He didn’t expect any argument. Jazz didn’t think he was aware of how weak she still was. He had been there when she was injured, and he knew full well she wasn’t physically healthy enough to be on the job. He also knew that she needed to work. Downtime for Jazz was a dangerous thing. If she didn’t work, she went places in her mind that she needed to avoid. Her assignment on this op, while important, could have been done by one of the others, but this would keep her busy and involved without any undue stress on her body. Besides, he knew how it felt to need something to concentrate on other than your own tortured thoughts.
“Stone, I’ll skim the basics of the op. Jazz can fill in the blanks.” Ash didn’t wait for her response but continued on, “Andrei Dalca has been on our radar for years. He’s involved in a multitude of crimes, including human trafficking, illegal arms, drug running, and money laundering. The Romanian government has spent millions of dollars and thousands of man-hours trying to catch him in the act. So far, he’s been untouchable. But we’ve found a way into his inner circle.”
Ash clicked the remote in his hand, and the photo of a beautiful, dark-haired woman with unfathomable light blue eyes appeared. “Eve Wells, OZ operative. She infiltrated the man’s inner circle through Dalca’s wife’s brother, Darius Vasile.
“Darius thinks himself a lady’s man and has fallen for Kimberly Lowe, Eve’s undercover name, quite hard. She’s been his exclusive girlfriend for over five months. Not only has she been inside Dalca’s primary residence multiple times, last week she infiltrated his private office. She found the evidence we’ve been searching for. We now have enough to make something stick.”
Ash didn’t allow himself to speculate on how Eve was holding up. He knew this op had been a difficult one for her, and he hoped it wasn’t destroying the sometimes tenuous lid she kept on her fury. Even as much as he knew she was the one person who would do whatever it took to get what was needed on Dalca, he knew the price she might have to pay. He worried that it might take all she had to give, but that would be a problem for another day.
Ash clicked the remote again, revealing their destination. “Dalca is at his main residence this weekend. He’s having a small gathering to celebrate a new venture. We’re not sure what that new venture entails. Doesn’t really matter, because thanks to Eve, we now have a way inside his compound and the intel to destroy him.
“Each of you has the blueprints of the residence, as well as the layout of the grounds, on your tablets. Once we’ve secured Dalca, we’ll transport him a mile from the compound, where Romanian authorities will receive him.
“Let’s review our roles.” He nodded at Xavier Quinn, his second-in-command for this op, to take over the briefing. Xavier knew the mission as well as Ash did. Allowing him to go over the rest of the op with the team would give Ash a chance to observe them. They worked flawlessly together, but throwing a new part into a finely tuned machine could disrupt the performance. He not only wanted to assess how they responded to their new team member, but he needed to watch Jules’s demeanor as well. He’d told her she was on probation, and he meant every word. Her experience and Kate’s recommendation could go only so far. How she behaved on her first mission would be the key to moving forward or letting her go before trouble could start.
* * *
Jules had an unfettered view of everyone. She and Jazz, who had finally shared her name, had arrived at the small airstrip ahead of the other OZ team members. Being the first ones here had given her an advantage as Jazz had murmured each person’s name when they stepped onto the plane.
Since no one seemed surprised to see her, she figured they’d been forewarned, most likely by the OZ leader.
Jules noted that each operative appeared to be serious, focused, and in excellent physical condition. Collectively, they were tough-looking professionals and as intimidating as hell.
What Jazz hadn’t said about Xavier Quinn had been telling. She’d said his name like she had the others’, but the tenseness of her body and the longing Jules had glimpsed in the other woman’s eyes, albeit briefly, told her more than words ever could.
Asher Drake might discourage romantic relationships within OZ, but that didn’t mean they didn’t occur.
When Serena and Sean Donavan arrived, that proved her point. Jazz told her they’d just returned from their honeymoon a few days ago and were so much in love that everyone else wanted to gag. Her soft, affectionate tone belied the words. Jules suspected that beneath Jasmine McAlister’s tough exterior lay a tender, romantic heart.
