Page 20 of Breached

“Whoa!” Mike shouted, and the three men just stood there, unfazed.

“Hey,” Paul looked down at me with a wild expression, “what are you doing?”

“You,” I pointed the gun higher at the man, “what the fuck are you doing here?”

His face showed no expression; he stood there as cool as a cucumber. “I take it you remember me,” he drawled.

“Not hard to forget a face when you’re living in captivity.”

Paul looked between us, his expression wary.

“Viper, explain,” Cole ordered the man.

“I was working an angle and ended up at the Perez farm and ran into her. I had to play my part,” he said as he kept his gaze on me. “I couldn’t tell her—she thinks I’m Cartel.”

“He’s a SEAL,” Paul said gently. “Give it to me.” He ran a hand down my wrist and removed the gun.

The man called Viper said something in Pashto, and Mark grinned at me.

“Maaf kra,” I apologized in Pashto, making the room break out in laughter. I spent a little time after Chase went to sleep and learned a few more words. I was pleased to be able to use it so quickly.

“I apologize, too—we’re all just doing our jobs.” Viper raised his hands, and I nodded. “Hi,” he said to me. “Name’s Ryan Mercer, but they all call me Viper.” He pointed to the guy next to him. “That’s Ethan Wolf, otherwise known as Hinge, and that handsome SOB right there is Mason Donovan, or as we call him, Atlas. Nice to officially meet you, Nicole Winter.”

I swallowed and gave a small wave.

Viper stepped aside as another very big guy entered, at least six foot four—maybe five. His huge arms had tattooed sleeves, and his beard and hair were cut short. He was dressed just like Blackstone, and he was scary as hell. I read his name tag, Hunter. That fits.

“Nicole Winter,” Mike pointed at him, “meet Lieutenant Commander Rafe Hunter.”

“Nice to meet you.” I struggled with my voice, and I was happy Paul was close. I leaned in and whispered, “Another SEAL?”

Paul nodded. “Mm-hmm, a bit of a story there. He’s not officially a commander anymore, but yes, he’s that and then some.”

“He’s got some intel for us on Esmeralda’s property.” Mike turned to Cole, who nodded, and an aerial view popped up on the TV. “Hunter, floor’s yours.”

The big man turned toward the TV and pointed at the screen. “My team’s been on the ground for five days,” he said, his voice, low and steady. “Turns out our job intersects with yours—same target.” He tapped the tablet Cole handed him to control the TV. “After a talk with Irons, it’s clear we’re chasing the same snake. Could work in both our favor.” He zoomed in on Esmeralda Perez’s new compound. “Layout is simple, but the men are disciplined. Primary ingress here.” He tapped the TV. “Secondary breach points here and here. Rooftop access on the south structure.” He moved his hand again. “Vehicle entry from this road and this one. Limited civilian traffic.” He swiped his finger along the perimeter. “We have assets embedded among their outdoor security— they confirmed the sites up front.”

I glanced at Paul. The language was a bit out of my league, but I got the gist. Paul seemed to lock on to every word he was saying, and his expression showed his concentration.

As we watched, Rafe Hunter switched the map to the west. “Here’s the wrinkle. Active tunnel construction on the west. The place is twenty-two feet high and fifteen feet wide. Reinforced. Big enough to move vehicles in and out without drawing attention. It connects to the east building,” he paused, “but traffic’s been consistent, and we’ve pinpointed a few familiar faces.” He looked up from the screen. “Bruno Perez and Sully Sanchez, but also Gabriel Valentin.” I looked at Paul. Gabriel was the Frenchman who planted a tracker on me in Mexico. “And Trent Tillian.” Mike suddenly looked at Keith, and I wondered who that was. “The place is buttoned up. Professional security—not your usual Cartel level. These guys are pros.”

Cole rubbed his face before he spoke. “Who’s backing you?”

Hunter didn’t hesitate. “FBI counterintelligence.”

A thick wall of heavy silence blanketed the room.

“Based on what evidence?” Cole asked.

“We’ve had three confirmed sightings of FBI Agent Cooper Colin.”

“Fuck!” Paul hissed, and the rest of the guys joined in. “The FBI is having you look into Colin and his involvement with Bruno Perez?” Hunter shrugged, not confirming or denying it, but I got the impression there was a lot more going on.

Agent Colin had tried to take Chase from me when I was on the run with Chili back to the States to meet up with Blackstone. I personally felt the man oozed evil, but it was hard to judge. Given the looks on the team’s faces, they’d dealt with Colin before.

“What the hell?” Frank said from the doorway. I hadn’t noticed him arrive. He looked fit to kill as he eyed Hunter. “This is your source, Irons?”

“He’s mine, too,” Paul barked so sharply it made me jump.