She studied the building one more time. Three stories. Basement level where the thermal signature had been stationaryfor hours. That was Steele. Had to be. Everything else was just obstacles between her and the man whose face she couldn't stop seeing.
The south emergency exit was exactly where Quinn's intelligence had placed it. Metal door. Reinforced frame. Probably locked from the inside but nothing that couldn't be handled with the breaching tools Nadia carried. The question was whether it led directly to the basement or if they'd have to fight their way down through interior levels.
Only one way to find out.
Mara checked her watch. 0132. Two minutes past insertion time. Guards were alert but not hypervigilant. Shift change wasn't for another hour. This was as good as it was going to get.
She keyed her radio. "All teams. Breach in thirty seconds. Mark."
Her pulse kicked up. Not fear. Not exactly. Something else. Anticipation mixed with the weight of knowing that in thirty seconds she'd be moving toward Steele. Toward answers about what had happened in that compound three days ago. Toward the moment when she'd either confirm that the connection she'd felt was real or discover it had been nothing but trauma and adrenaline.
Twenty seconds.
Nadia shifted position slightly, weapon tracking the guard patrol pattern. Waiting for the moment when the exterior guards were furthest from the south entrance. When the timing would give them maximum opportunity to breach without immediate contact.
Fifteen seconds.
Kira adjusted the medical pack on her shoulders. Ready to move. Ready to treat whatever condition Steele was in when they found him. Ready to keep him alive long enough to get him out.
Ten seconds.
Mara's breathing steadied. Her world narrowed to the door ahead and the mission objective. Get inside. Get to the basement. Get Steele. Everything else was secondary. Everything else could wait.
Five seconds.
The exterior guards turned away from the south entrance, continuing their patrol pattern toward the east side of the building. Maximum separation. Minimum coverage.
Now.
"Breach. Breach. Breach."
Mara moved. Fast and low, covering the fifty meters to the emergency exit in seconds. Nadia was right behind her, already pulling the breaching tool from her kit. Kira took position covering their six, weapon up and ready.
The door was locked. Heavy duty deadbolt. Nadia placed the hydraulic spreader against the frame and activated it. The tool whined quietly, forcing the door frame apart with controlled pressure. Metal groaned. The lock mechanism started to give.
Mara tracked the guard positions through her night vision. Still moving away. Still oblivious. But that would change the second they got inside. The second the breach went loud and Nazari's people realized they had intruders.
The lock gave way with a metallic snap. Nadia pulled the door open. Darkness beyond. Stairs leading down.
Basement access. Quinn's intelligence had been perfect.
Mara went through first, weapon up, scanning for threats. The stairwell was empty. Concrete walls. Single light bulb at the bottom throwing weak illumination that barely reached the upper stairs. She moved down, boots silent on concrete, clearing angles as she descended.
Nadia followed, covering the rear. Kira came last, pulling the door closed behind them to delay discovery as long as possible.
The stairs ended at another door. This one wasn't locked. Mara tested the handle slowly, feeling for resistance. Nothing. She cracked it open and looked through.
Basement corridor. Dim lighting. Three doors visible. Two on the left, one on the right. Heat signature had shown one person in this level. Behind one of those doors.
Her radio crackled. Hawk's voice, tight with controlled violence. "Delta breach in progress. North entrance compromised. Going loud."
The sound of the explosion reached them even through the building's structure. Bulldog's breaching charges turning the north entrance into scrap metal. The sound of gunfire followed immediately. Delta engaging guards on the upper levels.
The mission had just gone from covert infiltration to active combat. Nazari's people would know they had intruders. Would be mobilizing to protect their prisoner. Shadow Veil had minutes, maybe less, to locate Steele and secure him before the basement became a kill zone.
Mara pushed through the door and moved into the corridor. First door on the left. She tried the handle. Locked. She moved to the second door. Also locked. The door on the right opened when she tested it. Storage room. Empty except for boxes and equipment.
That left the two locked doors. One of them held Steele. The other was unknown. Could be another prisoner. Could be supplies. Could be a guard station. No way to know without breaching.
