Page 21 of Playing With Love

Shit.

This was going to hell and we hadn’t even started the planning phase.

The human element, the great disruptor, it was what always screwed you.

CHAPTER SIX

I shoved aside Lenox’s demand to see me under the guise of a request, and kept my focus on Lizzy. It surprised me she’d asked Liberty if she missed the Army. That could open the door for conversation. And with someone less astute than Liberty it would’ve. But the former SF soldier knew not to engage in further conversation—she just didn’t know why Liza had closed down. But I did. She was proud of her service, but she wasn’t proud of the circumstances of her enlistment. Therefore she rarely talked about it. It didn’t matter she had nothing to be ashamed of, she still refused to listen to reason.

“How long were you in the Army?” Frank pressed, not picking up on Liza’s obvious desire not to discuss the topic.

What a tool.

“One contract.” Her tight response yet again went over Frank’s head.

“How long’s⁠—”

“If you don’t mind,” Carter smoothly broke in. “We’re on a clock here and I’d like to discuss the details of the op.”

Frank’s gaze went from his partner to the head of the table where Carter sat with Jason to his right and Nick to his left. The ruddy color once again tinged his cheeks. Another reason he’d never make it undercover—he couldn’t mask his feelings. The color in his cheeks gave him away.

Not that it was in question, but there was no fucking way I was allowing Liza to go undercover with this guy. He’d get them killed.

Without waiting for Frank’s response Carter went on, “Nick has a preliminary work-up on Mackenzie Archer. Keep in mind, this is fluid. A beginning point to work from.”

“What kind of work-up?” Frank asked.

I glanced at Liza. She rolled her eyes at her partner’s stupid question, which meant I was fighting a smile. And the question was only stupid because if the lazy ass would’ve read the company profile that included the backgrounds of the principals, he would know what kind of work-up Nick had prepared.

“Nick Clark is a former profiler with the BAU,” I told Frank, not hiding my irritation he hadn’t read the Triple Canopy bio his boss sent him.

“Oh, yeah, right.” Frank’s attempt to cover his lack of readiness would’ve been laughable if he wasn’t the man who was supposed to have Liza’s back.

As if reading my mind, Liza shook her head. I’d already challenged the guy’s skillset and we weren’t even thirty minutes into the meeting, calling him out a second time was unnecessary. Though I would be having another conversation with Liza about him and what she could do to get assigned another partner.

Deftly, Nick took over the briefing.

“My initial profile and notes have been sent to O’Conner. Like Carter explained, this is a beginning point based off the limited intel we have. I’ve reviewed the promotional material Nu Dawn uses for their seminars. However, they’re soundbites. I need more before I feel confident my profile is accurate.”

“Is it safe to assume your report is primarily based on the general psychology of cults and cult leaders?” Liza asked.

“Yes. In this case, Mackenzie’s manipulation, control, and exploitation of her members seems to be purely about money. She uses social conditioning and isolation but not in the way other cults have. The members are free to move about, vacation, travel, work off-premises. There are even members who don’t live on the compound. That’s not a requirement to belong. The isolation is out of necessity. She needs a safe place to manufacture drugs and presumably guns. She’s hiding in plain sight. Mackenzie has set up the group dynamic, activities, rituals, unity. But it appears Nu Dawn lacks the peer pressure component of that. Unless Allyson is holding back and it is mandatory to participate in activities.”

Liza was clearly following along, and unlike Frank, had done her research.

“What’s interesting,” Liza began. “From what I’ve read, cults typically use fear and shame as a way to manipulate members into conforming. Mackenzie does the opposite. Nu Dawn centers around empowerment.”

Nick smiled and nodded his approval.

“Correct. However, there are many ways to manipulate someone. Fear and shame go hand-in-hand with religious cults. But remember, Mackenzie’s Almighty is the dollar. She’s not pontificating about the afterlife and saving souls. She’s selling a life of abundance in the here and now. Her teachings are just as powerful and impactful. People, women in particular, flock to these seminars in hopes to unlock their financial dreams. Once she has them hooked, she then upsells them the follow-up. Small group retreats. Those are women-centric. It’s a way for her to lull them into thinking it’s a safe space. For women, by a woman. An even more powerful manipulation. Mackenzie Archer shouldn’t be underestimated. She’s highly intelligent. A master manipulator. She’s found a hot topic and found a way to exploit it. She’s making money on two fronts—the legitimate side of Nu Dawn and the illicit, more profitable side.”

“I’d feel better if a man was behind this,” Liza muttered.

“I hear that, sister,” Liberty readily agreed. “She should be strung up by her tit…toes before she’s tarred and feathered with all of the sisterhood present.”

Nick cracked a smile at his cousin’s comment.

“Unfortunately, I don’t think Mackenzie will get the pleasure of a tar-and-feather, but the public humiliation part of that is the goal. That is before she’s locked up. The rest of my report details the fundamental need to belong, which will help you craft your cover. Mackenzie will be looking for specific traits. Not too weak, not too strong.”