“She won’t. We’re bringing her home tonight.”
Julian’s phone buzzes. He checks it, then forwards the files to Declan’s tablet. “Building layout. Guard positions. Everything we have.”
Declan pulls up the files and spreads them across the table. The intelligence is detailed. Every entry point marked. Security camera positions. Guard rotation schedules down to the minute.
“How did you get this?” I ask.
“We’ve had people inside Petrov operations for eighteen months. Low-level positions. They report back weekly.” Julian taps the screen. “Southeast basement corner. That’s where they hold people for interrogation.”
The same location the audio came from.
“Guard count?” Declan asks.
“Normally six. But with the increased activity tonight, assume twelve minimum.”
“We bring twenty. Overwhelming force.”
Julian nods. “My team takes the front entrance. Makes noise. Draws their attention. Your team goes through the side while they’re focused on us.”
“What about extraction? If she can’t walk?—”
“Then we carry her. But we’re not leaving without her.”
Declan’s coordinating both teams now. Assigning positions. Planning timing down to the second. Julian’s people arrive within ten minutes. Eight men, all armed, all moving with precision. Combined with my people, we have twenty-two for the assault.
“Equipment check in five minutes,” Declan calls out. “We move in thirty.”
Julian and I end up at the same table reviewing the final approach.
“If this goes wrong—” he starts.
“It won’t.”
“But if it does. If we get her out and she’s—” He can’t finish the sentence.
“Then we deal with it. But right now we focus on getting to her.”
He nods. Pulls something from his pocket. A photo. Aurelia with the twins, all three of them laughing at the park. “That trip to the park was the first time in months she looked actually happy. Because of you. Because they finally had their father.”
“Julian—”
“I blamed you for everything. Still do, partially. But she loves you. I can see it even if she hasn’t said it. And those boys needboth of you.” He puts the photo away. “So don’t get yourself killed trying to be a hero. Get in, get her out, come back alive.”
“I will.”
Equipment checks happen fast. Weapons loaded, tactical gear secured, radios tested. Both teams ready to move.
At nine forty-five, we load into vehicles. Three SUVs. Black. Stolen plates. They’ll be abandoned and stripped after the extraction.
I’m in the lead vehicle with Declan and Marcus. Julian’s behind us with his team. Third vehicle holds backup and the medic we brought in case Aurelia needs immediate treatment.
The drive to the industrial district takes twelve minutes through light traffic. Nobody speaks. Just engines and the occasional click of weapons being checked one more time.
My jaw still throbs where Julian hit me. Probably will for days.
Worth it if we get her back.
We’re five minutes out when Declan’s phone buzzes. “Contact at the warehouse reports movement,” he says. “Transfer vehicles just arrived. They’re preparing to move her.”
