times have we not been told where we're dropping all the targets off?"
Andre shifts on his feet. "Never."
Careful what you say. Do not blow your cover.
"These women...they have secrets. They were captured for the information they know."
"What do they know?"
"They haven't disclosed it all."
"What about Emilia?"
"I think she's the only one who they abducted to use as a threat against Naomi. But the U.S. isn't taking Emilia?"
Over my dead body will she go there. But I need to know what Interpol is directing Andre to do.
"Not that I've been told."
"So Naomi goes to the U.S., and Emilia stays in Belize?"
"What are you trying to say, Malin?"
"I'm not sure, but something feels..."
"Off?"
I can't deny it. The guys all suspect it, so I say what my thoughts are, running on the thin line between blowing my cover and keeping it. "Yes. This isn't something Interpol would typically be interested in."
"Naomi is convinced something is going on behind closed doors," Andre replies.
I grunt. "There's always something politically going on for everything."
And I know it too well.
"When are you talking to command?" I ask.
"I'm calling them this morning."
"I know it's not our job to question anything..." I glance over at Emilia and continue, "but I think we found our exception to the rule. There's nothing ordinary about this rescue. The other guys agree, too."
Andre raises his eyebrows. "You talked to the team about this?"
"Not everyone. Hunter, Dirk, Ryker, and Axel. We've been up for hours."
Andre scrubs his hands over his face. "Do me a favor?"
"What's that?"
"Don't discuss this with the others. Tell the guys to keep this quiet right now."
"Done. But you agree something is off?"
Andre's jaw clenches. "I'm not sure. Let's not jump to conclusions before we know all the facts."
I hate to say it, but I have to put it out there. I've always followed through on a mission, but Naomi shouldn't be going to the U.S. Andre will soon come to that conclusion, but I try to get him there sooner. "Okay. But what if we've rescued them to only reposition the danger we thought we removed them from?"
He stares at Naomi, who's approaching us. "Facts first. Then we figure out what bridge to cross."
"All right." I pat his back and leave.
Gustave hasn't called or sent me any messages. The fact he didn't know Naomi was supposed to go to the U.S. makes me even more uneasy.
Emilia shyly smiles at me when I get to the fire. She holds out a cup of coffee. "Do you want one?"
"Sure."
"Take this one."
"Thank you." I take it and sip, intently staring at her as she pours another cup.
I'm not letting anything happen to you or your sister, ma belle.
Nothing is adding up. Something is happening at the Interpol level.
Louis. He has to be behind all this. He's the only one.
My stomach twists.
How do I abort this mission, get Emilia to a safe location, and do what needs to be done?
If Louis is behind this, he better have a good reason, or he's a dead man walking.
5
Emilia
After breakfast, Naomi pulls me into the tent. "Are you doing okay? I haven't gotten to talk to you a lot since we got here."
"I think that's because you've been too infatuated with Andre."
Her eyes widen. "What are you talking about?"
I smirk. "From what I can see, it's mutual, so..."
"Nothing is going on between us."
I may not be full of experience, but Andre looks at Naomi like she's a piece of meat he wants to eat for dinner. And she seems more than happy to be on his plate.
I glare. "Could you be honest with me for just once in our lives?"
"Since when do I lie to you?"
I sigh. "Okay, let me rephrase. Can you not treat me like a child and admit I'm right?"
Naomi shuffles on her feet, glances behind her to make sure we're still alone, and lowers her voice. "Fine. I'm attracted to him. But it's not going any further than that. He's a nice guy and helping us. That's it."
I snort. "Sure. And pigs fly."
She lightly backhands my shoulder. "Stop."
"Fine. Tell me why Santiago kidnapped us."
Her face falls, and she looks away.
"Naomi!" I snap.
She exhales deeply. "Emilia, I know you think you need to know, but you don't. And I want you to trust me that it's in your best interest not to."
Anger explodes in my bones. "Are you kidding me right now?"
"Emil—"
"No! We were both kidnapped. Santiago made you do something when he sent me to the pit. Then he and his thugs used