Epilogue
Three weeks later…
“Are you sure, Quinn?”
Quinn waited beside Scout in the main living area, Gus and Darwin standing in front, mouths pursed tight, brows furrowed. Quinn had finally ditched the sling, just the odd bite in his ribs as a reminder of all he could have lost.
How much he’d gained. That he’d pay any price to keep his family safe.
Keep Scout safe.
Brea made the rounds behind him, hugging his teammates and stealing a container of muffins for the road. She’d gotten a clean bill of health, and physically, all that was left of the ordeal were a couple of slowly fading scars.
But mentally…
Quinn raked his hand through his hair. “Trust me, I’ve discussed it at length with Brea.”
Gus glanced at Quinn’s sister. “I meant what I said. She’s welcome to stay until we end this with Finch.”
“I know. And if it was just her physical safety I was worried about, I wouldn’t even consider moving her, but…”
Darwin looked down. He’d gone above and beyond for Brea, but only time would heal the wounds he couldn’t mend. “She’s still having night terrors?”
Quinn nodded, glancing at Scout, needing her easy acceptance to keep going. “She bolted into our room last night with a knife from the kitchen. Thought Hackett was stalking her through the bunker. It took some careful maneuvering to disarm her without causing more trauma.”
“There might be medications I could try…”
“I appreciate the thought. But the simple truth is, she needs to go someplace that isn’t a constant reminder of everything she endured. Someplace that has windows, fresh air…” He nudged Darwin. “No hint of a medical bay or laboratory in sight.”
Gus nodded. “And this guy you’ve got as her bodyguard? Do you trust him?”
Quinn chuckled. “Ken Miller’s former SAS.
Got recruited a few years ago and joined VPD’s Emergency Response Team.
He was injured recently. Not enough that it’s slowed him down, but he’s taking some down time.
He can be at Brea’s side twenty-four seven.
And he’s got a heavily fortified, off-grid cabin a few hours from here.
Close enough I can check in on them, but far enough she won’t be on Finch’s radar — assuming he even knows about her.
Gideon seemed to think Pryce only transferred the patch data to him, not her own personal experiments. ”
“Still, the man’s ruthless. If he ever got wind of this…”
Brea’s life would hang in the balance.
Quinn glanced at Brea again. Just knowing she was moving above ground had changed her disposition. Revived the spark in her eyes. “It’s a risk I think’s worth taking. Especially if it means she might start healing.”
Scout grinned. “The fact that she’s had a crush on Ken for the past year doesn’t hurt. And the guy’s massive. Like Hackett-big, minus the psychopathic personality. If he can’t keep her safe, no one can.”
Gus nodded, still looking less than convinced. “We’ll try it your way. But if we get even a whiff that Finch is aware of her, of Pryce’s trials…”
Quinn gestured to the room. “I’ll have her ass back here in a heartbeat.”
Gus pushed out a heavy breath, clapping Quinn on the back before ambling toward the fresh brewed coffee on the counter.
Scout snagged Quinn’s hand. “She’ll be fine. Gideon’s searched ORACLE with Zadie several times. If he can’t find any evidence that Pryce shared her ideas with Finch, they simply aren’t there. And Brea’s got a burner cell and us on speed dial. If she even thinks something’s off, we’ll be there.”
Quinn gathered her in his arms when she stepped against him. “I know it’s the right thing to do. That she can’t go on like this.”
“But you worry.”
“Already faced the worst possible situation. I don’t want to face another.”
Scout eased back. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“Other than with me to drop her off at the old spur.”
“Other than that.”
Brea made her way over, following Quinn and Scout out to Quinn’s new truck. She jumped in, and they drove in relative silence, the miles ticking away as gravel crunched beneath the tires.
Ken slid out of his truck when Quinn pulled up, the two men shaking hands, patting each other on the back. Quinn ran over the rules, thanking Ken when he promised to guard Brea with his life.
Brea hugged Scout. “Take care of my jackass brother. He’s not nearly as tough as he makes out to be.”
Scout grinned. “I will. Promise.”
Brea turned to Quinn next. “Thanks for the save, big brother. I owe you.”
Quinn crossed his arms. “You can repay me by not being a brat for Ken and following the rules.”
“I got kidnapped by some psycho bitch. I’m not going to break any rules.”
“Guess there’s a first time for everything.”
“Jerk.” She backed up. “I love you.”
“Love you, too. Remember. This isn’t forever. Just until I know it’s safe.” He hugged her, holding on a bit longer than usual. “Don’t forget to charge that phone, and for god’s sake, call if Ken’s being an ass.”
Ken flipped him off, helping Brea into his truck before turning around.
