Game of Fear (Montgomery Justice #3)(87)

Deb heard a wheezing sound in the background. “Are you hurt?”

The phone started cracking.

“Dave . . . bad. Hospital.”

Justin’s voice could barely be heard now. “No police. Can’t trust them . . . hiding . . . men searching . . .”

“Justin!” Oh God, she was losing him. Her only connection to her sister.

“. . . scared . . . help . . . Ashley.”

The phone went dead.

“We’ve got to find them.” Deb held the phone tight. “He’s our only link to Ashley.”

“We know about where they are,” Zach said. “There can’t be too many exploding weigh stations in southern Idaho.”

“With the cell phone dead, we can’t track their signal.” Gabe frowned.

“I can search for them from the air,” Deb insisted. “They know I’m a helicopter pilot. Maybe they’ll leave me a sign or come out when they see the chopper.”

“That could work against them if the other search party has one, too.”

“I don’t know what else to do.”

Zach pulled out his credit card and his phone. “I’ll find a chopper to rent in Black Rock City until we get a better location.”

“Since I have to stay here for now,” Whitney offered, “I’ll check for any possible dummy companies or warehouses near southern Idaho and toward Reno. That will narrow down the possibilities.”

“Thank you,” Deb said.

Gabe tugged her in his arms. “We’ll find that weigh station and those kids before they get shot or freeze to death. This damn game won’t claim another life if we can help it.”




Ashley lay in her brick-hard bed and checked to make sure the screwdriver tool was still tucked in her bra. Boots stomped up and down the hallway outside her room half the night and all this morning. The compound was on lockdown while the place was inspected before the big event tomorrow.

The Warden wanted nothing to go wrong. His threats had half the kids in tears. He pretended that if the presentation went well, they’d all be free. Ashley knew better. They were all dead anyway. No matter what happened tomorrow.

She’d always thought she’d do so many things. Finish college. See the world. Maybe get married and have kids eventually. She never thought she’d be looking at less than twenty-four hours to live when she was only sixteen.

She wished she’d told her family that she loved them more often. And that she’d accepted those kisses from Justin sooner than she had. She wrapped her arms about herself, rubbing up and down to warm her body.

More guards had guns now. They walked the corridors in pairs, making sure no one else would escape. Still, she kept up hope.

She had the screwdriver; she’d planted the virus. Now all she needed to do was be the one chosen for the demo and all the work the Warden had done would be wiped clean. Her virus would erase all those trapdoors the game had been opening for weeks in computers and databases everywhere.

She was sixteen and she would die saving the world. Could be worse.

Never give up.

Never surrender.

Never let the suckers get you down . . . unless you get them first.

Ashley prayed Deb would show up to kick butt and take names, even if she was no longer around to see it.




Gabe checked his watch when Zach landed the Learjet in Black Rock City, Nevada. A couple of hours.

“The chopper should be waiting,” Zach said.

Gabe looked at his brother. “You don’t have to go, Zach. Your wife—”

“Not happening, little brother. Deb can fly the chopper. You and I can shoot, rescue people, or whatever else is needed. You’re not running this op alone, Gabe. This one takes teamwork. Take it from someone who learned that concept the hard way.” Zach exited the cockpit and faced Gabe, a scowl on his face. “Family is about the only thing you have to rely on when life gets tough. You blasted me for going it alone not six months ago. Now I’m throwing your words back at you.”

Gabe raised his hands. “I got it.”

Zach crossed his arms and Gabe had seen that look on his older brother’s face just enough to know Zach was dead serious. “We need the rest of the family to go up against these people, right? If this place is as fortified as the kid says, if the law can’t be trusted—and after Tower, God knows I believe Justin on that—we need everyone we can get.” Zach paused. “Even Nick and Steve Paretti.”

“Not Paretti,” Gabe snapped, shaking his head. “We can’t trust him. Look what he did to Luke and Jazz.”

Zach’s jaw clenched, but Gabe could tell the conversation wasn’t over.

What was Zach thinking? They had enough to go up against without worrying about one of their own team.

“Let’s get the chopper,” Deb said.

Gabe nodded. This wasn’t over. Paretti had proven untrustworthy. They needed to be able to rely on everyone if they were going to save Justin and then get Ashley out of that hellhole alive.

Together, Deb and Gabe entered the lobby of the helicopter company.

“Oh yes. Mr. Montgomery. Everything’s ready.” The owner’s grin nearly split his face.

“Guess that’s what a hefty donation will do,” Gabe whispered while the man finalized the paperwork.