Novels by Steph Avery

The convoy screamed through the early morning streets with sirens blaring and lights flashing as Marcus tried repeatedly to reach anyone at the estate. Every unanswered call sent his anxiety higher until he could barely think past the fear crushing his chest.David was on his laptop in the back seat hacking into the estate's security system remotely. "Sir I am getting into the camera feeds now. Give me a few seconds to pull up the live footage."Those seconds felt like hours as Marcus imagined all the terrible things that could be happening to Elena and Leo while he sat helpless in a speeding vehicle still miles away from them."Got it," David said, and turned the laptop so Marcus could see the screen, which showed multiple camera angles from around the estate.The feeds showed chaos and violence. Bodies of Montgomery's security guards lay scattered across the grounds. Armed men in tactical gear moved through the house carefully clearing rooms. And in the main living area, Sterling hi

Marcus stood in Montgomery's security center watching live feeds from cameras positioned around the estate while his mind worked through tactical options. Twenty-four hours to find Jonathan Sterling before he started executing the people Marcus cared about felt like an impossible deadline.David sat at a computer terminal tracking Sterling's digital footprint through encrypted communications and financial transactions. "Sir, I found something interesting. Sterling has been making large cash withdrawals from offshore accounts that the FBI did not know existed. He pulled out over two million dollars in the past three days.""What is he spending it on?""Mercenaries most likely. Two million buys a lot of firepower and loyalty especially from men who do not care about laws or consequences. Sterling is building a private army."Montgomery studied a map of the city marked with red dots indicating known Covenant safe houses and properties. "If Sterling is smart he is not hiding in any locati

Marcus stood on the balcony of Montgomery's estate, watching the sun set over the city, as his mind worked through possible scenarios and threats. Behind him, through the glass doors, he could see Elena sitting with Leo at the dinner table teaching him how to fold a napkin into different shapes.The domestic scene made his chest ache with a longing he had not allowed himself to feel in five years. This was what the Covenant had stolen from him and what he was determined to protect now that he finally had a chance to build it.David appeared on the balcony carrying his laptop. "Sir I found something you need to see. Jonathan Sterling has been posting messages on encrypted forums used by former Covenant members. He is trying to rally support for what he is calling a purification operation.""What does that mean?"David pulled up the messages on his screen. "He is claiming that the Covenant failed because it became weak and corrupt under Victoria's leadership. He wants to rebuild the org

Marcus sat on the floor of the safe house living room building a tower out of colorful blocks with Leo while Elena watched from the couch with a soft expression on her face. The simple domestic scene felt surreal after everything they had been through over the past week."Make it taller, Daddy," Leo said excitedly as he handed Marcus another block. "I want it to reach the ceiling.""If we make it too tall it will fall over. We need a strong foundation first before we build higher."Leo considered this wisdom with the seriousness only a five-year-old could muster. "Like how you needed to catch all the bad people before we could be safe?"Marcus smiled at his son's insight. "Exactly like that. Sometimes you have to do the hard work that nobody sees before you can build the good things that everyone notices."The tower wobbled and collapsed sending blocks scattering across the floor. Leo laughed and immediately started gathering them to build again. Marcus watched his son's resilience an

Marcus sat in the hospital waiting room with Torres and Montgomery while doctors worked to save Victoria's life. News played on a television mounted in the corner showing footage of FBI agents raiding Covenant properties across the country, and politicians being led away in handcuffs."The media is calling it the biggest political scandal in American history," Montgomery said while watching the screen. "Forty-seven arrests so far including three senators, a dozen federal judges, and the former head of the CIA. The whole Covenant leadership is being dismantled in real time."Torres looked exhausted but satisfied. "My office has been flooded with tips from people who worked for the Covenant, and now want to cooperate in exchange for leniency. Everyone is scrambling to be the first to turn on their associates and cut deals.""What about Thomas Hayes?" Marcus asked. "Has anyone found him yet?""He is in custody at a federal detention center receiving medical treatment for his stroke compl

Marcus ran through the forest listening to the sounds of pursuit growing louder behind him with every passing minute. The dogs were getting closer and he could hear men shouting coordinates to each other as they spread out to cut off his escape routes.His military training kicked in and Marcus began looking at the terrain with tactical eyes searching for advantages he could use against his pursuers. A rocky outcrop to his left offered high ground but would leave him exposed. A creek bed ahead might mask his scent from the dogs but would slow his movement.He chose the creek and splashed through the cold water for several hundred yards before climbing out on the far bank and changing direction. The dogs would lose their trail at the water and need time to pick it up again on the other side.Marcus found a thick cluster of bushes and crawled inside to catch his breath and assess his situation. He was unarmed and exhausted with no clear destination and limited options for survival. Howe