen asleep, but suddenly he jolted awake. He was still sprawled at the table, but he quickly recovered and grabbed his weapon, moving to the window and listening.
A branch broke in the distance.
Men on foot.
"Wake Henry," he whispered.
Henry bolted awake, reaching for his own weapon and joining Walker.
More sounds of people walking.
"Two men," Henry confirmed, his voice barely audible. "Maybe three."
Walker's mind raced through their options. The cabin had a single entrance, windows too small for escape, and no tunnel system like the previous safe house.
"Weapons?" he asked Henry.
"Under the sink. Beretta and extra clips."
Walker nodded. "Get Sabrina to the bedroom. Barricade the door."
Sabrina suddenly was next to him. "I'm not hiding while you two fight," she whispered fiercely.
Walker turned to face her, struck by the determination in her eyes despite the fear he could see beneath it. "This isn't a debate."
"No, it's not," she agreed. "I can help. You need every advantage."
Henry retrieved the gun, checking it quickly. "She has a point, Walker. Three against two are better odds."
Walker wanted to argue, to protect her, to keep her as far from danger as possible. But the tactical part of his brain recognized the logic. "Can you shoot?" he asked Sabrina.
"Dad took me to the range every month after he installed the new security system. I'm not expert level, but I won't accidentally shoot you."
The hint of dark humor surprised a smile out of Walker. "Fine. But you stay behind cover at all times."
He grabbed another gun and handed it to her, making sure it was ready. “Henry, kitchen. Sabrina, behind the table.” He moved to the table and toppled it over.
Walker took the position by the window, ready to engage the intruders before they even reached the cabin. He checked his ammunition, and the backup knife strapped to his ankle.
"Remember," he told Sabrina, "Stay down. If I tell you to run, you run. No arguments."
Her eyes met his, fierce and determined. "Just don't get yourself killed playing hero."
Before he could respond, something crashed through the front window—a small metal canister that immediately began spewing smoke.
"Gas!" Walker shouted. "Bathroom! Now!"
They scrambled toward the small bathroom, the only room without windows.
Henry slammed the door behind them, stuffing a towel along the bottom to block the gas.
The small space forced them close together, Sabrina pressed between Walker and the sink as Henry wedged himself against the door.
Walker's body shielded hers instinctively, one arm braced against the wall above her head.
"What do we do now?" Sabrina whispered, her breath warm against his throat.
Walker could hear movement outside—boots on the wooden porch, voices muttering commands.
"We wait," he said quietly. "They'll expect us to be unconscious or disoriented from the gas. When they come in—"
"We ambush them," Henry finished.
"Walker," she whispered, her hands coming up to grip his shirt. "If something happens—"
"It won't," he cut her off, not wanting to hear whatever goodbye she might be preparing.
"But if it does," she insisted, her eyes holding his in the dim light. "I need you to know that I never stopped thinking about you. All these years."
The admission hit him with unexpected force. Before he could respond, the front door crashed open, followed by heavy footsteps.
"On my mark," Walker breathed, readying his weapon. "Henry first, then me, Sabrina stay put until I call."
Henry nodded, taking position. Walker shifted to the side of the door, every sense alert.
"Three... two... one..."
Henry yanked the door open, firing immediately at the first figure he saw.
Walker followed instantly, taking down a second intruder with two precise shots.
The night exploded into gunfire and shouting.
Walker rolled across the floor, taking position behind an overturned chair. "Two down!" he called to Sabrina. "Stay put!"
A third man appeared in the doorway, weapon raised. Walker fired simultaneously with Henry, and the man crumpled.
"Clear!" Henry called, checking the fallen men.
Walker moved to the doorway, scanning the area outside for additional threats. "I count three. All down. Keep alert—there might be more."
The cabin interior was hazy with dissipating smoke. Walker moved swiftly to check each intruder, confirming they were no longer threats. They were professionals—tactical gear, military-grade weapons, no identification.
