Page 82 of Shockproof

Propping one arm on the roof of the vehicle with the edge of my sleeve just barely hanging over the side, I lightly chuckle, “Yup!” Exaggerating my southern accent plays up my innocent nature. “Is it that obvious?”

“Yeah,” he grunts back, unaware of the odorless chemical currently being pumped into their vehicle. “What are you looking for?”

“Where the wabit is hiding,” Blu answers in my ear threatening to make my eye twitch.

I look down to minimize the amount of vapers capable of reaching my open mouth – since my nose has a clear seal of protection – yet continue on with the lost tourist act by motioning down at my phone. “Where the uh…hockey team plays.” More downward stabs are made. “I swear this thing jus’ has me goin’ in circles. I’m pretty sure I’ve passed that same homeless banjo player over there four times.”

“It’s-”

“And all I really wanna do is get a picture of the buildin’ for my boy, Hunter. He’s a big fan of the team.”

“Yeah, it’s-”

“Even hopes to play for ‘em someday. I always hoped he’d play football, his mama always hoped he’d play soccer but nope. That boy has his heart on hockey. I’ll tell ya somethin’ else-”

“It’s four blocks that way,” the guard aggressively interrupts, pulling my stare up to his. “Go to the end of this corner and make a right. Go four blocks. The road is titled Avenue of the Dragons.”

“Huh,” is grunted in fake amusement as I lower my arms back to my side. “That’s kind of fun!”

He rolls his eyes, closes the window, and motions me to move on.

“Thanks!” Another pretend warm-hearted wave of the drug free hand is given. “Really appreciate it! Have a great day!”

Cheerfully strutting away the direction I was told, I keep a grin plastered on my face and maintain my cover of the happy go lucky tourist. My eyes monitor the area of the fairly empty sidewalk – a situation we created by putting up caution construction ahead signs just out of their sight – and listen for confirmation from the man watching my six.

“And three…two…one…” A tiny pause precedes a snicker. “Night, night, wabits.”

I wait at the street corner for the light to change to one that indicates I can legally cross. Not because I give a fuck about that but because I need to continue to blend until they’re completely knocked out. “Status?”

“Snoozing.”

Nodding is done in tandem with me crossing the street to move to the rear of the vehicle which is where Blu is heading to meet me.

The instant I grant us access to the covered truck bed, he impishly questions, “Hunter, huh?”

“Your fault.”

“You meanmy helping.” He reaches for his tactical vest while I peel away the nose strip intended to protect me from the sleeping agent. “And since I helped you-”

“Should we really consider you poorly actin’ out cartoons as helpin’?”

“How aboutyouhelp me?”

Now free to breathe clearly, I reach for my own chest guard that’s honestly a rather safe than sorry sort of measure for our current capture mission. “With?”

“Handling Martindale and letting me handle The Accountant.”

“Seriously?” Securing the piece of gear in place is accompanied by a sarcastic stare. “You can’t handle her? She’s like a buck fifty in a soakin’ wet, sandbag bikini.”

“Yeah, but she’s a kicker.”

“How do you know that?”

“I don’t.” He double checks his weapon’s holster. “But I justfeellike she is. And it’s really not how I want my jingle bells rang today.” I’m tossed an unhappy scowl. “That would put me in a fa-la-la-la fuck you mood, and we are way too close to fucking Christmas for that level of Grinch shit. Coal isn’t on my wish list, Wahl.”

I’m tempted to smirk over his outrageous tantrum. “You’ll be fine.” Closing the trunk is followed by declaring, “We stick to the original plan, and we simply take Britt too. Affirmative?”

The sneer he delivers is attached to announcing his comprehension of the order. “Affirmative.”

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