Series:
Zodiac Tactical (Book 5)
LinearTactical (Book 15)
Months trapped in the clutches of a madman made Jenna
Franklin a shell of the woman she once was. All she can do now is use her
computer genius from inside the safety of closed doors.
Even two years later, going outside = blood-freezing
panic.
She’s made herself a haven in the only place she’s felt
safe since her captivity: Oak Creek, Wyoming—home of her Linear Tactical
friends. They don’t realize the extent of her emotional trauma, but at least
she knows she can trust them.
Only one person knows the truth about the fragile mental
state she’s hiding: Zodiac agent, Mark Outlawson—code name: Outlaw.
He’s witnessed her panic firsthand. Knows what it does to
her.
When info on a human trafficking group—one connected to
her own captivity—comes to light, it’s clear only Jenna’s expertise can stop
them. Mark will have to prove Jenna can trust him—to keep her secrets, to
protect her, to help fight her demons.
He’ll prove this outlaw is a hero.
Once I started reading this book, I could not put it down
- not unusual for a Janie Crouch book!
Code Name: Outlaw is a crossover story
between the Linear and Zodiac Tactical books. Mark Outlawson, code name Outlaw,
works for Zodiac Tactical and helps the team at Linear Tactical when needed.
Almost two years earlier, he had participated in taking down a human
trafficking ring, which is where he met Jenna Franklin. He has never forgotten
her.
Jenna is a brilliant bioengineer and computer genius. She
was kidnapped, tortured, and forced to create a method of chemical subjugation
and gene editing. Since her rescue, she has suffered from debilitating PTSD and
agoraphobia to the point where she can't leave her home. Even her Linear
Tactical friends in Oak Creek don't know the extent of her suffering as she
never talks about it. Jenna feels her condition is worsening after her fears
were brutally used against her. She has begun to question her sanity.
The story begins when the FBI sends one of its agents to
Oak Creek to request help from Linear Tactical and Jenna. A new human
trafficking ring is using Jenna's methods in a new and deadly way, and they
need Jenna's help to stop them. I loved this scene, as the LT team doesn't care
for this agent and gives him an especially "warm" welcome. Dorian and
Ray made me laugh out loud with their pointed attention. I ached for Jenna as
she forced herself out of her safe haven to the Eagle's Nest to deal with the
issue. As terrified as she is to get
involved, Jenna knows she has to help, or she won't be able to live with
herself.
Over the past year and a half, Mark has become friends
with Jenna. He understands her fears after seeing her condition when she was
rescued. Over time, his feelings for her have deepened, but he knows she isn't
ready to hear it. When he learns what is required of her, Mark is determined to
give her all the support she needs. I loved seeing the depth of his caring as
he took extraordinary steps to help Jenna with her fears. Using a mobile lab
and command center provided by Mark's boss at Zodiac Tactical, Mark and Jenna
race against time to unravel the clues, stop the deaths, and prevent a
terrorist plot.
I loved watching the relationship develop between Jenna
and Mark. His love for Jenna is evident from the get-go, and his patience and understanding
won my heart. Jenna realizes that her feelings for Mark are deeper than
friendship but believes that Mark would grow to resent the severity of her
agoraphobia. I loved watching him chip away at her fears with his
understanding. Mark also has his demons to fight, ones that mean the end of the
life he has now. We see his fears and frustrations as he struggles to keep his problems
from impacting their mission. When everything was over, I loved how Mark's vision
helped Jenna see the possibilities of a future together. The two epilogues were
fantastic, and I loved the look at their future happiness.
The suspense of the story was intense from start to
finish. From the moment that FBI agent Callum Webb shows up in Oak Creek, we
get a roller coaster of emotions as Jenna struggles to find the formula to stop
the deaths. She and Mark crisscross the country looking for the clues that will
put her on the right track. Right on their heels are those who want to stop her
from finding the antidote and force her to complete the project to their
satisfaction. The twists and turns kept me glued to the pages through the final
confrontation. I felt Jenna's terror when they were captured; she had to choose
between helping the bad guys and seeing them kill Mark. I loved her ingenuity
in finding the perfect solution. There were some scarily intense moments before
it was all over, but it was all worth it.
While the Linear Tactical series has now come to its
official end, I expect we will continue to see various characters in other
books. The LT and ZT teams are such good friends (and being intermarried) that
it would be hard to separate the two completely. I'd also like to see Callum
get his own story.
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