She definitely needed to do more cardio once she was back home if walking at a fast pace had her out of breath. That or A.J. was just a stellar athlete compared to her. “I’m good.”
She felt sweat trickling between her boobs, and as soon as they were beneath the ground, she’d probably break into a full-on sweat like she was doing hot yoga.
“I’m going to need three showers after being down here,” Finn said over comms.
Well, the comms did work for the guys underground. How about that. And that meant A.J. was right, and he’d be collecting on the bet he made with Ana—to participate in an adult version of the game Seven Minutes in Heaven, whatever that was—but she assumed it involved his tongue, so she didn’t think of it as a loss.
“It’s dark,” Finn continued, voice slightly muffled from being in the labyrinth and on the move, “dank, damp, and—”
“One more D for Dracula,” Chris, the resident comedian as Ana had quickly learned after spending time with the guys in the last few days, finished for Finn.
“I was gonna go with muggy, musty, maze-y.” Finn’s voice was low as he spoke over comms, clearly unsure whether the team was alone down there.
“What’s with you and the alliteration?” A.J. joined the conversation, still breathing normally despite their intense pace.
“Ah, such a big word for you,” Chris teased A.J. “You know what that word means, brother? Leave the smart talk and big words for Echo Four, why don’t ya?” If Ana hadn’t gotten used to the guys and how they operated, she would’ve paused for a breath and questioned their sanity.
A.J. peeked at Ana as they moved faster than her feet could carry her at a “walking pace” (yeah, right).
“It’s okay. Echo Three is gonna wet his pants when he hits the mannequins in masquerade costumes at his hold point,” Roman said in a relaxed voice.
“This place is creepier than that Pyramiden ghost town we were in this year,” Chris said. “Be prepared, Echo Two. I swear there are voices echoing off the walls.”
“That’d be your loud mouth,” Finn remarked, and Ana almost chuckled.
How am I smiling? Between the speed walking and the humor, she was somehow loosening up, which was probably good. Grigory would be able to read her if she showed up to the meet wound tight.
Of course, given what she knew would probably happen down there, how could she not be wound up?
Ana and A.J. slowed as they neared the sight of the Labirintus employee entrance, which his team had already unlocked for their entry.
They navigated behind bushes by the door and both removed their backpacks and knelt.
“This is Echo Two and Delta One,” A.J. said over comms, keeping his voice low in case any straggling tourists walked by. “Waiting on the all clear to proceed.”
Ana’s lips twitched into a near smile at the sound of her new call sign. Delta One. It felt good to hear A.J. say it. It’d feel even better to hear it roll off his lips after their mission was successfully complete.
“This is Echo One. You’re clear from my vantage point,” Wyatt said from overwatch, and based on the plans they’d gone over earlier, that meant he was above the high brick wall behind the labyrinth entrance.
A.J. removed a yellow Chemlight from his bag, snapped it in half, then set it between them so they could better see what they were doing. His team had night-vision goggles, but Ana and A.J. would use the Chemlights to guide them to their final destination in the tunnels.
“This is Bravo Three. The paths are clear. No one is down here yet.” That deep voice belonged to Asher. It was his first op since the twins were born.
“This is Bravo Two. We’re in position. Ready for your entry, Echo Two,” Owen announced as Ana and A.J. finished making preparations with their gear to go into the caves.
“Be careful. I may lose contact with you from my position soon,” Harper came over the line. She was parked nearby in their mobile unit, waiting for the next steps. Not that they knew what next steps Grigory Volkov would dictate.
The assigned FBI agents were in their positions waiting for instructions as well, plus a helo and boat were on standby.
“This is Echo Two,” A.J. said while strapping his gun to his back beneath his shirt, the same as Ana. “Moving into position now.” A.J. peeked out from behind the bushes.