Chapter Thirty-One
Callumeyedthetalliron fence that wrapped around the data center as Eli sped down the road on the outskirts of suburbia.This place never seemed to end.“Are you sure?”
“You want the statistical analysis?”Dean barked through the speakers.
“You’ve already heard what you need, Hale.”Gage checked his ammunition.“Take a deep breath and check your gear.Make sure your head’s in the game when we go in.”
“Already there.”Callum spotted the helicopter on the chopper pad.“Visual on the helo.”
“Good,” Dean muttered.
“There’s all the confirmation we need.We’re right on time for a rendezvous with the dickhead.”Eli smacked the center console, hyping himself up.“You ready to get your woman?”
“Yeah.”Callum had been waiting for this moment since Dean tracked Marino’s movement and communication.Then the bastard had gone dark, and Titan had to rely on analysis and educated guesses, not the hard facts that Callum would rather sink his teeth into when it came to Grace.
A second SUV of his teammates followed behind as Eli turned off the main road and slowed at the security gate.Tire spikes and retractable bollards stood between the road and the data center’s inner lot.
Eli lowered the window and painted on that southern charm that opened more doors than it should.
A suspicious man in a security uniform, a weapon on his hip, slowly approached them.He eyed their backup vehicle and rested his hand on his sidearm.“Can I help you?”
“Yeah,” Eli drawled out his Louisiana accent.“We have an appointment with Mr.Marino.”
“I don’t know who that is, and we’re not accepting visitors.”He eyed the group in the vehicle, then again glanced at the SUV behind theirs.“You need to back up and leave the property.”
“Why don’t you radio whoever you need to and—” Eli smashed his door into the security guard and was out, gun in hand, before the other man got his bearings.“Don’t move.”
“There’s a live feed—”
“Don’t care.”
Wes popped out of the backseat, disarming and zip-tying the security guard.He dragged him into the booth and, a moment later, the retractable bollards rotated toward the ground.The tire spikes flattened.He jumped back in.“He’ll be cozy for a bit.”
“Intercepting outgoing alarms,” Dean announced.“They’re canceled.You’re good to go.”
Their SUVs rolled in.Maybe someone would notice the gate had been left open, but by the time that happened, Titan should have been in and out with Grace.If she were in there.If they didn’t miss her board the helicopter.
The facility blueprints were on file with the county, and they’d done their best to memorize them.The space they had to canvas was enormous, and they didn’t have a hard plan.Just general guidelines from Dean and Parker based on best practices and whatever other bullshit they used to conjure up plans.
Callum had to trust it.He couldn’t get over the size.They could walk from one side to the next and probably cover half a mile.
The other SUV peeled off toward the helicopter.
Eli stopped at the front entrance and parked on the yellow curb.They had the bells and whistles to get through the front door, and Dean would intercept outgoing alarms the way he handled calls from the guard shack.
“Let’s go,” Callum jumped out.
His teammates followed.Eli and Wes fell in close behind them.Gage pulled up the rear, communicating with the other team as Decker, Roman, and Rocco moved toward the helicopter.
A dozen yards from the glass doors, Callum stared at the woman running toward him like he was watching a movie.“Grace.”
Then she crashed into the door and catapulted backward, hitting the floor.
He hauled ass toward her—then saw Dominic reach her first.
He towered over her, hands on his knees, red face full of fury.Callum yanked the door.It didn’t budge, and as Dominic turned his head, Callum pulled out his Glock.The answer to all of his prayers unfolded in that moment.He could pull the trigger and end every worry and fear Grace had ever had.
He pulled the trigger.
