Page 6 of Code Name: Phoenix

“We know you’re in there. The place is surrounded, and you aren’t leaving the property. Why don’t youladiesopen the front door, and we’ll have a little chat. Tell you how this is going to go.” He looks back to me and nods, a cocky smile stretched across his face. Logan loves taunting his targets.

The delayed response from inside makes me apprehensive about the situation, and I glance around the yard for any signs of manpower behind those front doors. There’s only one vehicle parked on the lot, so my assumption is there are no more than four people here.

I take the break to step behind Logan, hiding myself from whoever answers the door. It’s a tactical maneuver to give our opponent a false sense of security. Once I’m in place, I shift to examine the house in front of me.

If you weren’t in our line of work, the front door wouldn’t draw too much attention, but I can tell this house is locked down like Fort Knox. The front windows are reinforced, probably bulletproof. There is an intercom to the side of the door. It’s an odd setup for a quaint farmhouse in the middle of nowhere.

Just as I am about to call in a head count, the lock clicks, and the front door swings open, revealing a woman in her late twenties.

Crouching further, I peek over Logan’s shoulder, hiding my face behind the hair at the scruff of Logan’s neck.

She looks way more confident than we do at this moment, which sets me off even more.

“Good morning, miss. This your place?” Logan drops his voice to a polite tone and waits for her answer.

She takes a half step back, showing me a little more of her. Her blonde hair is pulled back into a ponytail, and her frame is small next to the burliness of my team members.

A familiarity hits me, and I shift further behind Logan as I try to remember if I know her from somewhere, but nothing registers.

My adult life has been a long string of jobs, one after another, most of them undercover. With the number of people I’ve crossed paths with, remembering her is going to be next to impossible. I hope that, until we have our hands on everyone inside, she can’t place me either.

“No, I’m just staying here for a few days. It belongs to a friend.” Her answer is careful. Her eyes remain locked on Logan.

She’s lying.

She’s not looking around.

She’s not one bit curious about who is here with him.

The people inside already know.

Logan exhales an annoyed breath. “What’s your name, sweetie?” I’m offended for her at his necessary yet condescending tone.

She crosses her arms over her chest, her upper body going rigid in response. “Well, I can tell you it isn’t Sweetie.” Her expression twists in disdain when she says the last word.

I can’t help but roll my eyes.

I know her attitude is amusing Logan as he leans in to taunt her further.

Punctuating each word and speaking as though English isn’t her first language, he narrows his eyes on her. “Then why don’t you tell me what it is so we don’t have any more awkward first impressions—Sweet Tits.” He impatiently counters her sass and raises the stakes with his arrogant retort.

Her expression drops momentarily before she gathers her composure. “It’s Dee,” she seethes through gritted teeth, and I roll my eyes again.

We’re already off to a great start.

“Okay, Dee. Is anyone else here?” He reaches out to try the handle on the glass door. Finding it locked, he pulls his hand back as her smile returns.

Now they’re both just dancing their little dance, and they know it. Logan is trying to assess the situation, while she is obviously stalling for time.

“Nope. Just little ol’ me.” She tilts her head, feigning innocence.

I can tell by the way Logan stretches his neck muscles that he’s nearing the end of his patience.

She must sense the tension, as she takes two steps back from the door. A moment of doubt shows when her smile slips. Clearly, she’s confident that the front door will keep us out.

And there it is again.

There’s something about her that triggers a memory. It’s the memory of a girl, but it isn’t the same one standing in front of us.

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