"Sabrina," he called. "It's clear. You can come out now."
She emerged from the bathroom, her face pale but composed. Her eyes scanned the room, taking in the aftermath with a steadiness that impressed Walker.
"Are they...?" she asked.
"Two dead, one alive but unconscious," Walker confirmed. He moved to her side, his hands running down her arms in a quick check for injuries. "You okay?"
She nodded, leaning into his touch. "I'm fine."
Henry was already checking the unconscious man, zip-tying his wrists and ankles. "We need to move. Now. They'll have backup."
Walker nodded. "Pack what we need. We leave in three minutes."
They moved quickly, gathering the laptop, critical files, and weapons. Walker retrieved the intruders' comms, hoping they might provide intelligence later.
"Their vehicle will be close," Henry said. "We can use it rather than risk ours being tracked."
Walker nodded. "I'll find it. Stay with Sabrina."
"No," Sabrina said firmly. "We stay together. You just told me yourself—no splitting up."
Walker wanted to argue, but she was right. "Fine. Stay between us. Move fast, stay low."
They slipped out the back of the cabin, Walker leading, Henry covering their rear.
The forest was dark, the moon hidden behind clouds, which worked in their favor. Walker navigated by instinct and training, moving silently through the trees.
After five minutes of careful progress, they found what they were looking for—a black SUV parked on a service road about a quarter mile from the cabin.
"Check for trackers," Walker instructed Henry as they approached the vehicle.
Henry did a quick sweep while Walker kept watch.
Sabrina stayed close to Walker's side, her hand occasionally brushing his arm as if needing the connection to ground herself.
"Clear," Henry confirmed. "Keys must be on one of them."
Walker grimaced. "We don't have time to go back. I'll hot-wire it."
He worked quickly, years of SEAL training making the task straightforward. The engine came to life with a quiet purr.
"Get in," he told Sabrina, helping her into the back seat while Henry took the passenger side.
As Walker slid behind the wheel, his phone buzzed.
Reed.
"Yeah," he answered, putting the vehicle in drive and moving down the dark road.
"We have a situation," Reed's voice was tight with urgency. "Kraslov's men are making moves. They've hit three of our safe houses in the last hour."
"We just had a visit from them," Walker confirmed grimly. "How did they find us?"
"Unknown. Could be a mole in my organization, could be they're tracking something you're carrying. Change vehicles, dump everything electronic except the secure phone."
Walker's mind raced. "Where do we go? We've burned through our options."
"I've arranged extraction. Sending coordinates now. Get there by dawn."
The phone buzzed with incoming data—coordinates for a location two hours north.
"We'll be there," Walker confirmed, ending the call.
He glanced at Sabrina in the rearview mirror. Despite everything, she looked calm, determined. Their eyes met in the mirror, and something passed between them—a silent acknowledgment of the danger.
"What's the plan?" she asked, her voice steady.
"Ditch this vehicle after twenty miles, find another. Head to extraction coordinates. Reed's sending a team to get us out."
Henry nodded. "I know a place we can swap vehicles without questions. Old contact of mine."
Walker drove with careful precision, avoiding main roads while maintaining speed. His senses remained on high alert, constantly scanning for pursuit or ambush.
After forty minutes of tense driving, Henry directed them to a small auto repair shop tucked away on a side street in a rural town. Despite the late hour, lights burned inside.
"Wait here," Henry said, getting out.
Walker kept the engine running, gun resting on his thigh. "If anything happens," he told Sabrina, “Slide down to the floorboard. Stay low."
"Okay. We'll make it through this," she said softly. "Together."
Walker's free hand came up to cover hers, squeezing gently.
Henry returned with a scruffy man in overalls. After a brief exchange and the passing of what looked like a significant amount of cash, the man nodded toward a garage bay.
"We've got a replacement," Henry confirmed, sliding back into the passenger seat. "Navy buddy of mine. No questions asked."
