I send him the still, and we watch as Athena moves around my room quietly and efficiently, checking my shelves, picking the lock on my desk drawers, and inspecting the contents. She inspects the walls for hidden panels, finding my safe, and frowning when her tech doesn’t open it. I exchange a smile with Hunt, grateful he’s my friend.
Athena’s frustrated frown pulls a smile from my lips as she stands in front of the door to my filing room, scowling as she realizes she’s not getting in there. The video ends when she creeps back out into the hallway, pulling the door shut behind her.
I turn off my phone and put it back in my pocket, running through options in my head.
“She is trained,” Charlie says.
“It’s obvious,” I agree. “But she’s not exactly being careful.”
“I’m beginning to think your theories are correct when it comes to her,” Hunt says.
“Abby will be super pissed to discover she’s a spy,” Kai says. “She really likes her.”
“Let’s not sentence her yet,” Charlie says. “If Xavier believes Ares is one of the good guys and she’s working for him or with him, then she might have a legit reason for doing the things she’s doing.”
“For her sake, I really hope she does,” I grit out.
ChapterTwenty-Seven
Athena
The cavalcade of cars and SUVs splits into two as they drive out through the gates of the large farm on the outskirts of Sofia where Manning, Barron, their friends, and hired guns have been holed up since I arrived this morning. I was playing catch-up after discovering Drew’s overseas trip on his schedule. There was no other information, and he didn’t travel via the Manning Motors jet, which is how I knew this must be some top-secret mission. Andreas came through for me, and he found their transport and route plan, and I left four hours after they did.
I had to tap Luminary resources to get help on the ground in Bulgaria because I would never have found their location otherwise. I’m not sure how he managed it, but Ares sent me the coordinates to this place, and I’ve been staking it out ever since.
Drew and his friends left for a few hours this evening, just as it was getting dark, and I trailed them to the mountains, watching as they sent drones out over the grounds of a vast walled estate nestled deep in the woods.
For that reason, I follow the five vehicles that turn left in the direction of the mountain rather than the ten that turn right, heading in the direction of the city. I can’t be in two places at once, and I can’t see through tinted-glass windows, so I’m banking on Drew returning to the fortress in the hills.
The intel Andreas and I discovered confirmed the property is owned by a member of the Bulgarian mafia who is known as a drug runner and trafficker with his fingers in all kinds of pies. Ares told me to watch my back and to call in reinforcements at the first hint of trouble.
My unassuming little black car struggles to climb the steep hills leading to the Petrov mansion, but I finally make it to the turnoff that leads to the old brick water tower now used as an art gallery and entertainment venue. It is closed for the winter months, making it the perfect location to spy on Drew and his crew from a close, safe venue.
I make quick work of disarming their alarm system and busting the lock to get inside. Hefting my heavy bag over my shoulder, I climb to the top, panting when I reach my destination from the exertion. My shoulder is stiff, and my arm is still a little sore even if my injury is healing well.
I set up quickly, pushing the rusted window open and lining my rifle up. The angle is perfect from this vantage point. Ares made it clear I wasn’t to hesitate to protect Manning and his friends if things turned dicey. I’m more than a little confused, but I know not to disobey or question orders from a Luminary, and I totally plan on having a conversation with Salinger when I get back. He needs to give me more. I need to know exactly what is going on because it’s blatantly obvious this mission is not what I’ve been led to believe it is.
An explosion in the distance claims my attention a few minutes later, and I run across the floor and open the window at the back of the tower, spotting the fiery plume of smoke billowing into the sky. It’s come from the direction of the city, and this has Manning written all over it. “What are you up to, Drew?” I ponder out loud as I trek back to my window and lie down on my mat on my stomach, pressing my eye to the scope in time to see several men rush out from a side house behind the walls of the Petrov home and jump into armored vehicles. The tall wooden gates protecting the fortress open a minute later, and the vehicles speed away over the mountainous terrain, descending the hill as they head toward the city.
“It was a diversion,” Andreas says in my ear. “They just blew one of Petrov’s drug supply warehouses sky-high.”
“That was risky,” I say, watching as Manning’s men creep stealthily toward the gates. “And it will draw a lot of attention. I hope the gamble pays off.”
Manning’s guys fix a couple of circular devices to the front gates after they have closed and fall back. Nothing happens for ten minutes, and then they blow the gates apart, and fifteen heavily armed men, in a combination of black and army fatigues, swarm the property. They are all wearing balaclavas, Kevlars, and night vision goggles, so I can’t tell who anyone is.
A few guys shoot out the lock on the front door of the house and race inside while the rest of the men remain outside, locked in combat with Petrov’s men as gunfire breaks out. Motion-sensor lights pop to life, one by one, offering me a perfect view as the battle wages. None of Petrov’s men are wearing goggles or masks, and it’s easy to take out a couple of them before they pop bullets in Drew’s crew. It’s bedlam down there, so I’m trusting I got away with the hits without anyone noticing.
Manning’s men exit the house just as the gunfire dies out, dragging two men across the asphalt and dumping them on the ground in front of the small stone fountain.
“Can you get me audio?” I ask Andreas as Drew rips his goggles and balaclava off.
All his men begin removing their face coverings, and Barron forces the two men to their knees as Drew looms over them like a thunderstorm hellbent on wreaking havoc.
“Give me a sec. I had rerouted the audio and visual drone feeds on Ares’s instruction, but I can add us to the audio feed so we can listen.”
“Ares is watching this go down?” He didn’t mention that.
“I assume so.”
