Page 27 of Being Bold (Tactical Operations & Protection (TOP) Security #1)

Bo

After Selene introduced Yumi to the guys and everyone settled down, Victor reminded them he was still on the call. They all turned to the computer screen at the sound of him clearing his throat.

“Can we get back to business, people?”

Message received.

Before he could say another word, Yumi wedged herself in front of the camera. “Those attacks your firm wants Dao for? They were demonstrations.”

Victor frowned, dark eyes narrowing. “What kind of demonstrations?” The guy’s buzzed head and no-nonsense jaw were usually enough of a warning that he didn’t put up with bullshit. Everyone on their team had learned that if you had a point, you got to it fast.

Yumi was about to get that lesson. She rubbed her right temple as if tension lingered there. “A proof of concept, if you will, for Sentient Shadow.”

Romeo got the question everyone was thinking out first, “What the fuck is that?”

Something in Yumi’s stare sent a chill through the room as her gaze trailed over them. “What he’s calling the weaponized AI.”

“Well, fuck,” Herc muttered.

“How do you know this? Can you track it down?” Bo wanted answers. Not more questions.

Her face said she was annoyed her skills were being questioned. “Already have, G.I. Joe. The first trial was four years ago in Afghanistan.”

Great, he’d made her testy. “Where?”

“Kandahar.”

Little warning tones chimed in Bo’s head. He was in Kandahar four years ago.

Yumi continued, oblivious to his inner struggle. “They used it to remotely detonate a female suicide bomber. Apparently, she was the wife of someone who betrayed Dao.”

“So the fucker got his test, and he sent a message about the dangers of double-crossing him.” Duke sounded almost impressed, which would’ve pissed Bo off if he wasn’t too busy suffocating.

“Was it—” Fuck, his throat was dry as bone. He swallowed and choked out, “Was it in Martyr’s Square?”

Yumi arched a brow. “Yes. Why?”

“I was there.” His statement sucked all the oxygen from the room as if everyone were afraid to breathe. It was understandable. He was having trouble pulling in air at the moment himself.

Selene moved, breaking the tension. “There’s nothing you could’ve done, Bo. That bomb was going to go off whether you killed the woman or not.” She squeezed his forearm and whispered, “It wasn’t your fault.”

For the first time since he’d woken up in the hospital and his commanding officer told him Nugg was gone, Bo truly believed those words.

The detonation wasn’t his fault.

With his acceptance, the darkness constantly stewing in his gut receded a fraction.

Enough that he didn’t feel in danger of drowning in it, at least. Maybe he couldn’t have changed the outcome of the bombing, but now that he knew the fucker responsible, he had every intention of rendering justice for Nugg.

Dao was going down. And Bo wouldn’t be gentle about it.

“There’s going to be another one soon.”

“Where?” Victor demanded.

“Taipei. The plan is to show the weapon off, then start the bidding. He’s auctioning it to a group that makes even the Yakuza pucker.”

And she’d know that how?

Bo wasn’t the only one wondering as everyone gave her a hard stare. Of course, it didn’t faze Yumi. She chose not to bother elaborating, simply stating, “The auction is your in.”

“Why auction it now if it was operational four years ago?” Herc bit into an apple after his question, and the sound of his chewing filled the silence.

Yumi shot him a look. “He was developing Sentient Shadow for Beijing. The government wants it incorporated into all aspects of the military.”

“But Dao wants to profit from it himself?” Duke cut in.

She shrugged. “The black market does pay more.”

While this information was interesting, it wasn’t helpful. Bo shifted on his feet, scrubbing a hand through his beard. “What’s the demonstration—exactly?” He wanted to know so they could stop it. If the weapon failed, then no one would want to bid on it.

“Chaos.” Yumi shook her head. “He’s going to show it can stop a train, create a fuel leak, and blow up several city blocks that happen to be the spot of a popular night market.”

Selene’s gasp of horror made Bo’s stomach roil. Her face blanched, and he took a comforting step toward her as she whispered in horror. “That’ll kill thousands.”

“We won’t let it,” Bo growled.

“Yeah, well, how do you plan to stop it?” Yumi’s voice wasn’t unkind, but she didn’t sound hopeful either.

When no one had a good answer, she sighed. “We have to destroy it at the source—the servers.”

“Have we found them?” Victor directed the question to Yumi, which meant TOP hadn’t had any luck locating them yet.

“ I haven’t,” Yumi said, answering Victor with a challenge in her voice.

His frown was hard enough to make your gut quiver. “Okay. Until then, we take precautions. We can shut down the station and cancel the market. Clear the area of civilians.” Victor’s confidence shifted the team into action mode until Yumi took the wind out of their sails.

