“Love is scary.” Blair smiled. “But when it’s the real deal, when you take the plunge, I promise you that it’s totally worth it.”
“If he keeps throwing up walls—”
“You need to bash them down. And do the same to your own walls.”
Nat rolled her eyes. “I’m not as bloodthirsty as you.”
“How do you feel about him?”
Nat’s heart ached. “When I look at him, I feel so damn much. And sometimes, he looks back and I feel this hum. Like everything’s right in the world.” She wrinkled her nose. “Then I see him take some random woman home and it hurts.”
“He hasn’t done it for a while, Nat. But you should make the man work for you. A little grovel wouldn’t hurt him.” Blair winked. “Or a good whack to the head.”
Nat laughed. “I did throw my pen and notebook at him today. He dodged.”
“The man is quick on his feet.” Blair squeezed her shoulder. “Fight for it, Nat. That includes fighting him, if you have to.”
“Fight.” Something clicked in Nat’s head. She spun back to her notes. “That’s it!”
“What?”
Nat scribbled more notes. The last few symbols…
Blair sat beside her at the table.
“I just fully decoded the Phaistos Disc.” Nat grinned, then wrinkled her nose. “And no one will ever know.”
“Yeah, well I saved the world last week, and no one will ever know about that. Doesn’t change anything.”
Nat smiled. No, heroes like Blair didn’t need the public recognition. Protecting the innocent was a drive they were born with and had to fulfil.
“The Phaistos Disc is a map. It describes how to get to the heart of the labyrinth.”
Blair straightened. “Seriously?”
Nat nodded. “The first clue should have been the spiral layout of the glyphs. A labyrinth pattern right there for all of us to see.”
“The heart of the labyrinth. That’s where we’ll find the Minotaur?”
“I think so. It says it dwells there.”
“I’ll call Lachlan at the ruins.” Blair pulled out her phone. “Bossman, Nat deciphered the rest of the disc. It’s a map to the center of the maze.” A pause. “Okay, I’m on it.” Blair ended the call. “I’ll wake the others. We’re going in.”
Nat felt her pulse jump. “Now? It’s the middle of the night.”
“It’s dark in the tunnels, anyway. The longer we wait, the greater the risk of Kitchener escaping.”
Resting her hands on the table, Nat blew out a breath. “Okay.”
Blair crossed her arms. “Can you make us a map of the disc? Something we can follow?”
Nat shook her head. “No, I need to reference symbols on the wall in the maze.” She swallowed the lump forming in her throat. “I need to come with you. I need to go back into the labyrinth.”
* * *
He was caught in his nightmare.
It was one of many that repeated night after night. The hot North African sun sent sweat trickling down the back of his neck. The agitated crowd at the market swirled around him. The rough robe hiding his face rubbed against his beard. Then he saw her. A young woman coming through the crowd, a bomb strapped to her chest, a wailing baby on her hip, and terror in her eyes.
Fuck. “McCarthy! Suicide bomber. Woman in black robes, west side of the market.”
“Fucking hell, Diaz,” the sniper said across Axel’s earpiece. “She’s got a kid.”
“And a bomb.” Axel turned, trying to find another way. The place was packed and certain government officials were about to arrive. “Take the shot.”
The gunshot echoed in his ears.
But the deafening boom of the bomb going off was even louder.
Then somewhere in the back of Axel’s brain, he heard the door to his hotel room quietly open. He snapped awake and grabbed his Glock from under his pillow.
He aimed at the shadowy figure. “You trying to get yourself killed?” he growled.
In the doorway, Seth snorted. “It would take more than you to take me down, Diaz.”
Axel sat up. “What’s up? Is Nat okay?”
“Yeah. She cracked the text on that disc. It’s a map of the labyrinth.”
“Shit.” Axel snapped on the bedside light. “It’ll lead us right to Kitchener?”
“She thinks so. Gear up. We’re meeting Lachlan there.”
