Time of Fate (Wealth of Time Series #6) by Andre Gonzalez (e book reader online txt) 📗

be delivered safely to that cabin with only one worry to concern yourself with. Do you understand?”

Martin pursed his lips, nodding, rummaging his thoughts for a counterargument, or at least an excuse. But he had nothing, silenced by his number two to trust the process. After his big speech giving all the credit to this once-in-a-lifetime team, Martin had been the last person to listen to his own words. Now that he did, he felt somewhat better, although nothing could erase the worry of death that lingered above him like a black cloud. Everyone else on the jet was in a light mood, at least before the news had broken of the Revolution’s attacks. They didn’t have to worry about waking up tomorrow; Martin did.

“Thank you, Lieutenant. Let’s get to work.”

Chapter 21

Despite the morning’s commotion, plans continued on time for the Road Runners stuck on the jet. Half past noon arrived and Alina called attention to the team, standing in front of the wall that separated the cabin from the cockpit.

“I hope everyone has taken a moment to gather themselves. I know we are all worried about our loved ones back wherever you might call home. We’re helpless on this jet, and I know the first thing I’ll be doing is flying to Central America to make sure my friends and family are okay. I suggest you avoid the news for the remainder of the afternoon. If you don’t, you’re only going to drive yourself mad. That is all I’m going to say regarding this matter, and I’ll be happy to revisit it once we hear the good news from Commander Briar later tonight.

“As you know, we set this time aside for a final briefing on what Commander Briar is to expect. I know this presented a unique challenge for us as a team, as every mission we’ve ever worked on has dealt with multiple Road Runners and how to best position our team for success. This mission, once the commander is dropped off in Angle Inlet, will be just him. While it might sound easier to plan, on the surface, I know it was much harder than we are used to. So thank you for your dedication, especially for having to do most of this work on the fly. Give yourselves a round of applause.” A few scattered hands clapped, but the energy had shifted to a much darker mood since Martin’s speech last night. “Arielle, will you please join me up here?”

Heads turned as they followed Arielle making her way from the middle of the jet to the front, greeting Alina with a warm smile.

“I’ve reviewed all of the research and will present it for us all to see,” Alina continued. “Should something sound incorrect, please notify us immediately—do not be afraid to interrupt.”

She nodded toward the back of the room where a man flicked on a projector, its image blasting across the front wall and prompting Alina and Arielle to step aside. Martin remained near his seat, but had a clear view of the presentation.

A map of Canada filled the screen, a heavy purple line running from Winnipeg to Angle Inlet, three thinner lines branching off in different directions, but still arriving to the same destination.

“Arielle will drive Commander Briar. All research has been completed on this route, and we’ve found it to be rather straightforward. There is one construction zone that spans two-miles, but it’s in the middle of nowhere, so we don’t anticipate much of a slowdown from it. We confirmed Winnipeg has been attacked by the Revolution, and the Canadian army has been deployed to control the situation. It doesn’t appear this will affect the car’s departure, but the situation is changing by the minute, so something to be aware of. Even if that changes, we highly doubt it will affect our ability to leave Winnipeg. A military-grade SUV has been ordered and will arrive here to the jet at five o’clock tonight. Arielle and Commander Briar will be leaving at 5:30 sharp. We project the drive will take two hours and eighteen minutes. Another car will arrive in fifteen minutes from now, in which we have four of our members driving the route and coming right back to report the most up-to-date information. Felix, Megan, Selena, Lucas—are you all ready?”

The four were gathered in the back and gave a thumbs up.

“Perfect. They will report to us in real time from the road anything they see out of the ordinary. If everything comes back as normal, Arielle and the commander will leave on time with no worries. She will drive him into downtown Angle Inlet where Commander Briar will walk through the woods—it is the only way to reach Chris’s cabin.”

The screen changed, zooming into Angle Inlet and showing a dotted path from Main Street to the middle of the woods.

“Commander Briar will have a printout of this exact map. It’s a rather simple path, hard to get lost, as we’ve counted it out by the step for where to turn. Commander Briar, have you reviewed this information yet?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Martin replied, holding up the laminated copy of the map. “Planned to the very last branch on every tree,” he said with a chuckle.

“The terrain is tricky and we’ve obtained a special pair of hiking boots made for both a rough walk and the cold weather. The forecast calls for the temperature to be sixteen degrees Fahrenheit by the time Commander Briar starts his journey into the woods. Thank you to the team who made the venture out last night to grab supplies. We also grabbed a new winter coat, gloves, handwarmers, and beanies for Commander Briar to choose from. He will not be left in the cold should he happen to get lost in the woods.”

The screen changed to show an hourly breakdown of the evening, starting at 5:30 when Martin was expected to leave.

“Commander Briar will call Steffan Privvy when he steps out of the car in Angle Inlet—we project that