“But only if Roz comes with me,” he added. “He’s the only one I trust. No Roz, no deal.”
“Done,” she said without hesitation. “Whatever you wish.”
Roz let out a strangled sound. “Are you fuckin’ serious?”
“I look forward to meeting both of you,” Jo continued. “I swear on my Order of Aga Khan. I am bound by honor. No harm will come to either of you under my command.”
The line clicked and went dead.
For a second, nobody moved.
Roz closed his arms tight around his waist. Gage folded into him without thinking, forehead hitting Roz’s collarbone.
“You okay?” Roz asked into his hair.
“No,” he said honestly. “But I think you know we can’t live as some kind of outlaws in the Midwest. Eventually, we’ll get caught, and it’ll kill me if you go to prison because I made the wrong decision.”
There was a hydraulic whine as the van door slid open.
“Get in,” said the one who’d had him in the chokehold. “We have a bird waiting.”
They have their own aircraft. Of course they do.
Gage heard a hand lift, cloth whispering to his right. He reached out and caught the wrist before it could touch his arm.
“Don’t,” he said sharply.
“I got him.” Roz bit out. “Keep your hands to yourself, GI Joe.”
A low chuckle sounded from behind him, belonging to the second man with the deeper voice.
Gage clutched Roz’s elbow and let his best friend guide him toward the van.
Black Ravens
Meridian
Their driver rolled to a silent stop at the edge of the quiet Palos Hills subdivision. A place where the residents would never imagine assassins in tailored suits would visit.
Meridian’s eyes were locked on the glowing tablet in Ex’s hand. The feed showed a scan of the two-story house tucked behind a row of tall Evergreens and bare winter trees.
“Movement?” Meridian asked.
“Four inside,” Ex murmured. “One in the backyard, one in the kitchen and a another in the living room—smaller frame, probably the woman, and one on the second floor.”
Grace stared at the screen, tapping his fingers against his thigh. A tic only Mirage could interpret. He stared at his partner and nodded once.
“He’s saying let’s do this the fast way. Two-count entry.”
“Works for me,” Meridian said. “We don’t give ’em time to react. We hit, grab, and leave.”
Jo’s voice came through their comms.
“Gage is secured and en route to the facility. Your turn.”
“The Greens are such overachievers,” Ex griped.
They exited the SUV, moving like phantoms across the icy lawn. No words or wasted motions.
