"Regretting not being able to attend this op in person." Yamanu motioned for the captain to take a seat. "I'm Yamanu, the team's commander. Let me introduce you to my team. You've already met Jade and Phinas. The tall redhead is Anandur, the pretty one is Julian, our doctor, and the other redhead is Esag. He's…an observer."
They each dipped their heads in greeting as their names were called, and Ramirez smiled in acknowledgement.
The captain pulled out a tablet. "Let's review. We're extracting a woman. A dive team collects her and brings her to my sub. If everything goes flawlessly, it's an easy in-and-out mission. If things go wrong, another team will deploy from the sub to assist in the extraction."
"That's right," Yamanu confirmed without elaborating further.
The less the captain knew, the better.
Ramirez nodded. "Turner briefed me on the basics, but I don't know the details of what you will be facing on that cliff. It seems risky as hell, though. For you, not me." He leaned back in his chair. "A fair warning, my friend. If torpedoes head our way, I'm getting out of there, and you are on your own."
"There will be no torpedoes," Yamanu promised. "The cliff face is considered unscalable. No guards are posted there because they think it's impossible to approach from the sea, but we have a world-class rock climber who can do it. After he secures the rope, I will climb up and bring the woman down."
"Brave woman." Ramirez shook his head. "How long has she been imprisoned there?"
"Too long," Yamanu said. "But not for much longer."
The Guardian navigated the half-truths like a pro.
"We should start loading the submarine." Ramirez checked his watch. "I want to leave at midnight. It will take us about eighteen hours to get into position. That gives you two hours to get to the cliff in time for the extraction."
"Isn't that cutting it a little too close?" Esag asked. "It doesn't leave any wiggle room."
Yamanu shook his head. "If need be, the sub can go faster, but I don't foresee the need. We don't want our team to get to the cliff too early and then have to hover over there and wait for the ladies to do their thing. Precise timing is critical."
2
TULA
"I'm taking a break." Tula put down the book she'd been working on, pushed to her feet, and walked out of the library without looking at her sisters.
She could practically feel their worried gazes on her back, but she was out the door before any of them had the chance to ask her what was wrong.
Not that she could have answered their questions with anything that made sense.
She felt overheated and sweaty even though the air conditioning was pumping cool air as usual, and she was sure that if she checked the thermostat, it would show the same temperature as it always did.
What could be making her feel so hot and unsteady?
Was it pregnancy hormones?
An overload of guilt?
The new glue that had arrived that morning, which she'd just opened to use on the book she was restoring?
She pressed her palms against the stone wall of the hallway, trying to absorb the coolness it had stored inside of it, or maybe seeking its silent steadiness when everything inside her felt like it was spinning out of control.
Tomorrow night.
Less than thirty-six hours.
At the thought, her heartbeat accelerated, increasing the inferno raging inside of her. It was probably just in her head, mirroring the storm of emotions flickering through her in rapid succession. One moment it was excitement, and the next it was terror or guilt or all three twisting together.
The baby fluttered inside her, barely perceptible but there. Her precious reason for this grand betrayal was reminding her of why she was doing this. Why it was all worth it.
"Tula?"
She hadn't noticed Tony walking up to her. Hadn't heard his footsteps because the cacophony in her head was drowning out everything.
