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“We’re one team, Mag,” muttered Zeppelin.
In the world of MI6 agents, I’d heard Verity was on par with Oleander, but she hadn’t yet made the switch to Unit 23. If that’s where she was headed, once she transitioned, she’d spend the majority of her time in the wind.
The paramilitary unit was the most covert of SIS’ ultra-secretive entities and was made up of former SAS—Special Air Service—intelligence officers, whose required skill set included high-level surveillance, close-combat fighting, and hostage rescue. Becoming part of Unit 23, however, required an additional level of expertise, one in assassination.
I was curious as to how Magnet had convinced Z to assign Alena “Verity” Curran to work with the Albanian task force. However, not enough to ask.
“I have three guys on their way who are former CIA Special Activities Division agents,” said Ares. Some considered SAD on par with Unit 23.
“My three are already on the ground in Malta,” Poseidon added.
“What about triage?” Ares asked.
“Two physician’s assistants and two medics are en route to Gozo as we speak. They’re transporting medical supplies,” Magnet responded.
While I was astounded by the number of people involved in this mission, it would be one more thing to slow down deployment. Once the auction began, bidding on Bexli would take no more time than a click of a mouse. How I’d get her once I transferred payment, though, was an unknown. However, whatever it took, I’d do.
The first time I promised to protect her and never let her down, we were in year three. I’d long forgotten why I’d said it, but I remembered her response as if it had been spoken yesterday.
“If you keep your promise, you’ll be the only person who ever has,” she’d whispered. Her words tore at my heart both then and now.
“I’d like to review logistics,” said Ares.
“Cayman?” Z prompted.
As anxious as I was to get out of this bloody room anddosomething, I still had just under twenty-three hours before bidding began. “Go ahead,” I responded.
“Not knowing the number of victims, where exactly they’re being held, nor the mandate those guarding them have been given, the entirety of the rescue op must be conducted in stealth mode,” said O. “And, as a reminder, our number one goal is to rescue Bexli Fowler.”
“Everdeen.”
“I’m sorry?”
“Bexli changed her name to Everdeen.”
Oleander looked down at the brief in front of her.
“Not legally,” I added when she appeared as though she intended to contradict me.
“I don’t understand.”
“She wanted to distance herself from her family. Her father, in particular,” I explained, not that it was any of O’s fucking business.
“Based on the overheads, we’ll outnumber them almost two-to-one,” Ares reported. “Our friends at the US National Reconnaissance are working on gathering more detailed images since we’ve confirmed the location as an official target.”
He went on to say the satellites should be powerful enough to give us an accurate reading of how many people were inside the residence and their specific locations. “If we’re able to obtain that information, it will change our approach significantly.”
In terms of securing our access once on the ground, Poseidon reported the Maltese team would enter from the area of Wied il-Mielah in the north.
The Swiss team would come in through the wooded area, and the Albanian team would enter over the seawall.
The US and UK teams would be the first inside the villa once the other three teams secured the property’s access points.
“As soon as our guys at the NRO respond, we’ll make adjustments accordingly,” reported Ares.
“This is your mission. What questions do you have?” Z asked, turning to me.
Now would be the ideal time to recuse myself and inform the teams gathered I would not be participating in the mission as they’d planned. However, I didn’t. I couldn’t say exactly why not, only that I wasn’t ready.