Axel moved quickly. Years in the Army, and now Team 52, meant he could be ready for a mission in minutes. He yanked his light combat gear out of his duffel bag, and pulled it on. Then he slid his Glock into his thigh holster. He checked his CXM and slung the rifle over his shoulder.
The others were gathered in the hall.
When Smith shifted his stance, Axel spotted Nat, also in all-black gear, her hair pulled back in a braid.
He stiffened. “Why are you here?”
Her chin lifted. “I’m coming.”
Disbelief hit him, and he looked at Blair. “What the hell? She can’t go back in there. She’s already having nightmares about it.” He’d had trouble getting to sleep, worrying if she was sleeping okay.
“She has to come,” Blair said.
Nat crossed her arms. “I need to match glyphs on the walls to what I decoded off the disc in order to lead you into the center of the maze.”
“Goddammit.” He gritted his teeth.
“I can do this, Axel.”
“I know that, but you’ll be back in there.” He didn’t want her anywhere near the Minotaur. He didn’t want her in danger.
A flash of fear crossed her face, but it was mixed with a large dose of defiance. “I won’t be alone.”
No, she wouldn’t. He’d be right beside her.
“Let’s move,” Blair ordered. “Ty’s staying here to provide comms for us.”
The scientist nodded, his gaze drifting to River. “Stay safe.”
They loaded up in the SUVs and headed out of town. The roads were dark, the hills all shadows, dotted with a small farmhouse here and there.
“God, it’s so black,” Nat murmured.
The tunnels would be much darker.
Finally, they turned into the parking area at the Phaistos ruins. They all gathered together outside the vehicles.
“Guards?” Seth asked.
“Lachlan took care of it,” Blair said. “No one here but us.”
Lachlan appeared silently out of the darkness, striding toward them. “Ready?”
The team all nodded.
“Keep it quiet,” the team leader said. “Everyone, night-vision goggles.”
Smith opened a case he’d brought from the SUV. The goggles were Ty’s design. They weren’t bulky, but instead a sleek, lightweight design.
Axel pulled his on, and instantly, his surroundings were washed over with green. When he looked up, Callie was helping Nat with hers.
“Let’s go.” Lachlan led the way to the makeshift entrance to the labyrinth.
They all crawled through and dropped down into the tunnel.
“Okay, Nat,” Lachlan said. “You’re up.”
She nodded, lifting her tablet. It was set to a dim setting and he knew the goggles would adjust to allow her to look at the screen. She turned to the wall, walking along, studying the glyphs.
“There.” She pointed at a glyph. “We need to go that way.”
She headed down the tunnel and the team stayed close around her, everyone tense and alert.
There were no sounds, except the steady drip of water from somewhere.
They paused at a junction.
“Right,” Nat said.
Blair pulled out some chalk and marked the walls. “So we can get out quickly, if we need to.”
Nat looked at the chalk mark and winced, but didn’t complain about drawing on ancient engravings.
They continued steadily through tunnels, Nat leading the way and Blair marking the walls. At a larger junction, Nat peered at the walls.
The distant roar of M
inotaur echoed from the tunnels.
Nat jolted and sucked in a sharp breath.
“Hey.” Axel touched her lower back. “It isn’t close. You’re fine.”
“I know,” she said quietly. “Fear doesn’t always listen to reason.”
“Just breathe.” He rubbed the base of her neck. “I am not going to let that fucker get close to you again.”
She looked at him, her pretty face obscured by the goggles.
“What do you do when you’re afraid on a mission?” she asked.
Shit. “I’m not the right person to ask. I just ignore it.”
“You mean you deny what you’re feeling? Never.”
“Hey, stow the sarcasm, Blackwell. Now, get back to work.”
She nodded and straightened her shoulders. “Thanks, Axel. For making me feel better.” She turned and focused on scanning the wall.
So damn brave.
“Found the right glyph.” She pointed down the right-hand tunnel. “That way.”
Moving quietly, they headed down the tunnel.
“I’ve got a bad feeling about this place,” Smith muttered.
