Allthree handlers are giving instructions, too, updating us as to how things are going outside.
“Ijust found the base of the left observation tower,”Milessays. “Itook out a guard, tagged it, and am heading up.”
Amoment later,Jacesays, “AndIjust took out a guard at the base of the right tower.Headingup.”
Eachof my brothers take out a second guard up on the observation deck.Milesfries the electronics in his tower, and after taking out a guard on his side,Jacedisables the radio equipment they were using in that tower.Thenhe heads onto the roof asMilesheads back downto the main level.WehearJacethrough the comms as he uses a jammer and a pair of cable cutters to take out the satellite uplinks and communication antennas on the roof.
“Ijust found the barracks,”Itell the team. “Nosurprise that no one is here sleeping, still.Tagged.”
“Ifound the armory,”Zoesaid. “Nota single guard here.”
Milessays he found the stairs leading down to the holding cells and tagged it, but is still heading toward the center of this level.Ipeek around the next door opening to find the command center, which houses all of the high-tech equipment, computer terminals and servers, screens showing surveillance feeds, and maps.Andtwo guards, trying to figure out why their cameras went out.Iuse my dart gun on both of them, and they fall to the ground.
“Foundthe command center.Zoe, how close are you?”Thisis exactly where she needs to be to download all their data, then upload a virus to take out their system, andI’dlike to hang around to watch her back while she does.Especiallybecause while she does it, she’ll be using a localized jammer to disrupt radio frequencies.It’lldisrupt the rest of their communications, but it’ll also disrupt hers, andI’mnot a fan of not knowing what’s going on while she’s in there.
Ihear some grunting, then she says, “Ijust found the tactical planning room.Threeguards.Onejumped me.”Myheart leaps into my throat in the breath between that sentence and her next, “Allthree are now down.”
Igrin.Ofcourse they are.
Charliesays, “Zoe, the command center is not far fromyour current position.Whenyou get your surveillance device planted, just head into the south corridor.Thatshould lead you towardLedger.”
Whileshe’s still in the tactical planning room,Ihead out into the corridor to watch for her.Inmy comms,Kellashouts, “Ledger!Behindyou!”
ButIdon’t have time to turn before two men grab me.
CHAPTER 34
LOVE, LOCKS, AND AWKWARD CONFESSIONS
ZOE
Ibreathe heavy asIlook at the three unconscious men on the ground.Irecognize one as one of theBarnobrothers who has been stealing theTrustpieces.Hopefullythe second one is somewhere here, too.
Charliecomes on my comms to tell me that the command center isn’t far.Iput my hand on my healing rib and spleen and step over one of the men on my way to the east wall.It’smoments like this that make me realize thatI’mnot operating at one hundred percent.Myleg’s a little sore, too, soIshake it out, then place the surveillance device on the wall, just below a map.ThenIhead to the opposite wall.There’senough stuff in this room thatIwant to make sure the cameras can pick it all up.
Justlike this whole mission,I’mconstantly thinking about the three devices in the side pocket of my utility pants.Thedevice that will jam communications in the command center asIwork so no one can stop me remotely,the driveI’llplug into their server to download all their data, and the drive with the virus that will take down their system, making it unusable to anyone else onceIrelease the communications jam.
AndItry to not think aboutLedgerand everything thatDirectorLancastersaid when she showed up in my kitchen-disaster apartment.Butsince that has been running on a loop in my head non-stop, it’s been a bit difficult.
Iplace the second surveillance device and am catching my breath a bit asIhead over to a big planning table in the middle of the room.It’sfilled with so many plans, andIknow from past missions to not just assume that all the information can be gathered later just because that’s the plan.SoIaim my body camera at it so it’ll go straight to the agencies now.Ihear a bunch ofWhoasand gasps from all three handlers.
TheBarnobrothers weren’t just a couple of guys who were good at scavenger hunts and that was why they were almost set to be giftedAragundi’sempire.They’renot just good at being art thieves, either.Theseguys have plans to sow chaos and destruction across the world that would make evenAragundiproud.It’samazing that they’ve been able to fly under the radar for so long.
Throughmy earpiece,IhearKellashout, “Ledger!Behindyou!” andIfreeze for the briefest of moments, thenIstart to run.Irace around tables and leap over one of the downed men asI’mheading toward the door.SomeonenearLedgergrowls something in a language thatIcan’tunderstand.
There’sgrunts, then the buzzing sound thatIknow is a stun gun.ThenIhearLedgerscream.Itgoes straight to my heart, andIknow it’ll be burned there forever.Ishout, “Ledger!Ledger!” asIrun, slamming into the door that doesn’t open as fast asI’mrunning and head out into the corridor, racing inLedger’sdirection.Assoon asIround the bend to whereLedgeris,Isee the bottom half ofLedger’slegs quite a distance down the corridor just as they drag him around a corner.
“Zoe!”IhearLedger’svoice in my comms, but it’s strained, cracking. “Finishthe mission!”AndthenIhear a high-pitched squeal that tells me someone just pulled out his comms unit and stomped on it.
Irun faster.AsIpass a panel in the wall,Iglance long enough to see that it leads to a secret passage whereI’msure the men were hiding before they grabbedLedger. “Miles!”Ishout. “Howclose are you?”
“I’mclose.I’llgo after him.”
“No.Ineed you to get the devices from me to download the data and finish the mission.I’mgoing afterLedger.”
“Areyou sure?” he asks.
“Yes!”Ican tell my leg isn’t liking this punishment, butI’vegot adrenaline on my side.Anda very intense need to get toLedger.Tokeep him from harm.
