The helicopter's searchlight sliced through the darkness, pinning their boat in its harsh glare. Alex's mind raced as he stared at the message on his phone, the words burning into his consciousness: Trust no one. Especially Sonia.
He glanced at her, studying the woman who had become his anchor in the storm of betrayal. Her eyes reflected the searchlight's glare, wide with tension yet steady. Could those eyes belong to yet another person playing him?
"What is it?" Sonia asked, noticing his expression.
Alex slipped the phone into his pocket. "Nothing important," he lied, surprising himself with how easily the deception came. Perhaps he was more his father's son than he cared to admit.
"They'll be dropping tactical teams any second," James shouted from the rear of the boat. "We need to mo
