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“Chatter? Really? What happened to gamma?”
Ethan shrugs. “I prefer the name, Chatter. Since your team is comprised of noncombatants and snipers, you’ll enter with Team Beta but split for higher ground immediately after. You’ll spread out on the rooftops here, here, and here.” He marks each location with a dot.
As the night progresses, Ethan lays out our strategy while Sloane and I do our best to poke holes into it. We’re in the middle of a debate when my office door opens. We all swing to see who has the nerve to enter my space without warning.
Sansone, with his finger to his lips, walks in with a familiar device in his hands, one I’ve used many times. He mouths for us to act normal while he waves the wand over every surface he passes.
I nod and send everyone a meaningful look. “It’s late, our tempers are at the limit. Let’s resume tomorrow night to finalize everything.”
“Roger that, boss. In the meantime, you know where to find me.”
“Yeah, trailing my wife.”
As a unit, we turn to watch Sansone and listen to the low static emitting from the scanner in his hand. When he’s scanned everything in the room he frowns and mouths for us not to speak yet. He makes a slow circle, but from what I saw, he covered everything. Then he bursts into motion toward the door. As soon as he passes the wand over the knob, the static disappears and a low beeping emits from the device.
My brother kneels and gently fiddles with the door until he pulls a listening device off the handle. It’s so small, no wonder I never found it. Sansone leaves the room and enters moments later.
“I put it in the potted plant you have in the half bath.” Sansone sinks into a chair and swings his leg over the armrest. “I’m sure you have a ton of questions. Ask away.”
I stand over him, uncaring if my anger shows. “The first that comes to mind is how the fuck you knew there was a wire in my office.”
“Easy, I eavesdrop on Giulio to keep up with his shenanigans. Though this time, he got real creative. I almost bought his excuse that he was listening to music through a new set of headphones. They were Bluetooth so I searched for new devices and found a transmitter.” He stops swinging his leg and leans forward with his elbows on his knees. “Imagine my surprise when I hear you talking about Ghost Six. I know I never dropped their name to you, so why are you about to tango with them?”
“How the hell did I miss him planting a bug when he came by? What is his aim?” I pace away from Sansone while I mull through these new implications.
“The guy who tried to unalive me is a prominent Ghost Six member. And, oh yeah, apparently their beef with me spans twenty years,” Sloane summarizes the situation.
“Wow, my sister-in-law is famous and infamous. Can I get an autograph?”
“Ethan,” I bark. “What’s your take on the situation?”
“Considering Ghost Six is your father’s rival, I doubt he’ll intervene.”
“That’s my thought, too.” I return to the sitting area to watch Sansone closely. “And you? What are your thoughts?”
My brother walks over to the liquor cabinet and pours himself a drink before returning to his seat and taking a sip. “You know my feelings on Giulio better than anybody, but I can’t see him jeopardizing the organization for this group. He’ll sit back and reap the benefits rather than embroil the family in a conflict that won’t net him major rewards.”
“Does that mean we’re proceeding with the plan?” Tácito focuses on the map.
“Yeah, we follow through. Ambush and annihilate.” I punch my palm to emphasize my point.
“Well, that’s my cue to leave. Playing undercover hero isn’t easy.” Sansone drains his glass and stands to leave.
I stall him with a hand on his shoulder. “Thanks for warning me in person, even if you risked too much in doing so. Get back safe and don’t—”
“Get caught. I know. And you know I’ll do whatever I can to protect my older brother. You’re the only one I’ve got.” He squeezes my arm and walks toward the door. “Don’t forget Dad will hear every time you shit if you use that bathroom,” he says on his way out.
“Is there anything else you wanted to iron out tonight?” Ethan asks.
My phone’s ringtone prevents me from responding. The caller is one of the Mitchells’ guards. Trepidation walks with cold steps over my spine as I press accept on the screen.
“Boss? Are you there?” The caller’s pain-filled voice fills my ear, unfreezing my response.
“What’s happening?”
“The Sandovals and the Mitchells…Ghost Six took them.”
“Are you certain?”