Blair snorted. “Unless Kinsey is within touching distance, you never have a good feeling. She’s the only one who puts a smile on your face.”
Smith just grunted in response.
They stepped into another wide junction, the walls all intricately carved, and the ceiling and one wall were partly crumbled. Nat touched the walls, frowned, and backtracked.
Then she swiveled. “I can’t find the next glyph.”
“You think it’s in the damaged section?” Lachlan asked.
“I don’t know.” She looked at the wall again, running one long finger over it. “Dammit.”
Axel heard the frustration in her voice. “Nat, you’ve got this.”
She pulled in a deep breath, then she crouched by the crumbled rocks. “Okay, okay. If the symbol was on these pieces of the wall…” She pushed a block over, uncovering some glyphs. “There it is!” She grinned, her smile bright green in the night vision glow. “It means we’d need to go—” she pointed “—that way.”
Lachlan went first, keeping his CXM up and aimed. Axel helped Nat up.
Then Lachlan stopped and lifted a closed fist.
“What is it?” Axel asked.
“Shit, I see it,” Blair muttered.
Nat grabbed Axel’s hand. He held on and squeezed.
“There’s a body ahead on the ground,” Lachlan said.
Nat jerked. “Oh, no. Is it another woman?”
Axel studied the dark shape. “Too big.”
Blair kept her weapon in place and moved forward with Lachlan. Lachlan crouched beside the body, touching the man’s neck.
“No pulse. He’s dead.” Lachlan rolled the body over. “Fuck.”
Lachlan pushed his night-vision goggles up and switched on a small flashlight.
Axel frowned. It was a muscular man in combat gear. His throat had been ripped open.
“Who the hell is that?” Callie asked.
Lachlan scowled. “I have no idea. All I know is that he isn’t one of ours.”
Nat pressed a curled fist to her throat. “So who is he? And what’s he doing down here?”
Chapter Eight
Nat pulled in a deep breath. Who was this guy? How did he get down here?
She swallowed, her chest tight. Just being back in these tunnels left her edgy and fighting off the fear trying to climb inside her chest.
But she had to do this. She had to help find the Minotaur for the women who hadn’t made it out.
She watched as Lachlan finished patting the dead man down.
“Looks ex-military. No identifying marks.” Lachlan rose, looking unhappy. “He’s well equipped.”
“Someone wants the Minotaur,” Axel said.
A cold shiver ran down Nat’s back. “How would they know?”
“Heard about the attack on the news and went from there,” Callie suggested.
Lachlan lifted his CXM. “Blair, snap some shots of him to send to Brooks. Let’s keep moving.”
Nat refitted her night-vision goggles. She checked her notes and moved back to the wall.
God, these engravings were beautiful. They told the stories of the Minoans and their vibrant culture. She vowed to come back one day. Or at least make sure other archeologists got the chance.
She spotted the matching glyph. “This way.”
Axel was staying close to her. She glanced at his big form, grateful he was watching out for her.
She was tired of fighting what she felt for him. She’d almost died down here. It could have easily been her bleeding out on these ancient stones. Her hands clenched on her tablet.
He had demons. She understood that. She had some of her own.
But life was too damn short.
A part of her expected the people she cared about to leave her. She’d never had a loving family, or people she could depend on one hundred percent.
Until Team 52.
Throat tight, she let her gaze drift down Axel’s profile. He looked so sexy and badass in his gear, with his rifle in his strong hands. The man had the sexiest hands. For all his shying away from their attraction, she knew Axel cared about her.
He felt something for her, and they damn well deserved a chance.
Nat paused at the end of the tunnel. There were three tunnels branching out ahead of them.
She studied the engravings. “Right.”
She turned to the right-hand tunnel…
Just then, five black-suited soldiers—faces covered by balaclavas—rushed out. One slammed into Nat, knocking her down.
“Nat!”
With Axel’s voice ringing in her ears, she rolled to the side.
