Page 40 of Covert Mission

I make that clear. “Actually, as team lead for this disaster, it is in my power.”

“Don’t press your luck, sugar. You’re replaceable. I’ll have you out of there so fast your head will spin. Marty can step up and finish the mission.”

My eye twitches. Fudgesicles. I’ve worked too hard to get into this spot. Getting fired would be disastrous. Too much is riding on this gig.

I cool my jets. Just enough to sound reasonable. “Look, it won’t be very expensive. I can divert some of the funds from the miscellaneous category and hire some local guards. And it will save you the cost of having to hire and recruit a new team. It would run you thousands of dollars and months of time. This group is good, and I don’t want you to lose them because they don’t feel safe.”

After the noise recedes, he mutters, “Alright, but keep it low. That money is earmarked for other things.”

I wonder what…

“Sure thing. I’ll check in soon. When is this person you’re sending arriving?”

“Tomorrow. He’s going to take some of your extra supplies.”

As I rub the back of my neck, I squint at the ground. “About that. That was the other reason I needed to speak to you. We had a fire here a couple of hours ago. One of the trucks was destroyed.”

“A fucking fire?” After bellowing, he sucks in an angry breath.

“The rebels. The same people I told you about. They are a real threat, and the truck fire was just a warning. I don’t know what they want yet, but they’re out to get something.”

He’s muttering in the background. “Which truck?”

“The big one.”

The brief silence on the line is electric. “Was everything destroyed?”

“No, there happened to be some guys nearby, the same ones that deflected the rebels earlier, and they got most of the crates out. The truck itself is a different story.”

This time, his reply is fast. “Did they get the wooden crates with the blue straps out?”

I step around the corner of the truck and look but don’t have a good view “Let me check. I’ll get back to you.”

“Make it fast, LaVon.”

Ralph has reverted to last name only. His cracks are showing. He’s about to blow a fuse. Belle warned me about this.

“I won’t take long.”

He hangs up.

I blow out a breath. God, I can’t wait to tell Ralph where he can stick his bad attitude.

I kneel back by my pack. Time to deal with intense boss number two. One of these days I’m going to be the boss. The BIG boss. And all the women will get promotions.

Ah. I smile as I fantasize about being free of the old boys’ club.

After turning off my FamFind phone, I power up the other one. This time, I dial the number. It’s etched in my memory.

The line opens, but there’s no greeting. Standard.

I like to think of him as Darth Vader. Mystical booming voice. Cloaked in darkness. Never showing his face.

I speak in a whisper. “Hey, it’s Calypso.”

As I hold the phone against my shoulder, I spin the other one in my hand. Inside, I tighten my gut, bracing for the coming explosion.

“About time.” Boom!

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