“Is this the DARPA machine Reaper mentioned?” Gabriel asked, looking at the screen of dancing stick figures.
“That machine is classified, and I’m barred from taking it into the field,” Striker said. “This is open source. Anyone can access it.”
Prescott leaned in to better see the screen. “What are we looking at?”
“This can see through walls using Wi-Fi, a little like sonar,” Striker said, balancing the device on his knee so everyone could look. “The AI software makes sense of the pings. You can see here we have four figures in the kitchen.”
“This is the stuff of nightmares. A stalker’s dream,” Rowan said. “This has to be illegal.”
“Stand on a street, and you’re in a public space using the public air. What’s to stop you?” Prescott asked.
“Ethics?” Reaper asked.
“You guys are kind of scary with your Mary Poppins bag of spy tricks, you know?” Finley asked.
“Hope so. Look at that. Three guys up and moving,” Striker said. “That must be Sommer in the chair.”
“These are stick figures. How can you tell?” Finley asked.
“Down here are the heart rates.” Striker pointed. “Normal. Normal. Normal. Elevated.”
“She’s freaking out,” Rowan said.
“Rightly so.” Gabriel couldn’t take his eyes off Sommer. “Let’s get her out of there. How are we going to work this?”
“I’m not betting someone’s life on open-source files. And I’m not throwing flashbang into a room before I understand the threat,” Reaper said. “I did my reconnaissance the old-fashioned way—I climbed a tree and used my binoculars. I can confirm:three men and a woman. A single pistol that I observed. This guy here has it in his hand”
“Sommer? Is she okay?” Gabriel was razor-focused and champing at the bit.
“She’s upright with no blood.”
“The only goal here,” Gabriel said, “is to get Sommer out of there unharmed. And fast. If we can make the arrests, that’s gravy.”
“You saw the setup. How would you do it, Reaper?” Prescott asked.
“Send Gabriel in,” Reaper said. “He’s the one they want. They’ll be pleased they have their prize and the stress goes down. They have no idea anyone’s on to them.”
“Done,” Gabriel said. “What’s the play once I’m in, Rowan? You work the Eastern Europe desk. What will work with the men inside?”
“Convince them that you’ll cooperate. Let them know that Sommer’s health is the leverage they need to make that cooperation continue.”
Reaper handed Gabriel a vial containing magnetic earpieces so he could hear the team, but during a pat-down or strip search, they wouldn’t find anything. Gabriel dropped them in place.
“Testing. Testing,” Reaper said.
“A little too loud,” Gabriel said.
“Testing.”
That got a thumbs up from Gabriel.
Reaper handed Gabriel a pair of glasses.
“What are these?” Gabriel held up the glasses.
“Camera, so we can see what you’re seeing. And a mic so we can hear what’s happening.”
“If they break them, will they see I’m wired?” Gabriel asked.
