Page 81 of Polestar

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Clanging signaled the guards’ return.

The doors squealed open, blinding everyone again as the bowls were collected.

A new figure appeared in the illuminated rectangle of the doorway.

“Shit, Ana, that’s him.The Accountant.”

Ana’s breath caught as she squinted to make out details as her eyes tried to adjust to the light.The silhouette was smaller than the guards, his form outlined in a suit.

“That one,” his accented, nasal voice commanded with a nod.

The two guards collecting the bowls moved toward Ana.

“Oh shit, no, Ana!”Antony yelled, swiping ineffectually at the guards to stop them.

“Hey!”Emilio and the crewmen shot to their feet.“Leave her alone.”

One of the armed guards dropped the point of his rifle at Emilio.“Back off.”

“Emilio.My team is coming.Be ready for them.They’ll need all the help they can get from the inside when they get here,” she whispered, raising her hands submissively as the guard grabbed her wrist.“Woo-woo or not, be ready.”

The guard wrenched her wrist painfully, dragging her out of the box into the garish fluorescent lights of a massive warehouse.

Ana squeezed her eyes shut against the pain from the light stabbing her eyeballs, alternately squinting until they adjusted.

The nasal voiced man questioned another larger figure standing further away, who appeared to just nod.

“Analiese Ortega.”

“Yes?”she blinked at the man who wasn’t much taller than herself.“You are?”

Creepy Accountant seems about right.

“Here to collect my leverage.”He grinned and turned on his heel.

Shoved by a guard, she had no choice but to follow him as the steel doors clanged shut again.

“Don’t worry, Ana, I’m right here with you,” Antony said as they passed the taller man that fit the description of the second man Emilio described.“I’m not going anywhere.”

The man’s eyes slid from Ana to Antony.

“Does he see me?”

The corner of the blond man’s lips lifted.

“Shit,” Antony said.

Ice slid through Ana’s veins.

The armed guard shoved her forward again, forcing her to keep up with the Accountant.

JoeyKanepacedbehindher desk as her team assembled in her office.Jack Maeda was on the line from his New York office.

“Please close the door,” she said to Aaron Connor as soon as he jogged into the room.

With a nod, he did so and moved in.

Joey’s gaze slid from team member to team member.Even the ones that usually masked their emotions exuded concern.Aaron Connor, Raya Burns, Carson Perenga, Lirikai of the Barra’kidai, Ian McLachlan.Everyone else associated with the case was still in the field.