Page 8 of Depraved

"Got some promising leads," I said, climbing into the driver's seat. "We're waiting it out for an hour so I can take a look at their security footage."

The next sixty minutes crawled by as we cruised aimlessly around the block, checking our phones and trying to look inconspicuous while keeping an eye on the Pendry's entrance. Finally, my watch beeped 1:45 pm sharp.

"Time to go," I said tersely, pocketing my phone and opening the car door. "Stay here and keep an eye on the hotel. Text me if anything looks off."

I slipped around to the back of the cafe, my shoes crunching on broken glass and cigarette butts. The stench of rotting garbage assaulted my nostrils as I approached the dented metal door. I rapped three times in quick succession, then once more after a pause.

The door creaked open, revealing Skylar's teal-haired head. She ushered me inside quickly, glancing around nervouslybefore shutting the door behind us. I slipped her the wad of cash and she tucked it into her pocket.

"Okay, we don't have much time," she whispered, leading me through a cramped storage area filled with boxes of coffee beans and industrial-sized jugs of syrup. "The manager's on break for another 15 minutes."

We entered a tiny office crammed with filing cabinets and an ancient-looking desktop computer. Skylar plopped down in the creaky desk chair and began rapidly clicking through folders.

"Here we go," she muttered, pulling up the security footage from the previous day. "That's them."

I leaned in closer, my eyes fixed on the grainy black-and-white image. There was Gage, looking infuriatingly relaxed as he lounged in the corner booth. Across from him sat a woman with long, wavy hair. Even in the low-quality footage, I could make out the distinctive scar on her cheek.

As I watched, the woman slid a manila envelope across the table. Gage glanced around furtively before opening it and pulling out what looked like a stack of papers. My eyes narrowed as he flipped through the documents, nodding occasionally. What the hell was in those papers? And who was this woman?

"Can you zoom in on her face?" I asked Skylar.

She rolled her eyes at me. “It doesn’t work like the TV shows, you can’t make pixelated footage clear by zooming in. She clicked a few buttons, enlarging the image.

It was still blurry, but I could make out more details now. The woman appeared to be in her early 30s, with delicate features and full lips. The crescent-shaped scar on her left cheek stood out starkly against her pale skin.

"Shit, my manager's coming back," Skylar hissed suddenly. "You need to go, now!"

I straightened up quickly. "Thanks for this. I owe you one."

She waved me off, already closing out of the security footage. "Just don't mention this to anyone, okay? I like my job."

I slipped out the back door just as I heard voices approaching from inside. As I jogged back to the car, my mind raced. The footage had confirmed River's intel about the mystery woman, and now I had a face, but it raised even more questions. What was in those documents? And why was Gage meeting her in such a public place?

I slid into the car, slamming the door behind me. "We've got confirmation on the blonde, and it looks like they were exchanging some kind of documents."

Alex leaned forward eagerly. "Any idea what was in them?"

I shook my head. "Couldn't make it out on the grainy footage. But whatever it was, Gage seemed pretty interested. It looked like they knew each other pretty well though."

Sarge's brow furrowed. "Could be intel on Raul? Something Gage collected while working for Raul? Maybe it’s blackmail material."

"Or he’s still pissed that we killed his buddies," River rumbled from the backseat. We all fell silent, considering the implications.

I gripped the steering wheel tightly, my knuckles turning white. The thought of Gage compiling evidence against the is—againstme—made my blood boil. After everything we'd been through together, how could he betray us like this?

We parkeda block away from the Pendry, not wanting to draw attention by pulling up to the valet. The cool ocean breeze carried the faint scent of salt and seaweed as we gathered our gear from the trunk.

"We'll enter separately and meet up in the room. Alex, you go first. River, wait five minutes, then follow. Sarge and I will come in last."

Alex nodded, slinging his laptop bag over his shoulder. He sauntered towards the hotel entrance, the picture of casual confidence.

As we waited, I found myself fidgeting nervously with the strap of my duffel bag. Sarge placed a steadying hand on my shoulder, his touch warm and heavy—familiar. "We’ll get the fucker, Lala.”

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself the fuck down. After what felt like an eternity, it was finally our turn to enter. As Sarge and I approached the gleaming glass doors of the Pendry, I took a deep breath, steadying my nerves, slipping seamlessly into an innocent feminine persona. The doorman nodded politely as he ushered us inside.

The lobby was nearly empty save for a few people milling about here and there. Polished marble floors stretched out before us, their pristine surface reflecting the warm glow of artfully placed lighting. Sleek leather couches and armchairs were arranged in intimate groupings, occupied by well-heeled guests sipping cocktails and tapping away on laptops.

A sparkling crystal chandelier dominated the center of the space. The air was perfumed with a subtle blend of sandalwood and citrus, a scent crafted specifically for the hotel. Oddly upscale for a narc on the run.

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