Clack.
It’s muted, but unmistakable. The door gives.
“Nice work, team,” Enzo says.
The three of us step into the hall. The mansion sprawls before us, drenched in shadows and silence. Malin’s taste is gaudy and overcompensating. Gold fixtures, mirrored walls, furniture that screams wealth without taste.
We move silently, careful not to wake the sleeping dragon. We know our positions and responsibilities—all there’s left to do is execute.Literally and figuratively.
Enzo peels off toward Malin’s office. He’ll work with Luna and Eva to scrape the hard drives clean.
Jules and I press toward the bedroom. I’m equipped with a syringe of poison intended for Malin in case anything goes sideways and Jules can’t take him out. I agreed to it, but having this damned syringe in my vest isn’t my favorite feeling.
“Bravo One, stop,” Pippa instructs over the comms. “Target’s on the move. Just got out of bed, heading to the bathroom.”
Jules and I pause outside the bedroom door.
“Switch to shadow play,” Jules whispers.
I nod once.Shit. This is getting a little more complex. Now that he’s not in bed, we can’t risk him having time to react and defend himself once he sees us. As long as it looks like he died of natural causes in his bed, we should be in the clear.
We enter the bedroom and approach the closed bathroom door. My job is to distract Malin as he exits while Jules injects him. He’ll have immediate cardiac arrest, and we’ll move him to the bed.
We aren’t yet in position when the bathroom door explodes open. Malin charges out like a cornered animal, gun raised.
I try to pivot, but he’s too fast.
Pop!
The crack of a gunshot splits the air.
Jules moves so fast, I don’t register what is happening as I hit the floor.
“Hudson’s been hit,” Jules says into comms, calm and clear, so the team doesn’t misinterpret the gunshot they just heard.
Then, I see Malin’s body seize and twitch, folding to the ground next to me. I look up to see Jules placing the empty syringe into her vest.
Suddenly, pain blooms in my chest before I can register the blood pouring from my ribcage.
Jules kneels at my side, examining me. “Target down,” Jules reports. “Hudson’s bleeding. No exit wound. Chest hit.”
“I’m fine.” I have no idea if that is fucking true, but I gotta keep it light.
Enzo bursts in and drops to his knees beside me, hands moving, assessing.
My eyelids grow heavy.
“We need to move. Now!” Enzo shouts.
Jules and Enzo haul me up, draping an arm over each of their shoulders, walking me through the house.
“Niko, get to the house. Secure the scene. Cleanup starts now. Luca, we are headed your way, get ready. Eva, call Doc.”
“Keep pressure on the wound,” Pippa instructs in my earpiece.
I feel queasy and lightheaded as we make our way through the house. Pain spreads through me, keeping pace with the amount of blood I’m losing.
Fuck, that’s not good.
