Page 136 of The Lazarus Protocol

She smiled. “Got room on your team for a washed-up spy who probably needs to be on anxiety meds?”

He barked a laugh. “Who doesn’t these days? Guess we should try and cultivate a low-stress life.”

The island rumbled again, this time causing the car to sway wildly. She reached up for a handle above her, and Adam’s arm slid around her waist. She held on, and he held her. She looked up at him, his face close to hers. “You were saying?”

“Maybe when we get back to the castle, we can figure it out.” His gaze drifted to her lips.

“I like that idea.”

“We’ll need snacks, maybe a whole meat and cheese board. Winston is a master of charcuterie. Apparently, it’s called ‘girl dinner.’”

Steph grinned. “I like where this is going.” She felt like she hadn’t eaten in days.

“And big poster paper with markers so we can brainstorm.”

Steph couldn’t remember what they were supposed to be coming up with ideas for, but she also didn’t really care. “What we need is a plan to stop Earthnet, to make sure they don’t do this to anyone else.”

“Taking up your sister’s cause?”

She thought about the flash drive in her pocket. “Maybe in some way, but not how she chose to go about it. That’s for sure.”

“I figure we can add that to the list of things to figure out.” His gaze drifted over her shoulder. “Almost there. And I see a ship at the dock.” He lifted his chin. “Hopefully, that’s Vesper’s people here to pick us up.”

She caught movement over his shoulder. Black, outside the window. Like a big bird—a whole flock in fact.

A high whine entered Steph’s awareness. “Get down!”

Gunfire from drones shattered the windows, peppering the inside of the cable car with rounds.

She ducked down, lifting her gun, and fired until she lost count. Until the slide clicked back and stayed there. Adam sprayed the drones with bullets from his M4, continuing the fight while she watched them fall one by one. When the last one buzzed in through the open window, he shot it. But he was too late.

The round struck her vest and knocked her back before it crashed to the floor on the far side of the cable car.

Adam turned to her. “You good?” He shifted the M4 out of the way again, effectively rendering him defenseless so he could help her sit up.

Steph held on to his arms, lifting her upper body so she was sitting. Which was when she slid her hands to his shoulders and kissed him. Maybe her whole world shifted on its axis, or maybe the cable car swayed some more. It wasn’t long enough for her to tell which it was. Or contemplate how much her life was about to change.

She drew back. “Thanks.”

Adam cleared his throat. “You’re um…welcome.”

Steph took his hand, and he helped her to stand. “You have another clip? I’m out.” She rubbed the spot on her vest where the bullet had impacted. “Those suckers hurt.” Ice had been hit with one in Zurich, but she hadn’t been too concerned. Now she knew he probably had a bruise the size of a 747 on his chest.

“Let’s get out of here.” She looked out the front of the cable car, where a structure between the trees came into view. “I’m ready to get off this island.”

“Me, too.” Adam exhaled. “There’s still plenty to tackle, and a huge team debrief. But if we don’t get off this island…”

“We’ll never get that cheese board,” she finished for him. “And that would be a tragedy.”

He chuckled. She considered that a victory. Allowing him the release of laughter.

Steph could still see the face of her dead sister, there behind her eyes practically every time she blinked. Maybe she would grieve later. Or she would just feel this nagging sadness. But as far as tragic loss went, they just hadn’t been that close. She patted her pockets and found the flash drive, reassuring herself that she could honor her sister in her own way.

The cable car stopped about twenty feet out from where it should be. Hanging in the air.

“Come on.” He went to the door. “We can jump down. It’s probably only about six feet.”

Steph went first, sitting at the open door and sliding herself into the air. She tumbled to the ground and rolled, coming up so she could make sure no more drones waited to kill them. Hanging in the air like a murder of crows.