Page 65 of Undercover Infidel
“Yes,” I responded, not questioning how he’d known. Our minds seemed increasingly synchronized, each anticipating the other’s thoughts.
“My gut is telling me he can’t be trusted,” he admitted. “Gus is running background checks that go deeper than the standard MI6 clearance.”
“Do you think he’s working with the consortium?”
Con considered this. “Not directly. His hatred for Orlov seems genuine. But he’s withholding information for reasons of his own.”
“We need to watch him closely,” I said, echoing my earlier sentiment.
“Already on it,” Con replied, his lips brushing mine in a gentle kiss that deepened as I responded.
For a brief moment, the mission receded, leaving only us—two people finding connection amid the chaos. His hands framed my face as he drew back, his eyes serious.
“When this is over,” he began.
“Let’s focus on getting through it first,” I interrupted, not ready to contemplate a future that felt increasingly uncertain.
“Sleep. I’ll wake you when it’s time,” he said, appearing to understand without taking offense.
Three hours later,we were back on surveillance rotation. This time, Con and I took the eastern approach, concealed in dense woodland with visibility of the facility’s secondary entrance.
The morning air hung heavy with mist as we settled into our observation point. Despite the minimal sleep,I felt alert, the adrenaline sharpening my senses. Con’s presence beside me provided a strange comfort despite the looming danger.
In the quiet moments between monitoring activities, I found myself studying his profile—the man was the most handsome I’d ever seen. And to think—he loved me. I looked back on how my life had changed since storming into his castle and challenging his systems. How what began as a professional rivalry had transformed into something I’d never expected to find.
“What?” he asked, catching me watching him.
“Nothing.” I turned back to my equipment, but he reached out, his fingers brushing mine.
“Tell me.”
I hesitated, my emotions threatening to overwhelm me. “I was thinking how different this would be without you here.”
His eyes softened. “Better or worse?”
“Both.” I attempted a smile. “Better because you’re brilliant and I trust your judgment. Worse because now I have something to lose.”
The words escaped before I could reconsider them. Con’s expression shifted, understanding dawning in his eyes.
“Lex—”
“We should focus,” I interrupted, not ready to pursue that conversation with so much at stake. “The mission comes first.”
We returned to our surveillance, but the moment had shifted something between us. I knew then, with absolute clarity, that I had fallen in love with Conrad Carnegie. The realization terrified me, not for what it meant about us, but for how it complicated everything in this increasingly dangerous operation.
Love created vulnerability. Vulnerability led to mistakes. And mistakes in our line of work cost lives. Yet despite this rational assessment, I couldn’t regret what was between us. If anything, it strengthened my resolve to see this mission through, to ensure we both had a future beyond Labyrinth.
By midmorning,our monitoring devices captured unusual activity at the facility’s eastern entrance.Equipment was being moved while technicians gathered around what appeared to be testing apparatus.
“They’re preparing for something,” I whispered, adjusting our visual feed for better clarity.
“Demonstration rehearsal?” Con suggested, referring to the event scheduled for the following day.
“Possibly.” I enhanced the image, focusing on the equipment being assembled. “That looks like signal-transmission gear.”
A side door opened, and Orlov emerged accompanied by security personnel.
I adjusted our camera for better visibility, zooming in on the testing area. Through the lens, I could see Orlov’s face clearly as he supervised the preparations. His features were thinner than I remembered, but his eyes retained the same intense focus.
