The leather airplane chair reclined into a bed and as soon as the Lear Jet took off, Mia dropped into sleep. Thirty-five thousand feet in the air with Luke beside her, she allowed herself to let go of her fear—at least for a little while.

She awoke to dim cabin lights. Out the window, the sky was an eerie midnight blue with overtones of cobalt, as if the sun were soon to arise.

Michelle Bradford. The name played on her lips though she didn’t speak it aloud. It had been years since she dared to remember. Who was Michelle Bradford? One of the many forgotten children who disappeared every year? What would life be like if she hadn’t been kidnapped and sold? Where were her parents now? How long had they searched for her? Did they still miss her? Hollowness stretched inside her chest, so painful it felt like the cavern had been carved by a knife.

And now there she was on a flight north. All Luke would tell her was they were heading somewhere safe. Somewhere near the Arctic Circle. She rubbed her outer arms. What was snow like?

Luke took in a deep breath and released it with a guttural sigh. Mia pushed up with her elbow and checked to see if he’d awakened. No. His eyes were shaded by lids, fringed with dark-blond lashes. Every woman in the world would be jealous of such thick eyelashes. She smiled, holding in a giggle. He looked so peaceful—almost angelic. Is he my guardian angel?

If Luke resembled any sort of heavenly deity, it would be an archangel of war. In fact, watching him take down the two men at the hotel confirmed it. With his hands he could be more brutal than El Padrino. If Luke and The Godfather were in a fighting ring together, Mia knew who’d win. But her master used coercion, weapons and torture to make others suffer. Luke could kill a man with his hands—with one lightning-fast strike. No, she hadn’t seen it, but she’d observed his workouts and he was the real deal. Mia had never met anyone as lethal.

But he acted with self-discipline and restraint. From the deadly look on his face when he’d caught her on the phone, he’d wanted to hit her or worse. But he didn’t. His jaw had twitched as he questioned her—the only sign of anger aside from the wildfire in his eyes. Still, he hadn’t lifted a finger against her. He hadn’t tried to control her or punish her in any way. Though his obvious disappointment cut her to the quick—lowered her into the abyss of wretchedness.

Mia needed to remember that, deep down, Luke had a heart. He is a hero. How could I have doubted him?

Could he really keep her safe from El Padrino? No one else had in the nine years she’d lived under his roof. Pure fear and years of brainwashing to train her to behave as a loyal servant had driven her to think her situation was hopeless.

The myriad of thoughts twisting through her mind was like a battle of wills inside her. But as she drew in a breath, she cemented her decision. The right side would win. The valiant side. She vowed to do the right thing. El Padrino might hunt her down and kill her. The torture might be slow and agonizing, but she would live her days as his pet no longer.

She shivered with her next breath.

“Mm,” Luke moaned and shifted his shoulders. His hand wandered over and grasped hers as he shifted his seatback up a bit. “G’day,” he said in his swaggering Aussie accent.

She smiled with a flutter in her stomach. Such a simple gesture, but his touch made her feel as if she mattered. “I think it will be daylight soon.”

He glanced at his watch, then rolled to her seat and gave her a peck on the cheek. “How’re you feeling?” he asked, his face inches away. How a man could look sexy the moment he awoke amazed her. But he didn’t try to kiss her lips. Aside from the kiss on the cheek, he seemed a little distant as if he were saying they could only be friends now.

I can’t blame him.

“Numb.” She was. And confused and afraid and worried.

“Are you scared?”

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t.”

He brushed her cheek with the tip of his pointer finger. “I know traveling to the unknown is harrowing, but rest assured I’m taking you to the safest place on the planet.”

“A cold place.”

“Cold outside.”

“Tell me about it. Is there snow?”

“Yes, you’ll see snow.”

“Even in August?”

“There are places where the snow doesn’t melt like mountaintops. But you’ll learn more when we arrive.”

Almost as if on cue, the plane began its descent. The captain announced they’d land in ten minutes and by the time Mia used the restroom and freshened up, they were instructed to fasten their seatbelts.

Out the window, all she could see were mountains and white. They landed, hardly taxied and came to a halt. The plane door opened to a rush of freezing air. Mia clutched her arms across to her torso. “Gosh, I need a coat.”

“You sure do.” Luke opened an overhead bin and pulled out a blanket. “Wrap this around your shoulders for now.”

