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“We can assume this place will be heavily guarded,” Stryker continues, “so we’ll go undercover and get as far as we can in our disguises. The last thing we want is to fight our way in if our cover is blown. We know if that happens, they’ll just kill everyone, leaving no one for us to rescue.” The statement makes me feel nauseated. If anything goes wrong, the last thing they’ll want is to leave any evidence.
“Alexie and Marcela are going in together. We know that pictures were taken of our team, but we’re positive that they weren’t distributed to the entire braTVa as they tend to keep communication to a select few,” Stryker informs us, pacing the length of the room with his hands behind his back.
“Plus, she’ll be all dressed up, so no one would recognize her even if they did have pictures,” King interrupts as a pen gets tossed across the table, striking him in the middle of his forehead before landing on the table in front of me.
The thrower of said pen is a smiling Marcela, who is sitting across from him. “Dick,” she snickers.
King picks up the pen and throws it back at her, but Alexie’s hand shoots out and snatches it in mid-air. “You throw like a girl, Prince-y,” he teases.
Stryker smacks his hand on the table, drawing everyone’s attention back to him. “No bullshit tonight from either of you. This whole competitive thing you two have going on needs to be paused until after tonight or it will get someone killed,” Stryker’s voice is forceful and authoritative.
Alexie just coyly smiles at Stryker.Please, don’t say something crazy.“What if we compete on who can kill the most bad guys, though?” Alexie looks across the table to King, shrugging his shoulders and raising his hands in a’how about it’gesture.
Stryker looks like a frustrated middle school teacher at the end of a very long school year. He sits in his chair and rests his head on his hand. No one says anything but watches, eagerly waiting for what his response will be.
He finally lifts his head from his hands, clasping them together in front of him. “There is no way that you can compete on that silly bet,” he finally chastises, “because I will take out the most’bad guys’tonight.”
Alexie smacks his hand on the table and laughs. “I like you, Boss-man. I like you, but we all know that I will win this.”Is this happening?“You may continue. Let’s make this plan to save our beloved Katia, and then you can try to win this bet,” Alexie taunts.
I look across the table at Marcela and BJ, who are beside themselves, trying not to burst out laughing at the dick-measuring contest that is happening. Alexie looks pleased with the outcome and is intently watching Stryker with a smile on his face.
“Anyway,” Stryker continues, “Once Alexie and Marcela meet up with Andrei, Alexie will smooth talk his way into going to the auction. Andrei assumes that Alexie doesn’t know about the auctions, so Alexie will need to work to gain his trust after disappearing. If you can gain his trust,” I look to Alexie, “then I’m confident the special show he has for you is the auction.”
“There is no doubt that I can gain his trust,” Alexie says. “He has always planned for me to take over the business, and as his only heir, he will be desperate for that to happen.”
I nod in agreement with Alexie while Stryker continues explaining the steps of our plan. “Conrad made these rings for everyone…” At that, Conrad pulls out a small box and opens it to display a variety of rings. “These rings all have sensors on them. They are all different, so they don’t attract attention.” He picks up one of the rings and places it on his finger. “Alexie or Marcela will tap the stone of their ring three times when they have entered the basement, and then again when they are ready for Nat, King, and I to move in to meet them at the back door,. We will meet them at this door once they’ve cleared the guards from the area.” Stryker then demonstrates, and when he does, a sharp beep comes from Conrad’s computer.
Stryker slides the box to Marcela, and she grabs a ring that fits her finger before passing it to King, who takes his. The box makes its way to me, and I see a beautiful, dark green gemstone ring left. I pick it up, and it fits perfectly.
“Conrad, I don’t think there will be a day that you don’t cease to amaze me,” I say.
He smiles at me. “These are a new invention of mine, but be careful to not just start tapping them, or we won’t know when to go in. We have to keep comms off until we go full force because we don’t want to risk it getting picked up and us getting caught. Marcela will also get to wear this camera because, unfortunately, the schematic I got doesn’t show anything else regarding the floorplan or layout of the bacement.” Conrad holds up a necklace that has a matching, amber-colored stone to her ring. “This way, we can get a view inside the club so that when we breach, we know where to go.”
“Damn, Conrad. I get jewelry without a date?” Marcela snarks but then laughs. “Just kidding, this is perfect, Conrad.”
“Good work, Conrad,” Stryker speaks up again. “Marcela, this means we will need you to hang on Alexie a bit. Act as if you like him.”
“We are all good now, Boss-man, aren’t we? My new sassy lover,” Alexie says with a kissing motion toward Marcela. She only smiles back, letting me know that when Marcela and I squashed our shit, she also lets go of Alexie’s too.I don’t think I deserve friends like this.
“Good to know,” Stryker says cautiously. “Being all over him will allow your body to move around more so we can get a better lay of the land in there. We need to see where guards are posted and any locking mechanisms on doors.”
Marcela is holding up her beautiful necklace in front of her, admiring it. “Shouldn’t be a problem,” she says, not breaking her stare on the jewelry.
“We will also need to figure out if this Umbra, or Ivan, is there as well,” Stryker continues. A shiver runs down my spine. “From what you’ve told us about him, he’s unhinged and dangerous. And if you two,” Stryker gestures to me and Alexie, “are calling him dangerous, then we know it’s serious.”
“If you two are successful with Andrei, and you get the invitation, tap the ring three times when you get to the auction. Then you’ll need to find a way to excuse yourself from the auction. We need you to clear all guards leading back to the entrance. Tap your ring three more times to let us know you’re heading out so we can get ready to meet you at the door. We will be on standby for when you have the guards cleared and ready to open the door. We will come in and clear the main floor of as many bystanders as possible. Our priority is getting all the dancers and guests out of there before anything goes down. We need to ensure no innocent people upstairs become collateral damage. That is unacceptable to me.” The entire table nods in agreement.
“When we have the main floor cleared, we’ll signal Conrad with three taps from our rings. This is when shit goes down. Conrad will turn on comms so we can talk, but that means they’ll probably be onto us, depending on the tech they’re carrying at this place. Given its importance, we’re going to assume it’s all the latest tech. Marcela and Alexie, this is where you take out anyone with a gun.”
Marcela looks at Stryker, confused, “And how am I taking out these people? We know we’ll be thoroughly searched going in,” Marcela questions, looking at Stryker with confusion.
Alexie pulls out a knife and starts rotating it in his hand, saying, “Once I take out a few with this, then you are free to shop for whatever weapon they left behind.”
“Aww, thank you. That is so kind of you,” she says while looking at Alexie, but everyone else is looking at Marcela.
“What? I’m just getting in some acting practice before our big show tonight,” Marcela retorts when we just continue to stare at her like she grew a second head.
“Well, might I say that if you ever consider a career change, you could be an Academy Award-winning actress,” BJ says with a snicker.