Grunts and gunshots echoed loudly. She looked up and saw Team 52 all fighting the soldiers. Axel and Smith fired their CXMs. Blair leaped up and kicked out, slamming into one of the attackers.
Lachlan was grappling with another.
Callie was down on one knee, firing her weapon. Seth whirled in a deadly dance with a large assailant.
Where was River? Nat turned her head.
River appeared out of the shadows. The woman ducked behind one of the attackers. She jerked something around his neck and pulled back. With a surprised grunt, the man fell to the floor and River was on him.
Wow, River was amazing.
Something touched Nat’s leg and with a gasp, she spun. A man in black loomed over her.
She kicked him. He gripped the back of her clothes and she struggled to get free. He dragged her across the stone floor.
Anger shot through her. She kicked at him again, hitting his knee.
“Bitch,” he snapped.
“Oh, I’m just getting started.” She aimed her next kick between his legs, but he swiveled, taking her boot in his thigh, instead.
Then someone slammed into the man, knocking him off her. Nat sat up and saw Axel ram a hard punch into the man’s face. His head snapped back.
The men launched into a vicious fight. They traded hard punches, and Axel drove an elbow into the man’s neck.
Nat winced, scrambling out of their way.
Axel drove the man to the ground, a knee pressed into his chest. “Who are you?”
The man just glared.
Nat rushed forward and slapped the man’s face. He grunted.
“I’ve had a really bad few days,” she snapped. “I would love to take it out on you, so give me a reason. Who sent you?”
The man turned his head to stare at the wall.
Nat made an angry sound, grabbed the man’s balaclava, then slammed his head into the floor.
“Hey, Xena.” Axel gripped the back of her neck. “Take it easy.”
She heaved in a breath.
“Who sent you?” Axel asked again.
The man just glared sullenly. Then Lachlan dragged another unconscious mercenary over and dumped him beside Axel’s captive. The rest of the mercs were all o
n the ground groaning, Blair and Seth holding rifles on them.
“I’m guessing these guys are not garden-variety mercs.” Lachlan crouched, gloved hands dangling between his thighs. “I will find out who you work for one way or another. So pick the easy path or—” Lachlan lowered his voice to a dangerous purr “—the hard one. If you choose the hard one, I’ll take some pleasure in it.”
The man Axel had pinned swallowed nervously. “I’ll talk, I’m dead anyway.”
Lachlan smiled, but there was nothing nice about it. “Believe me, I’m scarier than your boss. I won’t kill you, I’ll just make you wish you were dead.”
The man made a choked sound, and even Nat felt goosebumps. Damn, Lachlan could be scary.
All of a sudden, a huge shape ran out of a tunnel and barreled into their group.
“What the fuck?” someone yelled.
Nat saw horns and her blood ran cold. No. Fear rooted her to the spot. The Minotaur roared and grabbed a merc off the ground. It gripped the man’s neck and, with one quick twist, snapped it.
Then it roared again, the sound echoing off the walls.
God, it was right in the center of them. Nat backed up.
Smith ran like a linebacker and slammed into the creature. Axel spun Nat away, pressing her into the wall, his body covering hers.
“Take it down,” Lachlan shouted.
“Now’s our chance!” an unfamiliar male voice yelled.
The shouts of Team 52 and the mercs echoed off the walls as the monster attacked.
Nat trembled, and Axel’s strong body pressed into hers. As the Minotaur bellowed again, she tried not to lose it.
“I’ve got you, Nat,” Axel murmured in her ear.
She closed her eyes, gripped his forearm, and listened as the fight raged on around her.
* * *
Axel turned his head, watching the others engaging the beast.
The mercs had regrouped and backed up. Shit. They were letting Team 52 do the hard work of fighting the Minotaur.
The monster let out a deafening roar. It charged, slamming Smith into Seth.
“Go and help them,” Nat said.
He looked down at her. She was scared but holding it together. That was Nat—strong as steel.
Mission: Her Shield: Team 52 #7 Page 6
