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didn’t
realize thousands had. That memory didn’t impact me fully until college. I looked
around and hated my life. Found the Lord and wanted to fight for something bigger
than myself. I wanted to do something that meant something. And I wanted a team to
do it with.”
    â€œYou think God actually cares, Hawk? We’re killers. If He created life, aren’t we
violating some intergalactic law by taking it away? I mean, that’s pretty serious
stuff.” Colt’s questions shook Nick. He’d wondered the same thing before.
    â€œMan, God doesn’t care. He took all those people. He took my dad. What’s a few more
if we’re actually doing it for a good reason?” Jay’s voice held a bitterness that
Nick understood well. His own voice had once held that tone.
    â€œJay, I don’t think the Lord ever likes the loss of life. But we’re human. And people
are evil. God didn’t kill your dad, man. Evil people who chose not to follow a good
God did that. They’ll pay someday.”
    â€œWhatever, dude.”
    Nick glanced to his right and kept going at Micah’s encouraging nod. “My mom used
to read me stories about King David, whom God called a man after His own heart. David’s
hands were marred with the blood of thousands that the Lord commanded he battle.
He promised David victory, and thousands of mighty men fought with him. The first
time I fired my gun on my first deployment, I got sick. I watched a man go down.
It didn’t hit me until we got back to base. I couldn’t help but think of those stories
and that God still loved David.”
    â€œSo how does that justify the massive amounts of death in war, Hawk?” Colt’s curiosity
bled through his question.
    Nick took a deep breath, praying his words would count for something later. “This
war . . . it’s ugly. We’re fighting to protect our own and fighting to defend countless
others who don’t have a government to fight for them. I hate it. But I’ve got to
believe that though the Lord doesn’t like war, He allows it, and I’m going to wage
it for the people I love. I’ll answer to Him for what I’ve done. I fight, and I’m
going to keep fighting.”
    The silence stretched again, and Nick shut his eyes, praying his words would take
root. Praying that these men would understand the goodness of God, that His justice
and mercy existed in equal measure.
    Jay’s deep Jersey accent jarred him from his drifting. “You know if we catch this
witch, we’ll be cutting off the weapons supply to the very guys that killed my dad.
Fewer American lives lost.”
    Logan’s voice boomed in the silence. “Let’s get some shut-eye.”
    Nick drifted to sleep, preparing to make war.

    They were coming. Janus ended the call and took another sip of bourbon, the amber
liquid burning her throat and stomach. She grimaced.
    How had they found her so quickly? She stood and walked to the windows, the smell
of salty air faint but familiar. She squeezed the crystal glass in her hand and wondered
if Nick was with the team that would try to take her out. She hated losing the upper
hand. But this game wasn’t over. Far from it.
    She would have to disappoint them. She glanced toward the bedroom and the packed
bag on the bed. No, she wasn’t ready to be caught yet.
    â€œSorry to disappoint, little SEAL. But you will not catch me tonight. You may even
catch more than you bargained for.”
    She paced back to her chair and studied the man sitting opposite. He had proved
to be a useful distraction at times.
    Ivan raised his brows at her perusal. “Is it time?”
    â€œ Da ,” she answered. “You know what to do.”

Chapter 8
    I NTEL HAD LOST their vantage point on Janus. The call came thirty minutes before
the drop-off. They’d seen Janus and a man periodically come up on deck, but for hours
now, nothing. But the team