Page 187 of Unexpected Heroine

If there were footage of Violet on it, Big Al would have contacted me this morning when they found out. So it can’t be that.

Nonetheless, my skin crawls.

Rolling out my shoulders, I refocus on making the most out of this new development, hopefully helping with this unexpected mission.

I couldn’t get any digital forensics off the jump drive because Lettie destroyed it, but maybe I can get something off this tablet. It’s got to be related.

After swiping the device off the table, I return to my workstation. “How sure are you this is the mole? Did Mia confirm he purchased the tablet?”

Boss shakes his head, keeping his attention on the screens. “Last night, she finally thought of someone who had the capability to hack her system. A guy from DC who was on the trafficking task force with her when shit started going wrong. This morning, they found him in town on face rec. Once she saw what was on the tablet—something personal in nature—she was certain. They have a past of some sort.”

“And why isn’t she running the op from here?”

From the corner of my eye, I notice him scratching his beard. “Someone needed to be with Klein’s mother.” He purses his lips and catches my eyes briefly before refocusing on the monitors.

“I told you she was sick.”

He makes a gruff sound resembling agreement. After taking off his headphones, he adjusts the audio from the team’s comms to pour through the office’s speakers. Mia and the team are rattling back and forth as they move into position.

While analyzing the gifted tablet, I keep one eye on the op and continue firing questions at Boss. “What’s the mole’s name and rank?”

“It’s a guy named Tony Mattera. He was Mia’s counterpart at the FBI. Extremely talented hacker.”

Hmm. Not sure why, but it all feels a little too convenient.

I need to find out his background with Lenkov’s organization. If he had something to do with what happened to my sugar bear, then he’s going to the top of the MFKL.

Well, he’ll be in third position right under Victor and Yev. They still get top billing for obvious reasons.

Boss narrates what’s happening on the op while I skim the note left for Mia on the tablet, then find the device’s serial number.

Sawyer negotiates through a hotel room door with the tango, attempting to get him to open up. By the time he and the guys force their way into the room, I identify the store where the device was purchased and start downloading credit card receipts.

While I sort through the results, I keep an eye on the monitor where the guys are working to subdue Tony. My ears greedily eat up the sounds of the struggle. The adrenaline that comes with being on a risky mission, even if it’s from the safety of the lair, is soothing as fuck. It’s like coming home.

There’s something special about this job that I can’t quite explain.

Wait. No, that’s not true. I know exactly what it is.

It’s being valuable. Knowing I have something worthwhile to offer my team. It allows me to have their back.

Just like they had for me on the night of Lettie’s rescue.

While the guys get Tony into a chair and restrain him, I notice Mia has stopped addressing the team through the comms. Could be nothing. Maybe she’s watching like we are, waiting until she’s needed. I keep focusing on my primary task.

Bingo. Found the receipt for the tablet. Hell yes.

From there, shit goes crazy as several things happen at once.

Klein’s phone rings during the op. And he accepts the fucking call. These guys are highly trained professionals. They don’t do that shit.

Second, Mia is still radio silent. The team has called for her twice with no response.

Third, Tony is babbling nonsense. Or so it seems.

And finally, the name on the credit card receipt in front of me is not Tony Mattera.

“Fuck me,” I mutter, then whip my head toward Big Al. “Something’s wrong. How long has it been since you’ve heard from Mia?”

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