clear.”
The corner of Nuala’s lips curled up. “My measurements were right then?” Her tone was a bit audacious. Almost saucy.
“Copy that, Noodle.” Surprisingly, there was a smile in Boone’s voice.
She smiled at Annie. “I found the one hotel that had a perfect line of sight on the corner apartment. Boone thought the bank would block it.”
“Show off,” Boone said.
Nuala glowed, not from the midafternoon sun, but from Boone’s praise.
“Okay,” Boone’s voice tickled through the earpiece. “Just heard from Téya. Landlady said the flat’s been leased for years, but she can’t remember the last time she saw the tenant.”
“Copy,” Annie said as she lifted her napkin to wipe her lips.
“Let’s check it out,” Boone said.
Nuala
After paying their bill, Nuala headed down the brick path to the sidewalk skirting the English Channel with Annie, a good compatriot, if she could keep her head in the game. Which she hadn’t. Not since she’d been lip-locked with the commander. Nuala had to admit, it was weird but good to see them like that. They’d been an item before Misrata, and stumbling upon them together again gave her hope for a bright future, where the team fought terrorists and evil the way they had six years ago.
Choppy waters of the channel churned and writhed, as if in agony. Nuala could only pray this wasn’t a portent of doom—what with the stormy sky adding its gloomy touch.
They stepped into the scant shade of the building and Nuala said, “Entering now.” It was protocol, but it also meant she was talking to Boone. She ached for him, for this loss. Nuala hated seeing him grieve, hated that Keeley had been taken from him. Some people might call her dishonest because of how much she cared for him for saying that, but she truly just wanted Boone happy. He was a good man, and he deserved to be happy.
They made it through the nondescript lobby. Her sniper training had her itching for a high elevation or vantage point, but that wasn’t possible. She’d have to make do. She spotted the door marked S
tairs
and pointed it out to Annie, then pushed it open.
Téya, who’d been sitting on the cement steps, pushed to her feet, without so much as a greeting. She climbed the steps one ahead of Nuala and Annie. “I thought he wanted to talk to us.”
“Seems a common problem,” Annie said, her words no doubt targeted toward Téya, who didn’t bat an eye or miss a step at the rebuke. She also didn’t spout off a comeback, contrary to her character.
And that made Nuala wonder. There was a lot about a person that changed during trying or difficult times, but Téya seemed like a completely different person.
“Third floor,” Nuala said into her coms as they stepped into a long, narrow corridor that only offered doors and no other view save the anemic, barred window at the end.
They moved down the hall that had been recently renovated—well, painted over was more accurate. Previous peeling spots left impressions beneath the new gray paint. The carpet smelled musty and of pet urine.
“Copy that. We have you on thermals,” Boone’s calm, deep voice relayed. “Looking good, Zulu.”
Eyes out. That’s what he’d say next.
“Eyes out. Stay alert.”
Nuala smiled as she made her way down to the apartment. On the right. Because odds were on the right. “Copy. Entering now.” She lifted the tool from her back pocket and easily picked her way into the door. Benefit of old, rundown apartments, thankyouverymuch. “We’re in,” she said.
“Roger,” Boone said. “We have you on the scope.”
Some might find it creepy that they were being watched from a half mile away. She found it comforting. An added layer of protection.
“The place is messed up,” Téya said.
“How so?” Rusty asked.
“It’s old. . .” Annie wrinkled her nose, then swept her hand over it. “Musty and dusty.”
Nuala walked the perimeter of the living room, taking in the moth-eaten sofa and
The corner of Nuala’s lips curled up. “My measurements were right then?” Her tone was a bit audacious. Almost saucy.
“Copy that, Noodle.” Surprisingly, there was a smile in Boone’s voice.
She smiled at Annie. “I found the one hotel that had a perfect line of sight on the corner apartment. Boone thought the bank would block it.”
“Show off,” Boone said.
Nuala glowed, not from the midafternoon sun, but from Boone’s praise.
“Okay,” Boone’s voice tickled through the earpiece. “Just heard from Téya. Landlady said the flat’s been leased for years, but she can’t remember the last time she saw the tenant.”
“Copy,” Annie said as she lifted her napkin to wipe her lips.
“Let’s check it out,” Boone said.
Nuala
After paying their bill, Nuala headed down the brick path to the sidewalk skirting the English Channel with Annie, a good compatriot, if she could keep her head in the game. Which she hadn’t. Not since she’d been lip-locked with the commander. Nuala had to admit, it was weird but good to see them like that. They’d been an item before Misrata, and stumbling upon them together again gave her hope for a bright future, where the team fought terrorists and evil the way they had six years ago.
Choppy waters of the channel churned and writhed, as if in agony. Nuala could only pray this wasn’t a portent of doom—what with the stormy sky adding its gloomy touch.
They stepped into the scant shade of the building and Nuala said, “Entering now.” It was protocol, but it also meant she was talking to Boone. She ached for him, for this loss. Nuala hated seeing him grieve, hated that Keeley had been taken from him. Some people might call her dishonest because of how much she cared for him for saying that, but she truly just wanted Boone happy. He was a good man, and he deserved to be happy.
They made it through the nondescript lobby. Her sniper training had her itching for a high elevation or vantage point, but that wasn’t possible. She’d have to make do. She spotted the door marked S
tairs
and pointed it out to Annie, then pushed it open.
Téya, who’d been sitting on the cement steps, pushed to her feet, without so much as a greeting. She climbed the steps one ahead of Nuala and Annie. “I thought he wanted to talk to us.”
“Seems a common problem,” Annie said, her words no doubt targeted toward Téya, who didn’t bat an eye or miss a step at the rebuke. She also didn’t spout off a comeback, contrary to her character.
And that made Nuala wonder. There was a lot about a person that changed during trying or difficult times, but Téya seemed like a completely different person.
“Third floor,” Nuala said into her coms as they stepped into a long, narrow corridor that only offered doors and no other view save the anemic, barred window at the end.
They moved down the hall that had been recently renovated—well, painted over was more accurate. Previous peeling spots left impressions beneath the new gray paint. The carpet smelled musty and of pet urine.
“Copy that. We have you on thermals,” Boone’s calm, deep voice relayed. “Looking good, Zulu.”
Eyes out. That’s what he’d say next.
“Eyes out. Stay alert.”
Nuala smiled as she made her way down to the apartment. On the right. Because odds were on the right. “Copy. Entering now.” She lifted the tool from her back pocket and easily picked her way into the door. Benefit of old, rundown apartments, thankyouverymuch. “We’re in,” she said.
“Roger,” Boone said. “We have you on the scope.”
Some might find it creepy that they were being watched from a half mile away. She found it comforting. An added layer of protection.
“The place is messed up,” Téya said.
“How so?” Rusty asked.
“It’s old. . .” Annie wrinkled her nose, then swept her hand over it. “Musty and dusty.”
Nuala walked the perimeter of the living room, taking in the moth-eaten sofa and
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