Chapter 230
Raven
The Porsche's engine purred to a stop outside Ahab's Georgetown townhouse at two AM. Rain hammered the windshield like machine-gun fire—fitting, considering what we were about to drop on him.
"Ready?" Nash's hand found mine in the darkness.
I squeezed back. "Let's blow his mind."
The door opened before we knocked. Ahab stood there in tactical pants and a Delta Force T-shirt, clearly not sleeping. His eyes swept over me first, then landed on Nash hovering protectively behind me.
A slow grin spread across his face. "Well, well. Raven Martinez. And with company." He stepped aside, gesturing us in. "What brings you two—" His smile turned knowing. "—inseparable individuals to my doorstep at this ungodly hour? Should I be expecting good news? Wedding bells, perhaps?"
Heat flooded my cheeks. Oh God.
"I—that's not—we're not—"
Nash's laugh rumbled against my back. "Different kind of good news, sir. Though I wouldn't mind that conversation later."
I'm going to kill him.
"Nash." My elbow found his ribs.
But Ahab was already chuckling, his military bearing softening. "Relax, sweetheart. I'm just giving you hell." Then his expression shifted, sharpening like a blade being unsheathed. "Though something tells me this visit involves our mutual friend. The Surgeon."
All humor evaporated.
"Living room," Ahab commanded, already moving. "Start talking."
Nash and I followed, my hand instinctively reaching for the encrypted drive in my jacket. The room smelled like gun oil and black coffee—a warrior's sanctuary. Maps covered one wall. Tactical gear hung by the door like a second skin waiting to be worn.
Ahab sank into his command chair, fingers steepled. "How bad is it?"
"Depends." I dropped into the seat across from him, Nash taking position behind me. "How do you define 'bad'?"
"Raven."
"We met with The Surgeon." The words fell like grenades. "Face to face. Got everything."
Ahab went absolutely still.
Then he exploded to his feet. "You what?"
"Relax—"
"Relax?" His voice cracked like a whip. "That man is in the top five most dangerous individuals on the planet! He's—" He gripped the chair back, knuckles white. "You two went into the lion's den. Alone. Without backup. Without—"
His voice broke.
Oh.
Understanding hit me like a freight train. He wasn't angry. He was terrified. Terrified he'd almost lost me before he even knew what he'd found.
"Captain Harrison." Nash's voice cut through the tension, calm and commanding. "We're here. We're fine. And we brought you The Surgeon's entire operation on a silver platter."
Ahab's gaze snapped to him. "How?"
"Raven." Nash's hand settled on my shoulder, warm and steady. "She walked into that meeting like she owned the place. Played The Surgeon so perfectly, he handed over his whole network thinking we were potential investors."
That's not entirely true, but sure, let's go with that narrative.
"I had backup," I said quietly, meeting Ahab's eyes. "The best there is."
Nash squeezed my shoulder.
Ahab looked between us, his jaw tightening. "Backup or not, you're talking about The Surgeon. One wrong word, one slipped detail—" He shook his head. "That man has ended trained operatives for less. You two could have died."
"Died? With her protecting me?" Nash's grin turned wolfish. "Please. I've never felt safer in my life."
"That's rich," I shot back, "considering you're the one who—"
"Who had the best partner watching his back?" Nash cut in smoothly, his hand warm on my shoulder. "We pulled it off together, Raven. Admit it."
Dammit, he's not going to let me give him credit, is he? "Fine. Maybe we... complement each other. A little."
"A little?"
"Don't push it, Wilder."
Ahab watched our exchange with growing amusement, his panic fading into something else. Something calculating.
"Nash," Ahab said slowly, a calculating glint entering his eyes. "I've commanded elite operators for thirty years. And I can spot a fellow soldier from a mile away." He leaned forward. "You're not just some teenager's charming houseguest, are you?"
I bit my lip. Here we go.
Nash straightened, his casual demeanor sliding away like a mask. What remained was pure command presence—the kind that made generals take notice.
"Ares Legion," Nash said simply. "I run it."
The room went silent.
Then Ahab started clapping.
"Son of a bitch." His laugh was genuine, delighted. "Ares Legion. The ghost army that toppled three dictatorships and never got officially recognized." He pointed at Nash, then at me. "You two are perfect. A military genius who runs the world's most elite strike force, and a seventeen-year-old who just robbed the world's most dangerous man blind." His eyes gleamed. "So what's your story, Raven? Because I'm pretty sure 'high school student' doesn't cover half of what you can do."
More like reformed assassin with a very specific to-do list, but sure, let's go with mysterious teenager.
"Let's just say I have a unique skill set," I murmured.
Ahab shook his head, still grinning. "Goddamn. You kids are going to reshape the world, aren't you?"
"That's the plan." Nash pulled out the encrypted drive, setting it on the coffee table like he was playing his ace. "But we need your help. Three days. We need you to coordinate with DoD, cut off every one of The Surgeon's communication networks. Every satellite relay, every dark web server, every carrier pigeon if he's got them."
"Why three days?"
"Because in three days," I said, my voice hardening, "we're meeting him again. To 'hand over' the quantum consciousness anchor." I leaned forward, letting him see the predator behind my seventeen-year-old face. "Only this time, when we walk into that room, I want every exit blocked. Every asset frozen. Every ally cut off."
"You want to trap him."
"I want to end him." My fingers curled into fists. "Everything he's built, everyone he's corrupted, every child he's stolen—I want it all to burn. And I want him to watch it happen before I put him in the ground."
The air crackled with my barely contained rage.
Nash's hand found the back of my neck, grounding me. "Easy, love. We'll get him."
Love?
Ahab's expression had gone from amused to deadly serious. "Show me what you've got."