Page 54 of Play the Game

Jason winced. “Actually, I think Alder might suspect something.”

“So, just Kat.” I was on the verge of crying but also laughing. My career was hanging on by a thread, which was possibly still intact only because of the precarious situation of HEAT. “I almost feel sorry for leaving her out. Maybe we should just make an announcement at the team meeting.”

“Sparks.” Penn clapped a large, firm hand on my shoulder. “This is not the time to lose your shit. I have your back on this.” He scowled at Jason. “And by extension, yours. But you need some kind of long-term plan.”

“I’m already on it,” Jason said. “For the rest of this operation, I’m on the sidelines. I’ll only jump in if Alder needs me. After that, I’m asking for a transfer to central IT.”

Penn’s mouth dropped open. “You’re leaving live ops?”

“Plenty of good work to be done developing systems for field teams, hardening our databases, securing data security.”

When he’d shared his idea with me hours earlier, it had made so much sense. In the harsh light of day, as he explained it to Penn, I could imagine the drudgery for him of doing that kind of slow-paced, predictable work, day after day, year after year. Maybe the sacrifice he was prepared to make for me would be too great to sustain, and he would go to work for his dad. The agency and the government would lose an irreplaceable asset, and it would be my fault. And TJ and I would be in the same position as he’d been in with his ex-wife, unable to discuss how one of us spent the majority of our time.

“All right, then, let’s get back to work,” Penn said. “Show me the rest of your plan.”

Jason sent off a text, and I glanced down at my phone, which I’d set to silent. His message appeared.Glad you’re still lead on this. Makes everything worthwhile.

I appreciated his support, but I was no longer sure I agreed.

CHAPTER 20

Jason

By 9:30 that night,we pulled our control van into a deserted parking lot two blocks from the Carbonados’ Chicago building, where we’d begun this mission. Pasco’s location on Saturday morning had been Dallas. If we would have to fly there and set up our operation, it would have taken hours more time for Tam, Penn, and Hart to set up a surveillance plan for a multi-block radius around the building. Since I’d screwed up and gotten Pasco moved, I’d actually saved them time because they’d already mapped out everything near here two weeks ago for the operation later that week.

Maybe I could win points with Penn if mentioned I’d created a shortcut for the logistics team. I turned in his direction and smiled, but he was grimacing.

“My damn ribs hurt just coming back to the place,” he muttered to no one in particular.

I took that as my cue to keep my mouth shut. I’d point it out to Tam later. I’d prefer winning points with her and whatever else she wanted to use to reward me with anyway. Besides, it was good practice to be quiet. Just like Penn was here to observe and provide backup for Tam if she needed it, I was doing the same for Alder. She just didn’t know yet that I’d be recommending her to move into my position.

The tactical and logistics crews were in the van now parked beside us. We listened to their chatter through the comms as they packed their weapons and reviewed the ops plan yet again. Every one of them had to know it inside and out. Lives depended on it. Penn would have been with them if Bond hadn’t insisted on having him with us so she could keep an eye on him. Being kept out of the action was probably contributing to his foul mood.

Hart opened the back door and climbed in with us. “Field agents are on deck. They’re ready for their equipment check, Alder.”

“Should I take that?” I asked. “Since you’re setting up all the comms channels and monitoring the tracking signals.”

“You’re asking me?” Alder gave me the side-eye. “Why are you doing that?”

This was neither the time nor the place for that discussion. “On it,” I told Kat.

I snaked between her and Penn in the seats by the back doors and climbed out into the dark parking lot. There were no surveillance cameras here, and most of the nearby buildings were deserted at night. Tam had chosen the perfect spot for us to slip into Carbonados’ territory.

I knocked on the back door of the second van. Li let me in.

“Why are you here?” Kessler asked. She could be testy right before a dangerous op, especially one involving a civilian, so I didn’t take it personally.

“Equipment check.”

“Since when is that the job of the IT lead?” Kessler asked.

“If the IT lead isn’t complaining, why are you?” Okay, maybe I was taking it a little personally.

I started checking their comms, biosensor watches, signal descramblers, and emergency call buttons, which were sewn into each piece of field agents’ ops clothing and could be used to send out a silent distress signal.

“Let’s not fight,” Li said. “Hey, you know what this reminds me of? Miami. When the three of us stole a van and went off in the middle of the night to track down a lead from Cynthia’s shady former CI.”

“Miami Pete was not shady, Mai.” Kessler reconsidered her words. “Well, I guess he was, and still is, but he’s a decent guy. And his lead—”

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