He shook hands with the pilot and led the way out into the deep freeze while a truck with tractor wheels pulled to a stop at the bottom of the steps. A woman got out, carrying two white jackets. “Hey Wombat. Leave it to you to bring a lady to Iceland wearing a skimpy t-shirt.” She looked like she might be of Mexican descent and spoke with an American accent.

Gaping at the woman, he ignored the question. “Henri Anderson? What the hell are you doing here?” Luke grabbed the jackets and helped Mia shrug into one before her teeth rattled out of her head for the chattering.

Henri was pretty—wholesome, tall and, by the way she carried herself, she had to be an athlete. “Between ops.” She shifted her brown-eyed gaze to Mia. “Who’s the fresh meat?”

“The CO didn’t tell you?”

“You know Garth. He’s at your beck and call in the midst of an op, but as soon as you have a moment of downtime he forgets you exist.” She extended her gloved hand. “I’m Henri.”

Luke sniggered. “She’s the best sharpshooter you’ll find anywhere.”

“I’m Mia…er...” Snow crunched underfoot as she gave Luke a dubious look.

He patted her on the shoulder and led her to the truck. “Just Mia works for now. Have you ever ridden in a Raptor Trax?” He opened the door.

Mia looked at the wheels and shrugged. “Nope.”

The truck was deliciously warm inside and, once she’d put it in gear, Henri pushed back her hood to reveal a mane of long, black hair. “So, Mia, I’m supposed to take you through initiation.”

“I thought you said the CO didn’t tell you who she was,” said Luke.

“He didn’t. Tawney said you were bringing in a new recruit and asked me to show her the ropes.”

“You?” Luke spread his palms. “What am I?”

Henri gave him a telling look. “You’re heading to Command to face the dragon.”

They drove into a cave and stopped on what looked like sheer ice. Henri pressed a button that looked like a garage door opener and, suddenly, they were being lowered into a stark white room filled with other Raptor Trax trucks and snowmobiles.

“Who’s the dragon?” Mia asked as they climbed out of the truck.

“The CO.”

Luke had never mentioned the boss’ name, but Henri had referred to him as Garth. Regardless, this whole deal seemed weirder and weirder. Mia turned in a circle. “What is this place?”

Henri looped her arm through Mia’s elbow while the three of them stepped inside an elevator. “It’s a top secret clandestine organization, forty-five meters under a glacier. No one knows we’re here, and if you ever get the idea to tell anyone, remember I’m the best sniper on the planet.”

Luke shoved the woman’s shoulder like she was a tough guy same as him. “Shut up, Henri.”

The girl waggled her eyebrows. “Don’t worry. I only shoot bad guys.”

Mia gulped, wondering if all the women at this place were gun-wielding snipers. “I’ll remember that.” Does Luke have a girl here? He seems kinda friendly with Henri.

The elevator took forever and there was only one button. At the bottom, Henri stepped out of her snowsuit and hung it on a hook. “Leave your coats, too.”

“Fox, report to Command at once,” boomed a voice over a loudspeaker.

“That’s my cue. Jeez, the man misses nothing.” Luke took Mia’s hand and kissed the back of it. “Don’t let Soaring-Eagle scare you, love. She might be tough, but she has a heart of gold. She’ll take good care of you.” He leveled a pointed gaze at the woman. “Won’t you?”

“Sure will. And today will be a doozy. Just roll with it.”

Over her shoulder, Mia watched Luke disappear down the stark corridor while Henri pulled her in another direction. “Don’t worry, he’s not going anywhere we can’t find him.”

“How long have you known Luke?”

“About a year.”

“Oh.” Mia’s stomach roiled. “I guess he has girlfriends all over the place.”

“I wouldn’t know about that.” Henri didn’t elaborate, but her lack of interest was reassuring. “Our first stop is with Tawney, the administrator. She’ll give you the regs and uniform and all that. Then the rest of the day will be testing.”

“Testing?”

“Aptitude, psych eval, you know. The standard stuff.”

“I don’t know. I can’t say I’ve ever experienced any of those things.”

“No?” Henri stopped outside a door. “In that case, don’t worry. Just remember there is no right or wrong answer. Just be yourself.”

If only Mia knew who that was. Since she left Mexico, she’d been battling with the quandary of her identity every waking hour. She bit the inside of her cheek while Henri reached for the doorknob. “Why…?”

“Hmm?”

“Why did Luke call you Soaring-Eagle?”

