I used my phone’s app and adjusted the intensity of the thermal imaging interface, squinting as I tried to sort through the haze of heat signatures. “Blyat,” I swore softly.
“If you have to adjust that thing so much, perhaps you should turn it off.” Piston had gone back to studying the grounds with his binoculars, not looking at me at all.
“Mind your business. I’ll mind mine.”
He didn’t move. “Just sayin’. This isn’t the environment to test new technology.”
I froze. “What are you talking about?”
He gave a derisive snort. “Nothin’ at all. Just stating an opinion.”
“There are supposed to be four guards plus Victor.” I tried to turn the conversation back to the situation at hand. Mainly because there was too much to unpack, and so many implications I wasn’t sure I could wrap my head around them all.
“There are.”
He didn’t continue. I didn’t want to give up my secrets any more than he wanted to give up his. As unbelievable as it sounded, though, I thought our intel was bad. Or, at least, not accurate. I’d blown Piston off earlier, but I had same bad feeling he did.
I huffed out a breath. “Opinion would be nice, Piston.”
“Already told you my opinion.”
“All you said was you didn’t like me trying new tech in field.”
“Did not. Said this wasn’t the best environment. Gotta check new tech in the field sometime. Just probably not this particular field.” Still, he kept those stupid field glasses to his face, not looking at me.
“That was it! Only opinion you offered!” Hard to believe I was reduced to whisper-yelling, but there it was. I was exhausted, playing this game with Piston took far more energy than I had at moment because my head was beginning to seriously hurt.
“What exactly do you want to know, Venus?” There was no inflection in his voice. Just man carrying on conversation.
“I can only find two places in house with warm bodies.”
“Oh? I take it your new tech didn’t work out so well.”
“If you want me to kill you, all you have to do is ask. Would rather end you without getting blood pressure up,” I snapped. “I can only find two out of five people who are supposed to be in house! Perhaps they are merely in two groups in separate rooms, perhaps not.”
Piston did turn to me then. “You sayin’ you can’t deal with five people in this house if they’re ready for you?”
“I can deal with anything Victor throws at me. But, no. I’m not keen to head into ambush.”
Piston lowered his binoculars, finally giving me his full attention, the lines around his eyes tightening. “Fine. Let’s assume your tech’s right, and we’re dealing with fewer opponents than expected. Maybe it’s an advantage. Fewer to take out, fewer complications.”
“Or it’s trap,” I countered, feeling the migraine pulse behind my eyes. “Victor’s not complete idiot. He’s likely baiting us.”
He nodded slowly, considering this. “True. Victor knows we’re after him. Could’ve sent some of his guys out as a distraction or to prepare for something bigger. But do you honestly think Crush, Byte, and Wylde got it wrong?”
“Not likely,” I muttered.
“Not likely.” Piston repeated my words, but not like confident statement. More like he didn’t believe statement any more than I did.
“We’ve got less than hour before we’re supposed to be gone.”
Raising an eyebrow, Piston gave his ultimatum. “Shit or get off the pot, woman.”
I bared my teeth at him. “Zasranets.” He was right though. Either I took risk, or backed off and hoped we could find bastard again.
Pulling out my phone again, I switched off the vision enhancements and shook my head slightly. Yeah. I had to get this done fast because I was definitely headed toward a migraine. Hopefully without the app running, it would ease the eye strain and the pain. It was time to get to work. I wanted Victor dead tonight.
I slipped my phone back into my pocket and drew my weapon, checking the chamber silently. Piston mirrored my actions, his movements swift and practiced.