Page 67 of Deadly Hope
Axel met Olivia’s eyes. All their carefully laid plans depended on precise timing, on Driscoll finding their planted evidence at exactly the right moment.
“We need to abort,” he said, reaching for her arm.
But Olivia shook her head. “We won’t get another chance. If we leave now?—”
A chair squeaked in the outer office, cutting through the silence.
And in that frozen moment, Axel faced an impossible choice: retreat and guarantee Olivia’s safety or trust her judgment and risk everything.
39
Axel’s mindcycled through containment scenarios even as he raised his phone, framing the unexpected occupant through the glass partition. Young woman, business attire, clearly exhausted. The laptop’s blue glow caught the sharp angles of sleep deprivation on her face. He snapped three rapid shots from slightly different angles, transmitting them to the team.
“Need immediate ID and background,” he vocalized into his concealed comm. “Female, approximately twenty-five to thirty, currently at the desk outside Driscoll’s office.” His perfectly tailored suit jacket concealed both the weapon holster and comm set up underneath. “All teams, maintain position and sound off.”
“Running facial recognition now,” Kenji whispered. “Ronan and Zara are set in the basement. Guards are buying their maintenance act. Deke and I have lobby control room locked down. Camera feeds looped, elevator protocols handled.”
“Griff here. Parking garage covered—any early arrivals will find ‘unexpected maintenance’ blocking their usual spots.”
“Izzy. Van’s in position at loading dock, looking properly corporate. Ready for fast exit.”
The woman reached for what looked like her fourth Red Bull. Axel cataloged options. Direct confrontation risked noise. Security call would blow their cover. Waiting her out could compress their timeline dangerously close to Driscoll’s arrival.
“Got her,” Kenji cut in. “Amber Burns. Junior analyst. Keycard shows zero-four-hundred entries three times this week.”
“Because Driscoll’s been riding the whole team ahead of the confirmation hearing,” Voss offered quietly.
They’d planned this infiltration meticulously—their corporate audit team cover had been Olivia’s suggestion, knowing Driscoll’s security was trained to spot armed threats, not question internal auditors. But an all-nighter analyst hadn’t been in any of their scenarios.
“Deke, what’s our window looking like?” Axel watched Burns hunch further over her keyboard, mind already gaming out multiple extraction paths depending on how this played out.
“Approximately sixty minutes until target arrives.”
Olivia’s hand settled on his arm, feather-light but commanding attention. Her charcoal suit and elegant briefcase perfectly sold the corporate psychologist image. Her eyes met his, asking for trust. He gave a slight nod.
“Ronan, Zara—maintain basement coverage. Everyone else hold positions. We’re implementing Plan Echo.”
Plan Echo—their contingency for civilian encounters. Less than ideal, but with Olivia taking point ...
She stepped forward, her whole demeanor shifting. Gone was any trace of an operator. In its place, professional concern radiated from every pore.
“Ms. Burns?” Olivia’s voice carried just the right blend ofauthority and warmth. “I’m Dr. Warner from HR’s wellness initiative. We’re conducting a surprise overnight audit of work-life balance concerns.” She gestured to Axel and Voss, who stood straighter in their dark suits. “My colleagues are checking building security protocols, particularly around junior staff working excessive hours.” She smiled reassuringly. “Looks like we guessed right, showing up this early.”
Brilliant improvisation. Their cover as a corporate audit team, complete with falsified paperwork, had been meant for the day shift. But Olivia was spinning it into something that explained their pre-dawn presence while playing directly into the intern’s obvious exhaustion.
“Oh no.” Amber’s voice cracked. “Am I in trouble? Mr. Driscoll said this presentation had to be perfect for the morning meeting, and the numbers weren’t balancing, and I thought if I just came in a little earlier?—”
Through his comm, Axel heard Kenji’s soft whistle. “Getting building security logs from the past month. This isn’t an isolated incident. Driscoll’s got half his junior staff working graveyard shifts.”
“You’re not in trouble,” Olivia soothed, moving to perch on the edge of the desk. Every movement precisely calculated to appear casual while maintaining optimal position. “But I am concerned. How many days this week have you worked past midnight, or come in hours before dawn?”
As Amber’s story poured out, Axel watched Olivia work, suddenly grateful for the mission parameters that had required business attire instead of tactical gear. They looked exactly like what they were pretending to be—corporate troubleshooters doing their jobs. Sometimes the best camouflage was hiding in plain sight.
“Team, heads up,” Griff’s voice came through their comms. “Two more cars just pulled into the garage. Looking like more junior staff revving up.”
“Not anymore they’re not,” Olivia murmured, smoothly incorporating this intel into her cover. “Amber, I need to be clear—this isn’t just about you. We’re seeing a pattern that represents serious liability. Mr. Stone?” She gestured to Axel. “Could you please check the other offices while Mr. Voss escorts Ms. Burns to gather her things?”
Perfect tactical move. Getting eyes on the other arrivals while maintaining their cover story.