His truck bounced down the logging road, disappearing around a bend in a cloud of dust. Quinn stared after the vehicle, a sense of relief washing over him.
For the first time since he’d gotten that call about Scout’s death, he finally felt free.
Scout shouldered up to him. “You okay?”
He wrapped his arm around her waist. “I think I am. Did you see how much lighter she seemed? Though, Ken’s gonna have his hands full.”
“The way he looked at her, I don’t think he minds.” She stepped back, opening the door. “You do know they’re going to end up together, right?”
“Please, don’t put that visual into my head.” He jumped in and started the truck. “Not sure if anyone’s good enough for my sister, but Ken might be pretty close.”
The truck shuddered as Quinn spun it, heading back down the bumpy gravel.
The sun was just starting to set, painting the sky in reds and golds, matching the leaves burning bright along the side of the road.
By the time they parked out back, deep shadows lined the property.
He tossed a thermal blanket over his vehicle before walking into the bunker.
The scent of freshly baked bread wafted down the hallway while the Canucks played on the large screen TV.
Neve looked up, walking over to meet them as Shepherd handed over a couple plates of pizza and salad. “Brea get away okay?”
Scout laughed. “I snapped a photo of Ken.” She showed Neve the image on her phone. “I think Brea’s gonna be fine.”
Neve whistled, laughing when Coulter snuck up behind her.
He stared at the photo over her shoulder. “He’s the same size as me and Quinn.”
Neve nodded. “Sure, babe.”
“Now, you’re just being mean.”
“You know I wouldn’t trade you for the world.”
“No, just a burly Brit who looks like he eats tanks for breakfast.”
The room fell into playful banter, everyone weighing in on Brea’s protector when a ping sounded on Zadie’s watch. She stood, waving them all into the comms room.
Gideon stood behind her as she logged in and ran through the data scrolling down her screen. The room fell silent, just the tapping of keys, the whir of the hard drive.
It lasted a couple minutes before Zadie pushed back in her chair. “So, the good news… We definitely destroyed Pryce’s transdermal patch delivery system, so whatever plans Finch had to utilize it are gone.”
Neve sighed. “And the bad news?”
“We still haven’t found a direct, smoking-gun digital trail linking Finch to Pryce’s lab. But, we have a few more files to decrypt.”
Wynn interjected. “And we have the building blocks of TITAN. That’s far more than we had before. I’m sure we’ll be able to use it to help bring down Finch.”
“Let’s hope so. But for now, we’ll keep digging. And with Quinn scouring police reports and keeping an eye on Finch from a legal standpoint, we might just find what we’re looking for.”
Coulter nodded. “It’s not the ending we wanted, but we got Brea back, cut off another arm of Finch’s empire and got ourselves an undercover spy. All-in-all, I’d say that’s a massive win.”
Neve nudged Scout. “And we no longer have to watch Scout pine away for Quinn. That alone is a game changer.”
Scout rolled her eyes, smiling at the ribbing as everyone dispersed, Scout and Quinn eventually making their way back to their bedroom. She closed the door, moving into his embrace as he opened his arms and held her tight.
He stood there for several moments, just drinking her in. The rose-scented soap on her skin. The silky feel of her hair. The way her curves fit perfectly against him, filling his empty spaces.
She stared up at him when he finally eased back, tucking more hair behind her ear. “You ready for your first shift back tomorrow?”
He shrugged. “I’d rather stay here with you all day. Pound you into the bed.”
“You can do that all night, babe. But don’t think I didn’t notice how you avoided the question.”
“I’m not avoiding it. I’m just too focused on you.”
She smiled. “Nice recovery.”
“I thought so.” He laughed when she swatted him. “And now that I have a clear purpose, I’m more than ready. I’m going to find a way to bring Finch down, and that’s a promise.”
“Then, I know you’ll keep it.”
“Damn straight.” He fiddled with the hem of her hoodie. “I’m still amazed you didn’t leave me on that spur when you first saw me.”
“Never. In fact, it’s the best rule I’ve ever broken.”
“Oh, that sounds like a challenge.”
She arched a brow and tugged at his clothes. “Then, let’s see who wins.”
“I already told you. There’s no way I lose when I’m loving you.”
“Then, we’ll see who comes first.” She drew a finger along his chest. “Bet I can bring you to your knees in record time.”
“You just did.”
Her gaze softened, and his future slotted into place. This was where he belonged. And he’d spend the next fifty years showing her why.
“Just when I think I can’t love you more…” Scout stepped back, and pulled her shirt over her head. “Clock’s running, babe. And this is one mission I don’t intend to lose.”