Page 62 of Heart of Stone
Perfect.
I tap my earpiece. "Tank, secondary target."
A moment later, the sprinkler system kicks in, sending water cascading through the building.
I hear cursing as the guards scramble to protect their electronics.
"Lee, you're up."
I watch Lee slip through the emergency exit, using the chaos as cover. The guards are too busy dealing with the water and power loss to notice one more shadow among many.
"Two minutes," I murmur into my comm. "Get our boy and get out."
The security team has split up—two checking the power box, one circling the building's perimeter, the last trying to coordinate from his position by the front door. Their training works against them now. They are following protocol, maintaining formation, when they should be adapting.
Amateur hour.
A grunt of pain comes through my earpiece, followed by Lee's whispered, "Found him. Moving to exit point charlie."
I shift position, getting eyes on their escape route. "Tank, light it up."
The construction floodlights on the opposite side of the site suddenly blaze to life, powered by the generator we'd set up hours ago. The guards spin toward the new threat, momentarily blinded.
In that instant, two figures slip from the building's shadow into the tree line.
"We're clear," Lee's voice is barely a whisper.
"Prospects, fade out," I order. "Tank, kill the lights in thirty. Everyone roll to point beta. Do not engage."
One by one, my team confirms they are moving. I wait until Tank kills the floodlights before melting into the darkness myself.
The guards are still scrambling, trying to figure out what hit them. By the time they sort out their systems, we'll be long gone.
We regroup at the abandoned gas station two blocks away. Axel is soaked from the sprinklers but grinning, a thick folder tucked into his jacket.
"Worth it?" I ask.
His grin widens. "Oh yeah. I found who's bankrolling this little escapade."
"Do tell."
Before he can elaborate, my phone buzzes to life as I power it back on. Seventeen missed calls. Voice mails. Texts.
My blood runs cold as I read the messages.
Andi
Hawk, I need help. Abby's got a fever and she won't stop coughing.
Andi
We're in an ambulance, she's turning blue.
Andi
Answer your fucking phone!
Andi
