He refuses to elaborate further, but that doesn’t surprise me. A man on the inside? Interesting. That must be how he knew there was a hit out on him, too. “Do you have access to the platform?”
“Maybe.”
“We need access. We need to know why another assassin attacked her yesterday.”
“Because there’s still an open job for her,” Felix answers easily.
My jaw falls. “Even though I took it?”
“It’s a fucking free-for-all.”
Madison grabs my arm to steady herself, gripping me tightly with cold fingers. “What?” she croaks, eyes wide.
Felix nods, all traces of humor gone. He pulls his phone from his pocket, unlocks it, calls something to the screen, and slides the phone across the table to her. “This went out yesterday to anyone registered as US-based.”
She leans forward, and I tilt my head to read over her shoulder.
It’s a screenshot of an email. All identifying information has been erased, but the words are clear enough.
Madison Cooper Ulysses 27 5’2 brwn/brwn. 10MM for proof.
“This went out to everyone?” I breathe, fear coiling in my gut. At Felix’s nod, I feel the blood drain from my face. “This is… unprecedented. I’ve never seen a hit go out wide like this. The names only ever went out to one of us at a time.”
“Ten million?” Madison says softly, rereading the short note. “Damn. I’d killmyselffor that much. Is it weird that I’m kind of… proud?”
“Yeah, Madison. It is,” Felix says, shooting her a look. “Thiscabrónis right—this isn’t howEl Generalusually does things.”
“A broken pattern always means something,” I mutter. “In this case, it implies urgency. I’d wager it means that whoever is running this operation is really threatened by you.”
Madison gestures to me with a pointed expression directed at her uncle. “See? They’rethatthreatened by me. Tell me you’re not just a little impressed.” At Felix’s head shake, she grins. “10 mil. I bet you’re only saying that because my death was worth more than yours.”
Felix rolls his eyes. I can’t recall the figure, but I’m fairly certain Madison’s right. And that’s another data point proving how badly the General wants her dead.
“We really need to fake your death,” I tell her. I appreciate the efforts to cut through the tension, but I’m not interested in making light of the situation.
“On that at least we can agree,cabrón,” Felix echoes darkly. “I’ll take care of it.Me deberás un favor, enana.”
I inhale sharply, a warning on the tip of my tongue—Felix knows what he’s doing, but he isn’t known for his generosity. Owing him a favor has proved to be a terrible idea in the past. But I needn’t worry. Madison apparently knows just how to handle him.
“Oh? You want a favor? After it wasyouwho put me in danger in the first place?”
I watch Felix realize his own mistake, arrogance faltering as his smirk freezes.
“How about I don’t tell Mama B that you gave me a job that almost got me killed?” she drawls, lifting a brow and crossing her arms. “Or that you apparentlykidnappeda nurse.”
“I didn’t!” he protests, but cuts himself off with a sigh. Felix glances between us, like he still wants to fight. “Fine. Deal.”
I can’t help but gloat a little. Trust Madison to understand how powerful the right information can be, wielded like a weapon at just the right time.
“Abuela can’t think I’m dead,” she warns him. “I won’t put her through that.”
“Claro.I’ll handle it. I’ll manufacture the proof the General will want, but you won’t officially be dead to the police. You’ll be missing. They don’t immediately assume you’re dead when there’s no body.”
“All right. It’s settled, then,” Madison beams. “Just give me my panda back and we’ll be on our way. You know how it is—assassins to evade, criminal masterminds to track down…”
With a final glare directed at me, Felix gets up from the table and disappears back down the hallway. While he’s gone, Mama B drops off a large tied plastic bag with several styrofoam containers, taking a moment to kiss Madison on the forehead and pat me on the cheek again. He returns a few minutes later with a silly purple panda keychain that I now know to be a USB drive—the “panda’s ass” she referred to.
But Felix doesn’t hand it over. Instead, he closes it in his fist, crosses his arms, and regards me. “The General dies?”
