Page 28 of Protecting Her

Her phone buzzed again. Sarah this time:Hotel security feeds showing unauthorized access. Last night's team compromised.

Ice settled in Jude's stomach as more messages from her team flooded in. The pattern was familiar; she'd seen it in Yemen before everything went wrong. Small changes in security rotations, unexplained equipment glitches, local police showing too much interest in their movements. She'd missed the signs then. She wouldn't make the same mistake twice.

"These negotiations are finished." Ramirez stood abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor tiles. "Until the indigenous leadership shows proper respect for progress?—"

"Progress?" Carmen's laugh held no humor. "Is that what you call burning villages and poisoning water supplies?"

Jude caught the subtle hand signal between Ramirez's contractors. She'd run enough protection details to read the silent communication: they were coordinating positions and preparing for something. Her body hummed with combat readiness as she tracked their movements while maintaining her relaxed stance. She subtly moved closer to Carmen.

Another message:Police bands showing multiple units mobilizing. No official orders given yet.

Through her earpiece, she heard Kate's fingers flying across a keyboard. "Facial recognition found three of our hotel security team in cartel databases. Recent bank payments traced back to corporate shell companies."

Jude watched Carmen press her advantage at the negotiating table, her hair catching sunlight as she leaned forward. To anyone else, she appeared completely focused on diplomatic warfare. But Jude saw the almost imperceptible tension in her shoulders that meant she'd picked up on the room's shifting dynamics.

Their eyes met briefly across the space. In that split-second contact, Jude saw that Carmen had already read the situation. The slight tilt of her head conveyed volumes:What do you need me to do?

More messages illuminated Jude's phone. Marcus reported suspicious vehicles near their exit routes. James confirmed that hospital staff had been asking questions about their medical arrangements. Sarah documented multiple security breaches at the hotel.

The contractors were moving again, their choreographed repositioning creating coverage zones that made Jude's combat instincts scream. She recognized the pattern from her own training: standard special operations forces procedure for coordinated action in confined spaces.

"Perhaps we should recess," Carmen suggested smoothly, gathering her papers with practiced efficiency. "Give everyone time to consider their positions." Her diplomatic mask remained perfect, but Jude caught the subtle urgency underlying her words.

Ramirez's smile didn't reach his eyes. "Of course. We have all the time in the world."

The threat in his voice was clear enough that even the civilian observers shifted uncomfortably. Jude's hand moved fractionally closer to her weapon as she cataloged distances to exits and noted which corporate contractors had the clearest shots.

"Ma'am." She kept her voice professionally neutral as Carmen approached. "We should review the afternoon's security arrangements."

"Of course, Captain." Carmen matched her tone perfectly while closing the distance between them. "I believe we have that briefing scheduled now."

They moved into the corridor with practiced synchronization, their steps falling into familiar patterns. Jude maintained her relaxed posture until they rounded the corner, then immediately shifted to high alert.

"How bad?" Carmen asked quietly, dropping the diplomatic façade.

"Yemen bad." Jude guided them toward their pre-planned evacuation route, every sense straining for threats. "They've compromised our security teams, hotel staff, and local police. David caught it just in time."

Carmen absorbed this with the same composure she used for international crises. "The corporate contractors?"

"Moving into attack positions while we talked. Former special operations, probably the same unit from Venezuela." Jude checked her phone as more warnings flashed across the screen. "They're mobilizing now."

"Like Yemen?"

"Worse." Jude's voice dropped lower. "In Yemen, they just wanted to destabilize the embassy. This is personal. They want you specifically." She swallowed the fear that rose at that thought. "We need to move. Now."

Carmen nodded once, trust implicit in her immediate acceptance. "The peace treaty?—"

"Won't matter if you're dead." Jude caught herself, remembering how many times they'd had this argument. "We'll find another way to protect the indigenous communities. But right now, I need to protect you."

Something softened in Carmen's expression, despite the danger surrounding them. "You always do."

The words carried weight that made Jude's chest tight. She forced her focus back to tactical concerns, coordinating with her team through rapid text exchanges. But part of her awarenessremained fixed on Carmen's presence beside her, on how much she had to lose if she failed this time.

"Sarah is meeting us at the service entrance," she said, guiding them through back corridors she'd memorized during security sweeps. "Kate has eyes on the corporate teams. They're moving to cut off the main exits."

"And the hotel?"

"Compromised. We'll head to the fallback position." Jude checked her phone again as more warnings scrolled past. "Marcus has the vehicle ready. We move fast, maintain cover, and don't stop for anything."

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