Page 99 of Surrendering Hope (The Hope Legacy)

I nod, my arms wrapping around myself. After Julie’s reading, our plan needs a backup plan, and that plan also needs a backup plan,

Duncan stands and nods. “Okay, Locks, let’s go get us some god killing blades.”

* * *

It’s pushing eleven pm when we arrive outside Reinheart and Hunter, I’m grateful to be in my badass clothes and depending on what I’ve known for years. We have a plan. It involves no magic or teleporting, both of which would set off the security measures in the building according to Duncan. Zee and I agreed we do not want to face a Minotaur again, ever. Whilst we don’t steal things, except that one time at the Vatican, we do often rescue people. That is how we are approaching this mission, with a target that doesn’t move, squeal or die. Should be easy peasy. Right?

Duncan is tapping on a tablet, squinting at something on the screen. I shift in the front seat. “Have you done it?” I ask.

He lets out a breath. “Yup, Aaden was still in from the last time we messed around with the cameras. I’ve put the reception ones on a loop, and the ones in Archan’s apartment.”

I let out a breath, and as the guard stands to make his sweep of the first floor. We’d watched his routine, figuring out a way to get into the apartment. If you are imagining some kind of skyscraper climbing “Mission Impossible” style, you’d be wrong. Zee and Duncan vetoed my idea.

“Go,” Duncan says, tapping on something to disable the front doors. Me and Zee dive out of the car.

“Recon check,” Duncan says.

“Loud and clear,” I mutter, approaching the building whilst Zee holds my hand like a doting couple out for a late night stroll, dressed in all black.

“Check,” Zee utters as we climb the steps to the lit building. I push on the door, it offers no resistance.

“Locking in five, four, three, two, one.” The door click shuts and the alarm flashes to green above it.

“Going to hit the lift in three seconds,” Zee says, dropping my hand and scanning the room. If we have this right, the guard will be another ninety seconds. We come to a stand outside of the closed, private elevator.

“Duncan?” I whisper.

“Shit, shit, shit,” he mutters.

“Well, that can’t be good,” Zee mumbles, looking at the corridor we expect the guard to emerge from.

“I can’t get the doors open. It needs a biometric print, and I can’t override it.”

Footsteps echo down the corridor along with a whistled tune. I look at the open public elevator. I grab Zee and run towards it.

“Shit, no, Natia. This is where the guard will go next to get to the next floor.” I roll my eyes as we stop in the center of the metal box. I look up and smile. He follows my gaze and grins like a maniac. “You’re a crazy motherfucker sometimes,” he mumbles. I link my fingers and give him a boost, he’s through the emergency exit in seconds, before turning and dropping a hand down for me. My feet pass through the hatch as the whistling guard enters the elevator and presses the button for the second floor. Thick cords of wire whirl as we ascend a level. If he was any good at his job, he would have looked up. Lucky for us, the cocky shit swaggers out of the elevator and we secure the hatch.

“Now what, smart ass?” Zee asks.

I blink at the long tunnel above our heads. “We could climb?”

“This elevator doesn’t go to Archan’s apartments.”

The whistling guard gets back in the elevator. It judders to a start again, one more floor.

“What about the emergency stairs?” I ask.

“Hang on,” Duncan says. “I’m accessing the blueprints now.”

We go through two more floors of torture. “Is he whistling ‘The Bare Necessities’?” I ask.

“Yes,” Zee whispers.

“Weirdo.”

“Say’s the girl who deals with emotions by choosing a song to torture us with.”

“My taste in music is outstanding.”

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