Page 181 of Fractured Future

While part of me can relate to Hyland’s frustration, I also understand why they’re taking the lead today. After the seizure, my medical clearance hangs in the balance. Not to mention the toll from questioning every last operative we apprehended.

Warner and Hyland took the lead on interrogating the remaining suspects while avoiding the topic of Madden still rotting in a dark cell somewhere in the building. They’ve been working flat out as I’ve rested.

“I’ve got Perez’s lease up.” Rayna leans close to squint at her laptop, dislodging lilac hair tucked behind her pixie-like ears. “It’s for apartment 32c.”

“You catch that?” Warner reiterates into his comms. “32c. You have permission to force entry.”

“Copy.” Archer taps his earpiece on the live feed.

“Take him quickly and quietly,” Warner instructs. “Perez can connect us to Gael. Or at least whoever receives the shipments on the other side. He’s integral.”

With all of my attention locked on the screen, I watch the Falcon Team inch closer to their target. Archer, Oscar and Josh hang back while Kyle lines up their handheld battering ram.

“On three.” Kyle’s deep voice warns his teammates. “Cover me.”

I’m on the edge of my seat as Kyle prepares to make his move. We know very little about Tyler Perez beyond hisrole in local government handling shipping permits and freight permissions for large-scale exports.

He could be sitting behind that door with a machine gun ready to unload it into the Falcon Team, and we’d be none the wiser. The real danger of working for Sabre is at the forefront today.

Overwhelmed by nerves that feel foreign to me, I curl and release my fists repeatedly, waiting for the bang of the door collapsing in. Hyland halts his pacing to stand at my side.

“Red.” His huge paw tucks around mine and offers a squeeze. “Take a breath.”

“Thought I was calming you down?”

“We can’t do that for each other?” He arches a brow.

“I guess I can take your anxiety if you’ll take mine, big guy.”

Moss-laced pools flicking over my face, he flourishes a tense smile. “Deal.”

Together, we watch the scene unfold onscreen over Warner’s tense shoulders. Kyle is fast and efficient, cracking through Perez’s front door in two rams.

The scene dissolves into a fast-moving blur, holding us all on tenterhooks. The team rushes into the apartment in close formation, weapons raised at the ready and screaming for surrender.

“Status report,” Warner booms into his earpiece, clutching the edge of the table. “Come in.”

Live feed settling, a view of a sleekly furnished, high-ceilinged apartment comes into view. The classical, Victorian mouldings and brass fittings shine despite the weak daylight filtering through drawn velvet curtains.

“Clear every room!” Archer shouts his orders.

Each member of the team splits off to infiltrate a different space. It’s a vast apartment, spanning multiple gold-lacedmarble floors and elaborately furnished sitting rooms. There’s even a private bar.

Clearly, Gael pays well.

What a surprise.

“He’s gone,” I whisper, dread gathering to form a brick in my stomach. “We’re too late.”

“We’ll find him.” Hyland’s hand cinches mine again in an attempt at comfort.

“The same way we’ve found Luis? Our leads keep disappearing!”

“This job is a long game, I’m afraid. You have to hold faith sometimes.”

“I don’t have a lot of faith left to give.”

“Then I’ll hold faith for you, red.”