“What are you up to?” The dangerous killer raises his pistol to the back of my head. Hopefully, he can’t read the changes I made to the code.
“I’m doing what you asked.” I release a huge huff, feign indignation and glare. “If you must know, I’m about to do a beta test.”
Mouth pursed, he tilts his head, studies my face, then lowers his weapon. “Why are you so tense?”
“Perhaps because I haven’t slept, and if I don’t finish on time, I could die.” My heart races so fast, I’m certain he can hear it.
Despite promising myself I would not cringe from his touch, when he massages my shoulders, I can’t help it.
My disgust increases as he slips his fingers over my nipples. “What if we could work out a more attractive deal?”
Swallowing hard, I nod. He must believe I have abandoned all hope, or my plan will fail.
When he squeezes my breasts, I close my eyes, grasp a pen, and unclench my jaw. Should he insist on molesting me, a fierce thrust to the jugular will kill him in seconds.
“Please, I promise I will be… enthusiastic, after I have a chance to wash.” With my fist hidden under my butt, I force myself to appear subjugated and lower my gaze.
“Stand and look at me.” His loud command makes my whole body shake.
There is no reason to pretend. I am truly terrified. Eyes glued to him, I bend my elbows, place my left palm on the side of the computer, and hit enter.
Woo hoo! You did it!
My software has executed. For one minute, all GPS devices in a sixty-mile radius will stop working and show the coordinates 06 05.0000, 06 05.0000.
As Ledbetter glances at my laptop, I take a deep breath. Did he notice my move? Is he tech-savvy or simply a broker?
Fearful of discovery, I cup his cheeks, lift my smelly armpits, exhale stanky coffee breath into his mouth, and kiss him.
Face skewed, he steps away and points to the hallway. “Go into the resident's house. My housekeeper will direct you to my bedroom. Clean yourself up. I will come for you shortly.”
Chapter 23
“The wolf is not alone: it is always in company.”
Axel
Hidden by the Belarusian woods, Lucky points to the sixth drone circling over the well-lit villa. “Oi! We got another one.”
As the buzzing increases, the hole in my heart rips open further. Once the sun rises, we’ll have to postpone our raid for another twenty-four hours. God knows what might happen to Gwen in the meantime.
The leaves on my right rustle. Invisible, on his stomach next to me, Suds curses under his breath.
Trever taps his tablet and hisses. “Holy shit. Someone hacked into our global positioning satellite. According to the coordinates, the whole of Europe has moved to Nigeria.”
He pushes the screen over the pine needles so I can read the latitude and longitude. “06 05.0000. Perhaps those numbers indicate a time of day?”
“Not any default setting I’ve ever seen.” While the analyst purses his lips, Hunt scratches his short facial hairs.
“Why wouldn’t it just pop up all zeros?”
My thoughts echo theirs until a burst of insight blindsides me. “I don’t understand how she did it, but Gwen is sending us a message.”
“Daaaammnn…” Eyes widening, Suds tilts his camouflaged face. “All y’all may be right.”
Slate, stationed in an oak tree on the other side of the compound, clicks his mic. “The Defense Department sent us a white paper last week warning us of new GPS attacks originating in Belarus.”
Before long, the conversation dies down in my headset, allowing me to state what I know is fact. “My wife is giving us a heads-up. Of this, I am certain.”
