Page 94 of Close Protection

Bending down, I pick up the birthday present I gave Daphne this morning and check the time before dropping it into my pocket. I need to leave. I need to get to the rendezvous point, and I don’t have a car.

Looks like I’m going back into my short-lived life of crime.

It’s 4:32 p.m. when I get to the rendezvous point. I arrive at a warehouse, punch the code in the door and walk through.

Snipers, assault rifles, handguns, grenades, bulletproof vests, gas masks and body cams decorate the long tables that run the length of the space. The smell of ammunition and stuffy air, with the addition of the awful artificial lighting, brings me back to when I was on active duty.

‘Special Agent Petrov?’ a short, blond woman asks as I close the door behind me.

I nod, meeting her outstretched hand in a quick shake. ‘Milosh.’

‘Lucy Peterson. I’m the commanding officer and I’ll be overseeing this breach. Let’s get you set up and debriefed.’

After securing my vest and bodycam and picking outanother handgun with some extra rounds, I follow Peterson into a separate room where around fifteen guys are sitting, geared up and ready to go. I take a seat in the empty chair looking over to the board at the front which displays blueprints to a house.

‘All right, listen up. For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Lucy Peterson and I’ll be your commanding officer tonight. We’re looking to take out the head of Daveeno, who we now know is currently at this location.’ She points to the screen as the slideshow changes and shows a road not twenty minutes from the Greens’ house.

‘We’ve been able to hack into their security camera footage and have located seven hostages. There are nine hostages total, so as we proceed, be wary of civilians.’

The two held separately must be Daphne and George.

The slide changes to pictures of the seven staff that were taken, as well as a picture of George and Daphne.

Lucy runs through everyone on the board, giving a basic description.

My jaw tightens as I think about what could be happening to Daphne right now and what she must be feeling knowing her mother’s alive.

How a mother could do all of this to her own child is beyond me, but I can’t think of that right now. I need to focus.

Lucy rattles off the stations and plan of attack, and what each person is doing. After the first extraction team and the exterior surrounding squad has been allocated, I hear my name.

‘Petrov, Cooper and Scott will be the second extraction team. Head for the two other hostages. There will most likely be heavier security around them, so be cautious. Any questions?’

Everyone shakes their heads.

‘All right, people. Let’s move.’

36Daphne

My head feels heavy as the slam of a door jolts me back to consciousness.

‘Oh good, you’re awake.’

My heart rate increases as my brain struggles to register the cold voice that just spoke. I try to lift my hand to rub my eyes but it’s being held down. I go to move it again but I can’t. Attempting to move my legs next, I struggle as I feel something holding me in place. With my eyes cast down, I open them fully only to see that my ankles are tied to chair legs and my arms are bound behind me.

I groan as I lift my head, sharp pain ricocheting around the back. The instant I lock eyes with my mother, it dulls.

My very-much-alive mother.

She looks impeccable in a black figure-hugging pencil dress and Louboutin pumps, with the world’s most perfectblowout. Her dark skin is pristine and glows with an almost ethereal radiance.

Death apparently suits her.

When I saw her standing there in the safe house, with four large men flanking her, I nearly threw up. It was like time stood still as I stared at her, unbelieving.

‘B-but you’re dead,’ I had said, frozen on the sofa with the film still playing in the background.

‘Dead to the world, but still very much alive.’

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