Hostile Ground (The Arsenal #7) - Cara Carnes Page 0,52
hide it.”
That sounded like Mary. Always ten steps ahead. “They’re after the missiles?”
“And the money Hummingbird apparently stole back, along with everything else in their bank account. They aren’t very happy.” Kristof winced as he shifted again. “They got the money back thanks to Zoey.”
“Zoey’s on the com?” Why hadn’t Addy heard her?
“She’s shredding through everything her worm is pulling in from that last transaction she just did,” Mary said. “Jesse and I are point on your exfil.”
Because they could handle shit going sideways—as it likely would. There was a strong chance Addy wouldn’t figure a way out before the interrogator arrived, which meant she and Kristof and Fatima would have to endure enhanced interrogation until The Arsenal team arrived.
“So, this is Yesim’s crew?” Addy asked. “I thought it was Mandrake.”
“No. Fake Russian accents,” Kristof said. “Too trained for Yesim.”
“And the fake accents leave your dad out too.”
“Probably.”
“But why would Mandrake be after money we sent to Yesim’s crew?” Addy asked.
“That’s one of about a hundred questions we need answered,” Jesse said. “The man leading Kristof’s first round of questioning reacted very strongly when he found out the security team hired to protect the missiles had an account originating from Texas.”
The Arsenal was the only high-end crew in Texas and only those in the private paramilitary arena would know that.
Definitely Mandrake then. No one else was ballsy enough to take on The Arsenal. Son of a bitch. They were cockroaches who refused to die or scurry back wherever the hell they came from. Addy continued assessing Kristof’s injuries.
“I’m fine. Nothing that can’t wait. Get with Edge and get a plan.”
Addy paced the small area, acclimating herself to moving with limited motility along the ankles. The links restricted movement, but not entirely. She studied the ceilings, the corners, and the door.
“I know you want your team protected from what might happen, but they need to know you’re okay,” Jesse said, his voice a low whisper filled with concern.
No.
Empathy.
He’d been her. For six months he’d endured a violent hell few would’ve survived.
“Give them the calm they need and refuel them to get there as soon as they can,” he said.
“Okay.” Addy sat on the floor and squeezed her eyes shut. “Let me know when they’re patched in.”
“We can hear you,” Beast said. “You okay, Red?”
“I’ve been better,” she admitted. “I’m glad I chose the lacy underwear, though, since they stripped us of everything else. Apparently green is my color. Remind me to stock up on more when we get home.”
Humor offered a bit of levity to the conversation—or so she hoped. When you’d been in as many rough situations as she and her team had been, you learn to deal however you can.
“Your team’s fifty-eight minutes out from the cellphone’s location. There are no paths or roads to expedite entry from what we’ve found,” Jesse said. “It’s thick woods and you’re in an underground bunker from what we can figure out.”
So almost impossible to find even with the tracker buried in her arm. If Kristof hadn’t worked in a cellphone call over the money to triangulate a better location…
Focus on what is workable. Find a solution.
“I got loose from the wall. My chains are older than Lavrov’s are. We won’t be able to get him loose without a key. They’re coming back in an hour, which was probably ten minutes ago. I don’t think that conversation round will go well.”
“Fuck,” Beast said.
“I’ve got this. You know I do. We’ll hold out until you all get here.”
“We’ll get there, Red,” Shep said.
“Kristof thinks only three are on-site right now, but more are coming. Run this by the numbers. Don’t take shortcuts trying to get to me. Establishing a perimeter and clearing the bunker takes priority.”
“Fuck priority,” Thunder growled. “The other teams can handle that while we get to you.”
“I know you will. You always do.” Addy pulled out the com and handed it back to Fatima.
She studied the woman’s chains and realized they were in the same shoddy condition as hers had been, and they were equally long. A plan formed in her mind. “I have an idea, but it’s a risky one. If you help, it might not end well for either of us.”
“Doing nothing will end worse.” Determination glinted in the woman’s narrowed gaze. “What is it?”
Addy chuckled. This had to work. She had no doubt her team would find her, but