“Enter Wyatt Blessing.” Wyatt stood up and strutted to the front while flaunting his recently acquired beer belly. “Once I confirm with Mr. X what the reward is, he promised to send more info. He can’t get them together at the same time, so you’ll be playing the role of Grim Reaper three times. After each kill, you need to confiscate any and all electronic devices in their possession, such as computers, phones, and tracking devices hidden in their private parts. Since Gem is fluent in Klingon and every obscure language that nobody speaks, she’ll review the data while I—”
“Sit on your ass and stare at the computer while eating chocolate-covered raisins?” Blue finished.
He waggled his eyebrows in the affirmative. “I’ll be coordinating your efforts and researching anything of interest that Gem uncovers. We don’t know if they’re in contact with each other or have a third-party associate, so we can’t tip off the other baddies or they’ll split town. We’ll have to constantly monitor all the incoming phone calls, messages, and emails. And if you haven’t already figured it out, that means—”
“No witnesses,” Shepherd said. “We got it. Who’s on the mission?”
“We play it by ear.” Viktor closed the photo. “It may depend on location. I do not know how many guards they will have. Gather your weapons, including guns.”
“How about a bazooka?” I mused.
“This is the big fish.” Viktor turned off Wyatt’s computer and threw us into the dark. A moment later, he switched on the light. “I want you all rested. No more drinking. Sharpen your skills in the gym and sharpen your weapons.”
Everyone got up and filed out of the room. All I could think about was Viktor’s orders not to drink, and that was exactly what I’d planned on doing all night long.
Once again, destiny screws me over.
“Raven, will you join me downstairs?” Niko asked. “I was heading that way before Viktor called us in.”
I nodded at Christian as we parted ways.
Niko joined my side. “What are your thoughts on the case?”
“Russian oligarchs? Bottomless wealth? A mysterious Mr. X? It sounds more like a movie.”
Niko held the railing as we walked downstairs. “This is what we were hired for. Few organizations will accept a job on the condition the target is exterminated. A bounty means dead or alive, and most will go out of their way to turn them in alive so the criminal can face punishment. We accepted a few of these hit jobs before you came along, but not many. You were always the missing piece.”
When we entered the downstairs gym, Niko closed the door. I headed to the long rope hanging from the ceiling, one we climbed on. Strengthening the muscles in my arms was something I continually worked at, though it wasn’t easy.
“Climb,” he said, joining my side.
“Maybe I should practice throwing knives or firing off a few rounds outside.”
“You’re already good at those things. Whenever you’re training, focus on your weaknesses and prepare for the unexpected. You might have to chase your target up a pole.”
“I’ll shoot his ass down,” I said with a chuckle.
“What if you’ve lost your weapons?”
“I gotcha. The only thing I don’t like is the unknown.” I gripped the rope between my hands and glanced up. “I love this job, but waiting until the last minute for details makes me nervous. Before Keystone, I used to plan out my attacks. It was satisfying. This feels more like getting dropped off in the dark where lions roam.”
“I’m always in the dark.” Niko bent over and placed his hands flat on the floor. “Killing a man is never simple. We might get one without trouble, though it largely depends on how prepared they are. It sounds to me like their power lies in the forces that protect them.”
With controlled strength, Niko lifted his legs off the ground until he was in a handstand position. After adjusting the space between his hands, he slowly lowered his body until it was parallel to the floor.
I jumped up the rope and used my feet to anchor me. Sometimes I climbed as far as I could with just my hands, and when I grew tired, I’d use my feet by looping the rope around one foot and securing it with the other. Niko and I operated differently when it came to working out. He excelled at every physical challenge and believed muscle mass had nothing to do with strength—that it came from within.
Halfway up the rope, I started to question myself. I ran on adrenaline, and without it, I spent too much time thinking about consequences. The higher I got, the more I thought about the fall. There was a mat down there, but I could still roll off and crack my head on the hard floor.
“Why were you upset before the meeting?” he asked, still parallel to the floor. “I noticed blue flutters in your light. You’re afraid of something.”
I kept climbing. “Christian and I had a disagreement.”
“You’re lying.”
My arms trembled, and I slid down a little before scrambling to get a grip. When I couldn’t, I panicked.
“Your light is black and red now. I can tell when you’re hiding something.”