She had watched in rapt attention as Asher Drake had joined them. Though nothing was said, the demeanor of the group shifted from semi-relaxed to alert attention. Just in those few seconds, it was easy to surmise that these people respected their leader.
The case involving the head of a crime family was no big surprise, other than the knowledge that OZ was working for the Romanian government.
Kate had told her that OZ’s connections and influence reached all corners of the earth. What wasn’t clear was how Asher Drake had created such a network in a relatively short period of time.
She was drawn from her musings when Xavier Quinn unfolded his large frame and stood. Facing the group, he pinpointed Jazz with his gaze before sweeping it over the rest of the group. She felt the woman beside her stiffen. Xavier’s harsh features were both alarming and mesmerizing. The fierceness of his expression was set off by startling silver eyes the color of old pewter. With thick, short hair the color of deepest night, broad shoulders, and a mouth that looked like it hadn’t moved from flat-line grim in years, he was easily the most intimidating of the group.
Xavier stood to the left of his boss. The screen revealed an aerial view of a multibuilding compound surrounded by a high brick wall. Sidewalks, pathways, verdant green lawns, and colorful flowerbeds separated the buildings. The estate reminded Jules of a large, luxurious apartment complex.
“As you can see, the place is huge and a fortress. There are five buildings, and the one in the back is the main house. The two on the left are guesthouses. The smaller one in the back on the right is the pool house, and the one beside it is where Dalca keeps his cars and other toys.
“The party will be in the main house. We anticipate a dozen or so guests. Three of them are known associates of Dalca. The others are family and close friends. We’re not after anyone but Dalca, and we’ll do our best to maintain Eve’s cover.”
“Our best? Exactly what does that mean?”
Jules glanced to her right, where a tall blond man sat. He’d been introduced to her as Gideon Wright, and though he’d seemed pleasant at the time, the expression on his face indicated he was a wolf in sheep’s clothing. What had set him off?
“Just like what I said, Gideon. If this doesn’t fly, Eve may need to stay inside.”
“She’s been there five damn months,” Gideon snarled.
Ash sent Gideon a questioning look. “She knew going in that it could take several months. Has she said it’s been too much for her?”
“Of course not. You know Eve. She’s going to do the job no matter what.”
“Isn’t that what we all do?” Ash asked quietly.
As if aware he’d started an argument he had no hope of winning, Gideon shrugged. “It is.”
Going forward as if there’d been no disruption, Xavier brought up another photo. This one of a middle-aged man with cold, hard eyes and an arrogant smirk. “Our target, Andrei Dalca. Eve’s job will be to contain the partygoers in one room. It’ll be easier to ensure everyone’s safety if they’re all together when we go in.”
“Any idea how many guards are on the premises?”
So involved in the op’s details, Jules asked the question without thinking of the protocol. Thankfully, no one seemed surprised by or resentful of her interruption.
“That’s our biggest issue,” Xavier answered. “On any given day, Dalca has about a half dozen. When he has guests, it usually increases. We do know that they’ll be heavily
armed and have posts around the entire perimeter. Ash and I will neutralize the ones surrounding the far west side. That’ll give you and Jazz the opportunity to get inside the communications center. Jazz will block all communications going in and out except for ours. You’ll need to stay there in case someone escapes us and tries to repair their comms. The rest of us have our assignments.”
Sending his boss a look, Xavier handed Ash the remote and then settled into his chair again.
His gaze taking in everyone, the OZ leader said calmly, “This is how it’s going to go down.”
Chapter Thirteen
A quarter mile from Dalca’s compound, the team drove their vehicles onto a narrow road. Obscured by overgrown bushes and trees, it was the perfect place to hide their transportation. They’d take it on foot from here.
