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He wasn’t planning on giving anything up today, though.
“Everyone good?” Roman asked as the crew assembled on the couches behind the captain’s chair. It was a small boat and one of the fastest ones they could acquire on such short notice. Mustang already sat in the chair, sunglasses on her face, determination still apparent even behind the dark shades. Her black mamba tattoo curled up her forearm as she started the boat’s engine, another hand on the chrome steering wheel.
With everyone on the boat and settled in, Roman gave Mustang a tap on the shoulder and a nod. Seconds later, they were off, bouncing into the waves and away from the bay. Roman grabbed onto the back of Mustang’s chair to steady himself.
“Today’s an important day,” Roman said, speaking over the sound of water splashing against the hull. “We’re getting our Mimic back, and we’re putting an end to Leonidas and his Pride. This has gone on for far too long. Leonidas has tried to fuck us up every step of the way, and now it’s our turn. The hammerhead heist is still on, and like a hammerhead, we don’t attack unless provoked, and yesterday we were provoked.”
The collected group of faces all appeared to nod and agree with him in unison. Roman was proud of the people he had brought together over the last years and was happy to have them all on his side for whatever happened next.
“Tor, you said you were able to figure out a way inside without tripping any alarms, correct?”
He nodded, sitting up a little straighter. He still wore the same red shirt and jeans he had on yesterday, his hair messy and his face still slightly puffy from having just woken up.
“There’s two access points; one of them has only one camera that I can set on a loop. It’s inside of an old boat shed.”
“Perfect. Phantom, I want you to go in first and do some recon. As quickly as possible. You were able to review the blueprints last night, right?”
Phantom nodded. He sat next to Tor, looking slightly more put together in a fresh black T-shirt and shorts. “I’ve got a route in mind that should have the entire hideout surveyed within half an hour.”
“And if you find Mimic and have a chance to get her out, then take it. But be cautious. Don’t do anything that’ll put both of you at risk. I need you for the final piece of this puzzle.”
The boat continued to cut through the water, bouncing them along the shore as Mustang put the city of Miami behind them, the tall skyscrapers becoming smaller and smaller as they went south toward the Keys.
“Once Phantom reports back in with a proper layout and anything we should be wary of is when Bang Bang and I go in. It’ll be a pincer tactic. Phantom, I want you staying toward the rear of the hideout while we go in from the side. There are four possible rooms I believe they’re holding Mimic and the tome, and I want us to hit those four as quickly as we can. Bang Bang and I will go in silent and take out whoever we have to, while Phantom, I want you working your way to us from the back. Incapacitate or kill, whatever you need to do to stop someone from raising an alarm.”
Bang Bang and Phantom both nodded in agreement. Bang Bang in particular seemed to be as excited as a fourth grader being told they were going to McDonald’s for a field trip. Roman could see the glint of his two golden pistols on his waist, his long-sleeved shirt bunching up around the holsters.
Wyatt sat up, raising a hand. Roman looked to him, already expecting the words that would come out of his lover’s mouth.
“What about me?”
“I’d feel more comfortable if you stayed with Doc, Mustang, and Tor here on the boat. Keep watch and be ready to come in if we need backup.”
Wyatt cocked his head, crossing his arms. His lower lip popped out in a way that always melted Roman’s heart, even back when they were kids. “Seriously? Have I not proven that I can handle myself? I think I’d be much more useful if I were inside with you two. What if there’s some digital lock that needs cracking? Or some kind of puzzle that needs solving? Even just to watch your back. I’m not a bad shot, not anymore.”
Roman expected a little bit of a fight, but he didn’t think Wyatt would be campaigning this hard to come with them.
“I don’t like it, Salt. I don’t know how many Pride members are in there or what kind of defenses they have, not until Phantom scouts it out. And even then, there’s always a chance we get surprised by something, and I’d rather keep you farther from that surprise than closer.”
