Free Forsaken By Shadow by Kait Nolan

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    When the waitress came back with their beers, Embry took a long pull before setting the bottle on the table with a thump. “This is hopeless.” Her words fell between them like stones as she stared at her beer.
    Gage wanted to contradict her, to say something that would wipe that dejected, grieving look off her face. But he’d been with her on the ridge overlooking the compound. The place was fucking impregnable. A veritable Cheyenne Mountain, complete with single road access and mandatory ID badge and fingerprint scanner for entry. Easily two dozen highly armed soldiers stood watch at regular intervals along the two-story, electrified, chain-link fence surrounding the facility. There was no back door. No accessible ventilation shaft or utility tunnels. They had no schematics. And without him being able to Walk, no way to acquire additional intel of any kind.
    He’d failed again last night. Though Embry had said nothing, it was the white elephant that had ridden with them across the better part of two states. Her lack of faith pissed him off, but at this point, maybe she was right. He wasn’t any closer to Walking now than he was two days ago. Not that he was about to be the one to suggest they abandon Adan.
    “ There has to be another way,” he said. “Maybe we can somehow infiltrate their ranks.”
    She lifted her gaze to his then dropped it again. “That’s a long term op with a slim margin for success. We don’t know if he has that long.”
    The regret in her eyes sliced him deep. He was letting her down in the worst possible way. Curling his hand around hers, Gage said, “He’s not dead yet, Ember. We’re going to find a way in, and we’re going to get him out.” He infused his voice with a conviction he wasn’t absolutely certain he felt. He needed to find some faith and fast.
    Before Embry could make any kind of response, the door banged open, grabbing their attention. Five men spilled inside. Though they were dressed in civilian clothes, Gage knew instinctively that they were military. It was in the way they carried themselves and in the barely there buzz cuts.
    A sudden movement in one of the booths drew Gage’s attention. A youngish Native American guy sat stiffly in his seat. A worn, shearling-lined denim jacket draped awkwardly across his lap, sliding as his knee bounced. His hands shook a little as he shoveled the last of his fries and sandwich in his mouth. He left a few bills on the table, and slid out of the booth, one hand going swiftly to the knife on his belt then away again, as the newcomers finished jamming two tables together. One of the meatheads stepped backward right into the kid as he walked by.
    “ Hey, watch where you’re going, Tonto.”
    For a moment anger flared in the kid’s face. But he was gawky and lean, not yet grown into the promise of his frame. He seemed to think better of reacting and dropped his gaze, mumbling something as he tried to move on past.
    The soldier grabbed him by the arm and hauled him back around. “What was that, Walks With Tiny Dick? I know you didn’t just disrespect me, boy.”
    Seeing the situation heading south, Gage was already on his feet and moving by the time the kid opened his mouth to make a reply. Whatever he said was drowned out by the instant smack of fist on flesh and the crash of the kid’s body falling into another table.
    Gage stepped in as the next fist went flying and smacked right into his hand. He felt the sting of it up to his shoulder as he closed his fingers around the other man’s hand and twisted. Meathead’s face went red with outrage, shock, and pain as he struggled not to go to his knees and failed. “You’re gonna want to stop that right about now,” said Gage equably. But in his mind he could already see the guy surging up from the floor, plowing into his gut in a tackle. At the first sign of movement, he stepped to the side. Meathead stumbled awkwardly and crashed into another table.
    “ You son of a