Page 86 of No Time Off

Our pace picked up slightly until we reached the end of the trail.

“Thank God that’s over,” Lexi said when we saw the trailhead sign. “I don’t want to do that ever again.” Her shoes squished water with every step. “How far to the safe house?”

“About half a mile,” Rangi replied, handing Lexi, Petra, and me ball caps, which offered a bit of disguise. Lexi quickly tucked her hair beneath it.

“We need to break into smaller groups to move through the city,” Rangi continued. “Paul, you and your men take the prime minister and Manny to your sister’s house first. Lexi, Slash, and I will follow a few minutes later.”

Our instructions clear, we watched as Paul, Manny, and Petra headed off. We followed a few minutes later, with Rangi taking us along back alleys and less-trafficked streets.

At last, we reached our safe house—a small, inconspicuous cottage—and Paul quickly ushered us inside. The furniture looked both functional and comfortable while giving off a beachy island theme, which felt wholly appropriate.

“Where’s your sister?” I asked Paul, looking around.

“She went to stay with our mum and won’t return until tomorrow,” he said. “That’s for her protection.”

“Smart,” I said. It was a good move in the event anything went sideways.

I glanced at my phone—it was 4:42 in the afternoon. Not quite an hour and a half before game time. We had made great time crossing the island. Lexi immediately sat on the floor near the door and removed her shoes and socks, laying them out to dry. Paul tossed her a towel to dry her feet, and she gave him a grateful look as she wiped them down. I kicked off my shoes and did the same, as did several others of the group.

As soon everyone was present, we assembled barefoot in the small living room. It was time to put this plan into action.

“Manny, you need to go now to surveil the television station,” I said. “Prime Minister, you and Rangi monitor the television and social media. Paul, does your sister have internet access? Lexi and I have some work to do on our laptops, and we need the Wi-Fi password. The rest of you, stay vigilant for any unanticipated visitors.”

Paul stepped into the kitchen to call his sister as Manny headed out the door to surveil the station. I placed our laptop bags on the table so Lexi and I could set up.

“Are you ready for the final stretch?” I asked her, plugging in our laptops.

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” she replied. “How about you?”

“I’m ready,” I said. “Let’s just hope Elvis, Xavier, and the others are at the top of their game.”

“They’realwaysat the top of their game,” she said with a slight smile, but I saw the fierce determination in her eyes. “And so are we. Together, we’re unstoppable. So, let’s get this done.”

“Absolutely,” I agreed. “Time is ticking.”

FORTY

Lexi

Slash and I set up our laptops and easily connected them to Paul’s sister’s Wi-Fi, thankful she was willing to share the password. Her Wi-Fi was a little better and faster than the farmhouse connection, perhaps because we were closer to the capital.

Once online, we checked in with Elvis and Xavier. Elvis confirmed everyone was ready and standing by, so Slash and I did a final check on our end. Paul rustled up some food, and we ate while keeping an eye on things.

I glanced at my watch. Five thirty. Thirty minutes until the plan launch.

A few minutes later, Manny returned from his surveillance trip. We gathered in the small living room, ready for his assessment of the security at the television station.

“Here’s the situation,” Manny began, his voice serious. “Two cops outside, no backup. According to my source inside the station, there are no extra police inside right now. Apparently, Slash’s escape from the compound forced them to pull extra security from the station. That means we have two men on the outside and no one inside guarding the station. The purpose of the two policemen outside seems primarily to let in authorized staff only. I recognized a few familiar news anchors going in, probably getting ready for the evening show. There’s nothing physical blocking the entrance, and no apparent backup close by. The station is calm inside, but the mood is mutinous. Staff feel as if Maivia and his team are muzzling them. Given this information, I believe we should be able to get into the station with minimal effort and expect to be supported by the news staff inside.”

The prime minister appeared relieved to hear that, and she clasped her hands together. “Excellent. Rangi and I know some of the news staff personally, so that should help. What’s next, then?”

Manny slid his phone out of his pocket, swiping it on and pulling up some photos. We crowded around him. From what I could see from my vantage point, the first photo showed the station entrance with the two policemen standing in front of the door, one of them examining a badge that hung around a young woman’s neck.

“As you can see, these two officers are just standing there and checking staff credentials while keeping everyone else out,” Manny said.

The prime minister studied the images. “How do we get in without causing a scene, raising an alarm, or hurting anyone?”

“We don’t need a full-on confrontation,” Slash warned. “Hopefully, we’ll be able to use the crowd outside as our cover.”

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