Page 69 of Trapped Truth

“Collecting your property, Mr Price. My employer values discretion above all else.”

“We don’t have time to walk around with you all night.”

“Patience, please. It’s right up ahead.”

Nestled beside a locked and bolted school, our target becomes clear. I’m not sure whether to laugh or be impressed. The public pool is dark this late at night but provides a large open space that’s hidden in plain sight.

I’m not sure what to make of its proximity to a place where children gather. Hell, the same kids probably learn to swim here, oblivious to what these walls have seen when the world is looking elsewhere.

“A fucking pool?” Hyland hisses quietly.

I flash him a warning look. Hold character.

Spine tingling, it demands all my willpower to follow Joe inside. If I weren’t armed, I’d think twice. Perhaps lodging a bullet in his skull when this is over will minimise his ick factor. The shitty fake name is only one of his walking red flags.

Inside, the closed public pool facility seems several degrees colder than the already frigid outside. The heating must be disabled for the holidays. Cost cutting measures, I’m sure.

Thick limestone walls leech any heat from the building. Dim overhead lights penetrate the darkness, but the route is still obscured by shadows that seem to stretch infinitely.

Underneath my cap, the crackling earpiece injects relief straight into my veins. “Em, we’ve got your location. In pursuit.”

Fuck, Warner’s voice has never been more welcome.

“Hold tight,” Blaine adds. “You’ve got this.”

At the end of the darkened hallway, two black-clothed figures stand guard in front of double doors leading to the pool. Both hold large automatic guns, the kind usually reserved for guerrilla warfare. No inconspicuous weapons here.

“Are you armed?” Joe halts in front of them, turning to question us.

“Less armed than your men,” I drawl back.

“Nevertheless, my employer insists on total security. Hand over your weapons, please.”

“Like hell.” Hyland takes a step back.

“Yeah, no go.” I watch the men adjust their grips with gloved hands. “We have no assurances those won’t be used. Our security is also important to us.”

“Why would you be in any harm?” Joe’s smile drips with sleaze.

In my ear, the line crackles to life then falls silent. Damn signal. Our backup must be getting closer, though. When it hums to life again, I lock in a relieved sigh.

“Report,” Axel demands.

“We’re approaching from the east.” Blaine keeps his tone clipped. “You’ll have to surrender your weapons to get in. We’ll cover you.”

In any other circumstance, I’d tell him to go to hell. From Hyland’s thunderous expression, he’d have far fewer friendly words. But we have an audience, and the clock is ticking on this little black market deal.

“So? What’s it going to be, Miss Price?”

“We will hand over our weapons,” I spit around clenched teeth. “But your trigger happy friends stay here. I don’t appreciate being treated with suspicion during my business dealings.”

Joe flashes nicotine-stained teeth. “Naturally.”

“Do we have a deal?”

“Seems only fair. Hurry now, the clock’s ticking.”

As I pull my gun from its holster, Hyland follows suit with an equal lack of enthusiasm. Thankfully, our guns can’t identify us. They’re widely available to the criminal class for the right price. As far as Joe and his entourage are concerned, we’re just garden variety thugs like them.