Page 74 of Colombian Chemistry

Adrenalin and terror coursed through my body as I walked alongside Piper into the bar. It wasn’t just trying to balance in the four-inch heels causing me to struggle to put one foot in front of the other... it was knowing I was walking into a club filled with cartel members and drug dealers.

“You’ve got this, baby,” Marcus said into my earpiece. “I’ve got you on video. If anything at all feels off, just say the word, and I’m at your side.”

I nodded, though quickly scolded myself for doing so. Not only could he not see me nodding since I had a camera embedded in the flower at the base of the plunging cleavage of this dress, but they’d kept reminding me to act normal even when they were talking in my ear.

“I’ve got you, Irene,” Piper said. “Just follow my lead and don’t say anything. Just smile and play along.”

I glanced up at her, still shocked she was the same woman I’d seen the past two days. Marcus hadn’t been kidding when he’d said she was a chameleon. Tonight Piper had long, luxurious waves and brown contacts that made her look like a real Colombian woman. Well, a Colombian prostitute with the revealing outfit she wore.

I had also been shocked to see myself in the mirror tonight. I even had to wave my hands around to ensure the reflection of the black-haired, sultry woman was really me. Heavy shadow hooded my now-brown eyes, and the intense contouring make-up Piper had done changed the shape of my face just enough that no one, not even my father, would recognize me if they didn’t know.

My dress wasn’t quite as scandalous as Piper’s because I’d nearly passed out from the horror of wearing something so revealing when she’d shown me my first option. I didn’t even think my hoohoo would be covered with the length of the skirt, and the amount of material left to cover the rest of my body was little more than a swimsuit. Luckily, Piper had other options that let me play the part of a hooker without being quite as risqué. I was still far from comfortable in the skin-tight sparkling dress, but at least I wasn’t showing the world all my girly bits. My thigh-high boots covered the most skin... as well as the daggers sheathed beneath them.

The club music pounded through the speakers as we made our way past the busy bar. Lights flashed on the dance floor as we passed through it, and Piper beelined toward the stairs that led to the second floor.

“I’ve got eyes on Cruz,” Piper said to me, but really, she was telling the team parked outside in the van.

Another thing they’d taught me. Always look like you’re speaking to someone when you’re talking to the team in your mic.... unless you want people to think you’re a crazy person.

“Mateo just went to the bathroom,” Wesley said into our earpieces. “The cameras don’t go in there, but I’ll let you know when he comes out.”

Piper moved through the crowd toward the VIP area and then to a corner booth with a menacing-looking man. He had several other men surrounding him and a score of beautiful women draped around them. I tried not to let my eyes bulge over the drugs strewn out in the open or the guns sticking out of all of their pants. Two men holding assault rifles stood on guard at each end of the velvet, circular booth.

My confidence faltered when Cruz’s eyes lifted from the pile of coke he’d just snorted and moved over Piper and me. My skin crawled at the way his leering gaze caressed every inch of me.

Dear God. I know I look like a prostitute right now, and I’m in a drug club, but you have to know it’s not really me, okay? I’m doing this to save my dad, so please look out for me. Thank you. Oh, and look out for Piper too. I mean, I know she can handle herself and all, and she’s killed a lot of people... wait. I hope you aren’t judging her for that. I think she only killed bad people. Not that killing people is ever good, but... oh jeez. I’m rambling again. Sorry, God. Just please look out for us all.

After tossing up my silent prayer, I dug into the confidence I needed to hold my position at Piper’s side. Her bedroom eyes batted those thick lashes as she cocked a hip. The pose accentuated her incredible legs, and it didn’t go unnoticed to Cruz. With the flick of his wrist, several men appeared at our sides and parted the way for Piper and me. Before I knew it, we were seated at Cruz’s side. A little of my anxiety petered away when he looked right at me but didn’t put together who I was. The disguise was working.

Piper spoke Spanish to him, and though I couldn’t understand the words, I could see his pupils dilate as he took her in. She introduced me as Bella, her friend from France, knowing I spoke fluent French. From the smile on his face when she explained why I couldn’t speak Spanish, Piper had been dead on that I’d be considered more valuable since I was “exotic.”

A few minutes later, Wesley announced Mateo was coming. Shortly after, a man I recognized as Mateo from the photos they’d shown me joined us at our table. I smiled sweetly at him when he sat at my side and forced the vomit not to come out when he put his hand on my thigh. I knew Marcus could see us through the video cameras they’d hacked, and even though I knew he understood why I let it happen, I still felt the need to apologize for letting another man touch me. I didn’t ever want another man to touch me but him.

“It’s okay. I’m watching out for you,” Marcus said into my earpiece.

It soothed me a little, so I bit my lip while this strange man’s dirty hand stayed on my thigh for the better part of an hour. I sat quietly at Piper’s side while she flirted enough for the both of us. I didn’t understand what was happening when everyone started standing up.

Marcus whispered in my earpiece, “They’ve invited you back to the compound. Good. Just stay at Piper’s side and know we’re just behind you in the van.”

I stopped myself from nodding and followed Piper and the rest of the entourage, which included several other women they’d picked up. We piled into a limo Humvee that took our party right through the gates of the compound.

Piper had been right... they let her walk right in.

When we got inside, I scoured the area looking for any signs of my dad. I didn’t see him when we got to the open-air bar area around the pool that had a half dozen other men waiting. They cranked up the music, and the women we came with started dancing while the men lounged around watching. Piper joined them, giving me a look that told me to follow suit.

As I stepped onto the makeshift dancefloor, I started swinging my hips, realizing it’d been a long time since I’d been dancing... and it showed from the awkward way I moved my body.

“Christ, Irene,” Piper whispered. “Loosen up. You look like R2D2 trying to do the Macarena.”

The joke made me laugh, and it also loosened my body. I mimicked Piper’s sexy moves and soon started to get the hang of it.

“We’re positioned outside,” Marcus said into our earpieces.

The abrupt voice in my ear made me jump, but I passed it off as a strange dance move.

“Wesley has eyes on you both right now, and he’ll let us know if there is any trouble. Just remember the plan,” Marcus said. “Piper sneaks off and plants the virus. Wesley will shut off the alarms and loop the security feeds so we can move through undetected. The minute he has access, Knox and I go in over the wall and find Dr. Saltzman and get him out. Piper will return to Irene and offer to show her the way to the bathroom. The schematics show you should be able to exit just two doors past the bathrooms. Piper will clear the way and send Irene over the wall. Irene and her father will drive the waiting van down the road and hide out until we finish taking out Pedro and his two lieutenants.”

I kept dancing through his rundown of our plan.