No one spoke. Each person had their job and knew it well. Most important was the first assignment, which was to disable the cameras and cut off all communication within the compound and to the outside. The last thing they wanted was for someone to call in reinforcements. Once comms were down, the team would systematically disarm and neutralize the guards and then converge on the party.
Ash spared Jules a glance. The team had accepted that she was on the op, but that didn’t mean they accepted her as one of their own. She’d have to prove herself, and he didn’t plan on making any special accommodations. She wouldn’t want any concessions, and he wasn’t one to make them for anyone.
She was checking out the weapons she’d been given, a Glock 19 and KA-BAR knife. She needed to be comfortable with both, and he approved of the ease and care in which she handled each weapon. She likely had favorites of her own—most professionals did—but she’d do fine with the loaners. He wasn’t surprised to see the glitter of excitement in her eyes. Just in the few hours he’d spent with her yesterday, he had recognized a kindred spirit. She enjoyed this kind of work. In his opinion, that was a must. If you didn’t get a little pumped with adrenaline going into an op, you didn’t have the edge you needed. On top of that, life was too short to do something you didn’t enjoy.
She looked ready and able to perform the job assigned. What did concern him, though, was how she separated herself from the others. While the rest of the team stood grouped together, she stood several feet away. Yeah, she was the new kid on the block and likely didn’t feel she belonged yet, but he relied on his people to work as a team. That needed to happen immediately.
He’d have to keep an eye on that.
His gaze went to Jazz and then to Jules. “Ready?”
When they both nodded, he jerked his head, and the team moved forward as one. They were at the compound within minutes. Thanks to Eve, they knew the best place to breach the wall. The blind spot, about ten feet wide, gave them just enough room to throw a rope over and climb up. Once they were all over the wall, things became trickier.
In silence, they surrounded the communications building. Xavier crept up on the lone guard. Choking him into unconsciousness, he quickly zip-tied his hands and feet, while Jazz slapped tape over his mouth. Xavier and Gideon carried him around a corner, propping him up against a far wall behind some shrubbery.
With that taken care of, Ash carefully eased the door open. As expected, three Dalca employees sat at their stations, surrounded by thirty monitors. He was glad to note that not only were their backs to him, but not one of them appeared to be alarmed, confirming that the team’s arrival hadn’t been detected.
Ash, Gideon, and Xavier each grabbed a man and, using the same tactic Xavier had used on the guard, easily took them out.
Leaving Gideon and Xavier to secure the unconscious men, Ash jerked his head toward the monitors. “Get started, Jazz. We’ll want a complete outage of the phones as well as camera access.”
“Got it.” She sat down at one of the computer stations and went to work.
His eyes went to their newest operative. “Keep a watch out. Let us know if there’s any trouble.”
Jules gave an abrupt nod of acknowledgment and her eyes spoke of understanding. She knew her role. Ash had no idea if she was tech savvy enough to help Jazz, but that wasn’t necessary for this op. Before Jazz had become a field operative, she had worked the technical side. She could do this alone with no issues. If they were discovered, Jazz would likely be too weak to defend herself. Jules would be her eyes and her protector.
Comfortable with the setup, Ash turned to the others. “Let’s get to work.”
With that, he and the rest of the team walked out the door.
* * *
Jules watched Ash and the others leave. Part of her wanted to be in on the action, but another part was satisfied to stay behind. Ash trusted her to watch Jazz’s back. That meant something.
“You need me to help with anything?” Jules asked. She wasn’t the most tech-savvy person, but she figured she could press whatever keys Jazz told her to press.
“I’m good. Just keep watch.”
Doing just that, Jules went to the small window overlooking the grounds. While a part of her focused on looking for threats, her mind reviewed the last half hour. The ease with which the op had gone so far was hard to comprehend. She had been on enough missions of her own to recognize the extreme professionalism and skill of the operatives. Each knew his or her job. There was no questioning, no pulling rank. There was mutual respect, mutual trust.
