Avery watched the unusual crew in silence. She didn’t understand half of what they were talking about. What information? What group did they have to ‘deal with’ now? She tried to puzzle it out, but she was still missing too many details to find an answer. She resolved to just sit quietly and wait for an opportunity to get away from them.

The blonde man finally gave her some useful information when he explained who they were. She raised a brow. Her father was sending people in to protect her? She never knew him very well, but she did know he wasn’t the type of man to waste resources without a reasonable cause to do so. Something big must have happened for him to hire private security like this.

Her kidnapper spoke up next, reminding the blonde man – Troy, was it? – that he was not in charge. That was good news. Perhaps she could just tell them to buzz off since she was their boss. They would have to do what she said, right? But that would be too good to be true. She couldn’t veto her father’s orders so easily. She would have to find another way to get them off her back.

The last member of her band of abductors moved a little closer. She took Avery’s chin in her hand to get a better look at her. Avery promptly reeled back from the woman and glared at her indignantly. The woman who had announced herself as Rebecca explained who they were in more personal detail, namely singling out her initial captor, Fletcher. Avery looked back at him and wrinkled her nose. He was her personal guard? He must be good at his job if her father was willing to hire him, but that didn’t mean she wanted him tagging along; especially when her line of business wasn’t necessarily one of good standing.

“I can take care of myself,” Avery said irritably. “Tell my father thanks, but no thanks—” She was abruptly cut off by a voice from the front of the vehicle. ETA? She had to rack her brain for the meaning of the acronym, since she wasn’t overly familiar with military-based abbreviations. After a moment, she remembered what it stood for.

“Where are you taking me?” Avery asked, still glowering at her kidnapping bodyguards.