“He’ll just choose another location.”

“Dammit,” the former Delta Force leader cursed. “We have to do something.”

“If we don’t know where the weapon is, what about its handler?” Bo’s question had all eyes on him. He was as frustrated as the rest but kept his expression stoic. “Can we find Dao? Take him out before he gets a chance to use it again?”

“Now, that’s not a bad idea,” Romeo’s grin held a sinister glint.

“It’s worth a shot,” Victor weighed in.

Yumi looked skeptical. “He’s not stupid. You’d need something to draw him out.”

“Or someone ,” Duke smirked and nodded toward Selene. “Use her as bait.”

Before he realized what he was doing, Bo’s hands fisted, and he was about to pummel the cocky bastard into the dark colored cabinets until Herc gripped his shoulder, forcefully holding him in place. “Think, Bo, Dao’s the kind of guy who doesn’t like loose ends, and she’s a big one.”

Always the voice of reason, Victor said, “Herc is right. But anything like that would be up to her. Selene?”

Herc might be right, but that didn’t make Bo more comfortable with the idea. He needed to protect her. Putting her in harm’s way again was completely counter to that objective. He begged her with his eyes to say no as everyone waited for her answer.

She’d caught her bottom lip between her teeth as she thought about it.

It made him want to kiss her. Taste the spot with his tongue.

Distract her so she wouldn’t have to consider placing herself in danger.

But while he wished for a different outcome, her eyes fired with a steely determination.

Letting go of her lip, she spoke with a confidence he certainly didn’t feel. “I’ll do it.”

Fucking fuck!

He broke free from Herc’s hold with an angry grunt and shove. Not caring that Victor hadn’t dismissed him, Bo stomped through the house, heading for the door and some air that didn’t smell like bad fucking ideas.

He didn’t like this. He might have a death wish, but taking Selene down with him wasn’t part of the plan.

◆◆◆

Selene

“What are you doing here?” Bo grunted at her in surprise, stopping halfway through the doorway.

Selene blinked him into focus, looking up from her seat on his bed. She’d almost fallen asleep after waiting hours for him to come back. Two big European-style pillows had been too comfortable as a prop. “You disappeared, and I wanted to talk to you.”

After he’d stormed off, her stomach had clenched into disappointed knots. As the team discussed the plan, she couldn’t help but wish Bo would support her choice. Yumi hadn’t been thrilled either, but she’d agreed.

Because they had no other options.

Not unless they found the servers and could shut down Sentient Shadow before Mr. Dao’s demonstration, which was planned for three days from now. With the time crunch . . . Selene wanted to be prepared for Plan B.

B as in bait.

She shook that thought from her head and watched Bo. When the surprise cleared from his face, he shut the door, but instead of coming closer, he leaned back against it, crossing his arms. “I needed some air.”

Despite the calm timber of his voice, he didn’t seem any less angry than when he’d stormed out of the kitchen this afternoon. His gaze darted around the room, taking in the double nightstands, the tall armoire, the low leather chair in the corner as if he refused to look at her.

Miffed by it, she asked, “Why are you upset?”

“Why’d you agree to be bait?” he countered her question with a question.

She stood up with a jerk, her bare feet sinking into the plush oriental rug. “Because I can’t hide forever!” Frustration made her raise her voice. “If I want my life to return to normal, Mr. Dao has to be stopped.”

“Dammit, Selene! He’s already almost killed you twice!” Bo advanced on her in two long strides, gripping her shoulders. “Why the fuck would you want to give him another shot at it?”

She was scared and wanted him to tell her that everything would work out. Not yell at her for her choices.

Oh God, don’t cry. Tears welled up in her eyes, clogging her throat.

His grip on her shifted, his hands sliding up to cup her face. “Aw fuck. Don’t cry, ocean-eyes.”

She was trying really hard not to. Biting the inside of her lip, she blinked rapidly to keep them from falling.

“I’m an asshole.” He kissed her forehead gently. “It’s not like you don’t know what you’ve been through. Sorry I threw it in your face.”

She tried to laugh it off and only managed a choked warble. “I’m scared.”

He pulled her in, hugging her to his chest. “You don’t have to do this. We’ll find another way.”

Selene shook her head, dragging it across the muscles in his pecs. “If I don’t, and we wait, innocent people are going to die.”

His arms tightened around her. “You don’t have to be a hero.”

She sighed, clinging to him and the comfort he offered. “I couldn’t live with that on my conscience.”

His grunt of acceptance rumbled through her as it climbed up his throat. “Yeah, I get that.”