“That’s the name my grandfather gave me when I was a kid. It’s a Paiute thing.”

“Oh.” Mia smiled. “You’re a Native American?”

“Half-breed.” Henri opened the door and gestured inside to a lovely woman with brown hair and wearing a jumpsuit just like Henri’s. “Tawney Tailor, meet Mia—ah…?”

“Just Mia.”

***

Luke didn’t like walking away from Mia. Sure, she was in good hands but the girl needed to be treated with kid gloves until she realized she was far safer and more secure at ICE than anywhere on earth. Until reality sank in, she’d be on edge.

I hope she doesn’t do something stupid.

When he strode into the Command Center, it wasn’t difficult to find Garth. Among the rows of IT people and the monitors on the walls showing scenes from all over the world, there was always a hub of activity around the ex-Marine. Garth signed a document and handed the clipboard back to a girl who looked young enough to be an intern—though ICE didn’t hire interns. ICE employed the best of the best. They came from all over the world, telling their families they were working anywhere but in a state-of-the-art, remodeled, Cold War bunker under a glacier in Iceland. And everyone wore standard issue, navy blue jumpsuits—which Luke would change into as soon as he made it to his suite.

The CO looked up and scowled. “Fox. In the sit room.”

Luke followed the boss into the one-way glass room that stood in the hub of Command. It was soundproof and lined with monitors, between which the occupants could observe the activity in the center. The setup was a daily adrenaline rush for the gray-haired, rugged CO who thrived on making snap decisions in the heat of life-and-death crises.

Inside, Garth headed straight for his seat at the head of the table. Grabbing the mouse, he brought up a picture of Hacienda Paraiso on the big monitor across from him. “The satellite took these this morning.”

Luke slid into a seat. “It looks untouched.”

“The front gate is shot to hell.” He zoomed in on the house. “There’s some damage to the entryway. Who knows what it looks like inside. The crazy thing is Zambada didn’t stay.”

“You expected him to?”

“You didn’t?”

Luke shrugged. “I figured he’d wait until El Padrino returned.”

“Nope. He’s been spotted in Baja.”

“What’s he doing there?” Luke asked.

“Nothing good, I’ll wager.”

“Any word on Vincent Morales’ whereabouts?”

“Still nothing. It’s like he’s hiding in a Cold War bunker in Iceland.”

Luke snorted. “Touché.”

“Our biggest problem?”

Luke sat back and crossed his arms, waiting for Garth to tell him.

“After all the drug seizures and all the distributors we’ve shut down, Rhapsody is still flowing into cities all over the world. It’s as if we haven’t made a damned dent.”

“You think there’s a stockpile?”

“Hell, I don’t know what to think. Except we need Mia.”

“Mia?”

“Yeah. Back out there.”

“No way.” Luke shook his head. “If she leaves ICE, Morales will kill her.”

“That’s what I’m banking on. We need to find the man and she’s the best bait we’ve got.”

Needled by a tightening knot in his shoulder, Luke reached back and rubbed it. “She doesn’t have any training. Jesus Christ, he’s terrorized the girl since she was used as collateral for a debt her nine years ago.”

“That’s fucking sick.”

“And she’s shell-shocked. She needs time to get her head screwed on straight.”

Garth peered over his Coke-bottle-bottom glasses. “She has two weeks.”

“That’s not enough.”

“It’ll have to be.”

Luke pursed his lips. It was no use arguing with Garth when he had his mind set on something, but he’d overlooked several factors. First of all, Mia had to be willing. And she wasn’t going through aptitude and psych testing for her health. Dr. R and Tawney would have something to say if the girl wasn’t able to handle the stress of being a spy.

And in her present state of mind, she absolutely cannot handle it.

The more Garth talked, the more Luke relaxed. There was no need to worry. First of all, no one learned to be a spy in a fortnight. Not to mention Mia had no education and no military training. She might be smart but there was no way in hell she’d be ready. That’s right. Once they pinpointed Morales, Luke would be the one to go in and nail him while Mia—Michelle was tucked away at ICE.

No worries, mate.

When the CO finished, Luke had one question. “Who’s going to tell Mia she’s been recruited?”

“One thing at a time. There’s no use putting the cart before the horse. First, Tawney’s talking to her about doing some training as part of her assessment.”

So, Garth’s plan wasn’t set in stone—yet. “Who’s in charge of her training?” Luke asked.

“You are, of course.”