“Okay,” Jazz announced behind her. “All comms are down. Other than our team, no one can call in or out.”
Glancing over her shoulder, she noted the gleam in Jazz’s eyes. The look of a person who knew she’d done good.
“Is it always like this?”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know.” She shrugged. “Quiet. Smooth. The way the team took out the comms people was as silent and efficient as any I’ve ever seen.”
Jazz gave an abrupt laugh, then grabbed her right side and winced. “I wish. But sometimes, yeah. It’s smooth and quick. Other times, not so much. Predicting what people will do when they’re in a panic isn’t always easy.”
“You were hurt on your last op?”
Another wince crossed the other woman’s face, but Jules didn’t think it was from pain.
“Yeah,” she said. “You could say that.”
“Mind talking about it?”
“I can’t give you any details. You don’t have the clearance for that yet. But I can say we were in Africa dealing with a group of extremists. I happened to get in the way of one who thought jumping off a cliff would be a good way to go out. Unfortunately, he took me with him.”
“How on earth did you survive?”
“About halfway down, I managed to shake loose of the guy. A tree branch was sticking out of the side of the cliff. I grabbed on to it. He kept going, and I slammed down onto a rock that was jutting out.”
“When did that happen?”
“About four months ago.”
“How badly were you hurt?”
“A few broken ribs, punctured lung. You know the drill.”
Just in the short conversation, Jules had learned quite a bit about Jazz McAlister. First, the woman was incredibly brave. To have survived what had likely been life-threatening injuries took strength and courage. And no way was she healthy or fully recovered from her injuries, but she was obviously determined to keep working. That took focus and a deep commitment.
To ease the defensive look lingering on Jazz’s expressive face, Jules inclined her head toward one of the blank monitors. “Are all OZ operatives as technically savvy as you are?”
Jazz eyes twinkled with amusement. It struck Jules then that Jasmine McAlister was actually quite lovely. She wore almost no makeup and could easily pass as a teenager if she wanted. Jules got the feeling that Jazz purposely hid her beauty.
“Serena is our tech and communications leader. She has a group of five that work directly under her.”
“But she’s an operative, too?”
“Yes. She and Sean work well together,
so when the entire team is on an op, she usually joins us. The rest of us have adequate tech skills. Well, except for Xavier.” Her smile grew wider as her eyes softened. “He can barely work a toaster.”
Just like that, Jules saw something else. Something Jazz would most definitely deny. She was in love with Xavier Quinn.
Ash moved through the bushes that lined the paths separating the buildings. He and his team had disabled and disarmed ten guards so far. He hadn’t heard from Eve since they’d arrived, but that wasn’t a concern. She likely had her comms off. She knew her job, and he trusted her to do it.
“Just took out another guard.” The edginess in Gideon’s voice put Ash on alert. “He was headed to the communications building. There was a man in front of him. I couldn’t get to him without raising an alarm.”
“Understood.” Ash clicked a button on his earwig. “Stone, can you hear me?”
“Yes.”
“You have a guard coming your way. You up to taking care of him?”
“Of course.”
He didn’t think they knew each other well enough for her to understand his underlying meaning. Jazz was in no shape to take on a rabbit, much less an armed soldier. Would Jules read between the lines?
Apparently so, as she added softly, “I’ve got this, Ash. No worries.”
Satisfied that it would be taken care of, Ash turned his earwig back on for the rest of the team. Even though things were going smoothly, he was getting that twitchy feeling between his shoulder blades. It was rarely wrong.
“Let’s get Dalca and get the hell out of here.”
Jules pulled the Glock from the holster on her thigh. Even though she was comfortable with the model, she preferred her own SIG Sauer. She checked the chamber once more, noting Jazz was doing the same with her weapon.
The other woman hadn’t heard Ash’s side of the conversation, but she’d heard Jules’s response and no doubt knew what was about to go down. Hopefully, she didn’t think she needed to prove herself.
MERCILESS Page 9
