The Cipher (Nina Guerrera, #1)

by Isabella Maldonado

With every remaining ounce of strength she possessed, she shot her foot toward its target. A loud crunch split the air as she connected, driving the bones of his septum into his brain. The momentum of the blow drove his head back, and his body followed, slumping on the ground. He twitched, then he lay still.

Nina knew they would find no sign of life. If Falk had any breath in him, he would have made sure he killed her before he succumbed.

An operator crouched beside her. “Where are you injured, Agent Guerrera?” She realized how she must look. “It’s Falk’s blood.”

an expression she couldn’t place pulling the hard lines of his rugged face taut.

Affection?

“I’m okay, really.” It was a lie, but she reveled in the pain. It meant she was alive.

She had only met Director Thomas Franklin

“Your courage deserves special recognition,” Franklin said. “I will be presenting you with the Shield of Bravery at an official ceremony next week.”

She was stunned. Director Franklin had submitted her for one of the FBI’s highest honors. The Shield of Bravery was awarded for courageous acts in the line of duty involving a task force, undercover operation, grave situation, or crisis confrontation associated with the Bureau’s highest-priority cases. This case probably fit every part of that description. Still, she didn’t feel worthy.

“Sir, I did what was necessary to survive. Any other agent would ...

“You did more than survive,” he said. “You overcame great personal trauma under extreme duress and used your training and your wits to stop a killer who would have continued to take lives.” Concern wrinkled his brow. “No, Agent Guerrera,...

“Supervisory Special Agent Buxton has requested an extension to your temp assignment in the Behavioral Analysis Unit.”

Ahhhhhhhhh yay

“The four of us?” “You, Kent, Wade, and Breck.” He steepled his fingers. “If things go well, the team might even become permanent.”

Yay

Franklin regarded her for a long moment. He gave her a slight nod before the corners of his mouth quirked up. Maybe the rumors weren’t true after all. That looked like an actual smile.

“I suspect much of it is completely unknown to you.” He paused as if choosing his next words carefully. “I believe that it is your right to see what we gathered. It is, after all, the story of your life until the date of your emancipation at seventeen.”

“Here is a copy of the entire file,”

“It’s for you to keep.”

Its contents weighed on her mind as well as her arms.

Throwing away or readng it? Place your bets now.

Answers she had longed for as a child were contained in the trove of documents now in her possession.

finding what she was looking for next to the copying machine.

Paper shredder?

Drawing in a deep breath, she began to feed the pages into the shredder, finally putting her past where it belonged.

Ayyyyyy I called it

sullied,

Definitely British

She spun back to confront Wade. “Did you invite the whole damn unit?” He didn’t look remotely apologetic. “I might have sent a text or two.”

Breck’s bright red hair stood out as she ran toward them. She had obviously come from the end of the course, as Wade had. Nina looked up at her new partner. “Seriously, Wade?”

“Nice of you to show up for the last two miles,” Wade called out to Breck in a teasing voice.

Every muscle in her body screamed for her to stop. She was bruised, sore, and exhausted. “I feel great.”

Breck shot her a dubious look. “Sugar, you look like ten miles of bad road.” Wade cataloged a litany of observations. “You’re favoring your left leg, you wince every time you use your right arm, and you’re sucking wind.” “Doesn’t matter,” she said. “I’m going to finish.” “And we’re with you all the way,” Kent said.

She realized they needed her to accept their help. If she was going to be part of this ad hoc unit, she would have t...

Over the years, she’d learned not to depend on anyone but herself. Others had let her down too many times. Now she had to f...

She considered the three people flanking her as they drew close to the end of the course. A new feeling she couldn’t identify surged through her, renewing her strength. Together, they were all going to make it. When they cross...

She thought about what the judge had told her at her emancipation hearing all those years ago. The hearing that had not only changed her name but the trajectory of her life. “Circumstances have made you very independent at an early age, Ms. Esperanza, but you must allow others to help you when you need it. Remember that.” She had remembered...

Yellow Bric...

The training course? Her trauma? Life?

She had become a warrior who no longer had to fight h...

To the men and women of the FBI, who dedicate themselves to upholding their motto, “Fidelity, Bravery, Integrity.” A special thanks goes out to Ret. Assistant Director Jana Monroe, Ret. Special Agent John Iannarelli, and Ret. Special Agent Jerri Williams.

Award-winning author Isabella Maldonado wore a gun and badge in real life before writing crime fiction.

*speechless*

A graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico and the first Latina in her department to attain the rank of captain, she served as a patrol officer, hostage negotiator, spokesperson, recruit instructor, patrol supervisor, gang council coordinator, and district station commander.

Her final assignment was as the commander of the Special Investigations and Forensics Division before retiring aft...