Page 180 of Fractured Future
BITTER – PALACE
Anxiously tapping my foot,I watch the live feed streaming from Archer’s chest camera. It offers a lopsided view of blood-red carpet, ostentatious wallpaper and sparkling chandeliers that span the long hallway.
The excess and wealth that drips from the walls of the luxurious building makes me want to tear my own eyeballs out just so I don’t have to see it anymore. Not now that I know what was sacrificed in order to afford this fucker’s lavish lifestyle.
“This man has been taking bribes from the cartel to approve their shipments,” I growl angrily. “Gael’s money paid for those chandeliers.”
Pacing at my side, Hyland barely spares the live feed a glance. “And whoever else was bribing this asshole.”
“How far do you think the corruption goes?”
“I doubt this guy’s the only one aiding overseas trafficking gangs. Money talks, red.”
“We need to identify and arrest them all.”
“We will,” Hyland vows.
No one else pays our muttering any attention. Warner sits at the head of the cluttered table, deep in conversation withhis support staff, including two members of Sabre’s intelligence team—Rayna and Fox.
Today’s target was a hand-wrapped gift courtesy of Miguel. The other lowlifes we captured from that warehouse didn’t have any intel to offer, but Luis’s thug eventually sang for his life under the threat of another thirteen-hour session with Hudson.
Tyler Perez.
We’ve found a puzzle piece.
Spreadeagled in an office chair, Axel remains glued to his phone screen. I’m convinced that something is eating at him. He’s been off throughout the last few days of back-to-back interviews, searching for a lead.
“What are you studying so hard?” I move to look over his shoulder.
Slapping it against his chest, Axel plasters on a smile. “Nothing.”
“Seriously, what’s going on with you?”
“Nothing, dimples.”
Unconvinced, I resolve to pin him down later when we’re not mid-assault on a hostile target. He’ll tell me what crawled up his ass and died. I can drag it out of him.
“I have no idea why the Falcon Team were put on this,” Hyland grumbles when I retake my place. “Perez is our target.”
“Archer’s team can handle it.”
“Like they handled letting Luis escape?”
“Come on,” I coax. “That isn’t fair.”
Shaking his head from side to side, he takes a moment to calm down. Losing Luis during that raid was a blow, but it seems Hyland is taking it hardest.
“They’ve got this, Hy.”
“Perez has been ensuring shipments fly under the radar for years.” Hyland tosses his hands in aggravation. “He’s behind all those containers filled with women.”
“And you’ve trained the Falcon Team yourself. Trust them to do their job. They want to redeem themselves.”
On Warner’s laptop screen, we all watch as Archer advances with his three teammates hot on his heels. They’ve already infiltrated the high-rise apartment block in upmarket Knightsbridge without arousing suspicion.
“Be glad that Miguel broke,” I reason, filled with an odd sense of hopefulness. “This is our first real clue.”
“That’s exactly why it should be us in there.”