Walker drove into the garage, where a nondescript pickup truck waited. They transferred quickly, leaving the SUV behind.
Back on the road, they maintained silence.
Walker navigated toward the extraction point. The landscape changed around them—civilization giving way to wilderness as they climbed higher into mountain terrain.
Dawn was just beginning to lighten the eastern sky when Walker finally turned onto an unmarked forest road that matched Reed's coordinates.
"This is it," he said, driving slowly now, eyes scanning the dense trees on either side.
The road ended at a small clearing. No vehicles, no people—just silence.
"Are we early?" Sabrina asked.
Walker checked his watch. "Right on time."
Henry was already out of the truck, weapon ready as he surveyed the area. "I don't like this. Too exposed."
Walker nodded, his instincts similarly alert. "Stay in the truck," he told Sabrina. "If you hear shooting, get down and stay down."
Before he could exit, she caught his arm. "Walker."
He turned back to her, struck by the intensity in her green eyes.
"Be careful," she said simply, but the words carried weight. Her fingers tightened briefly on his arm before releasing him.
Walker joined Henry, both men moving in practiced patterns to secure the perimeter. The clearing appeared empty, but Walker's instincts were screaming that something wasn't right.
Then he heard it—the distant sound of helicopter rotors, growing steadily louder.
"Incoming," he called to Henry. "Sounds like a single chopper."
They watched as a black helicopter appeared above the treeline, hovering briefly before beginning its descent into the clearing.
Walker kept his weapon ready, eyes locked on the aircraft as it touched down. The side door slid open, and a familiar figure emerged.
His brother, dressed in tactical gear rather than his usual business suit, approached with purposeful strides.
"We need to move," Reed called over the noise of the rotors. "Now. We've confirmed Kraslov is mobilizing. He knows we have the evidence."
Walker waved Sabrina forward from the truck. She ran to join them, the wind from the helicopter blades whipping her hair around her face. Walker's arm came around her shoulders instinctively, guiding her toward the waiting aircraft.
As they boarded, Reed gripped Walker's shoulder. "It's worse than we thought. Kraslov has reach into multiple agencies. We can't trust anyone outside our immediate circle."
Walker helped Sabrina into a seat, buckling her in before taking the spot beside her. "What's the plan?"
"Safe house in Canada," Reed replied as the helicopter lifted off. "Off-grid, secure. We regroup, analyze the evidence, build our case."
Henry settled across from them, his weathered face grim. "And Thomas?"
"In the wind," Reed confirmed. "But we're tracking him. He'll lead us to Kraslov."
Walker felt Sabrina tense beside him. Instinctively, his hand found hers, fingers intertwining. She glanced at him, surprise flickering in her eyes before she squeezed back, accepting the comfort and connection.
"How much danger are we in?" she asked Reed directly.
Reed's expression was grave. "Significant. Kraslov controls a network within multiple intelligence communities. He has resources, connections, and very little to lose now that he knows we're onto him."
"But we have the evidence," Walker stated.
"We have pieces," Reed corrected. "We need more to ensure a conviction. And more importantly, we need to ensure the evidence reaches the right people—those not in Kraslov's pocket."
Sabrina leaned slightly against Walker's shoulder, the contact subtle but deliberate. "So what's our next move?"
"We analyze everything you've collected," Reed replied. "And we plan our counterattack very carefully."
The helicopter flew north, leaving U.S. airspace behind as they crossed into Canada.
Walker remained vigilant, his senses alert for any sign of pursuit or danger. But beneath the tactical awareness, another part of him remained focused on the woman beside him—her steady breathing, the warmth of her hand in his, the quiet strength she continued to display.
Fourteen years ago, he'd loved a girl. Now, in the midst of danger and conspiracy, he was discovering the woman she'd become.
And despite his best efforts to maintain professional distance, to focus on the mission, he was falling for her all over again—harder, deeper, with the certainty that comes from knowing exactly what you stand to lose.