Page 8 of My Special Ops Neighbor (Neighborhood Hotties #4)

Y vette quickly pulled on her shirt and moved to her monitors, Vincent close behind her as they both tried to look professional despite their disheveled state. The post-intimacy glow vanished instantly, replaced by sharp focus as data filled her screens.

"Confirmed," she announced, her fingers flying over the keyboard. "Larry Curtis is moving personally, with what looks like his full security detail."

"How many?" Vincent asked, checking his weapon while Bates coordinated with her team upstairs.

"About a dozen, maybe more." Yvette pulled up surveillance feeds. "And they're not taking the careful approach this time. This is a direct assault."

Bates appeared at the top of the basement stairs, phone pressed to her ear, her voice sharp with frustration. "I don't care about jurisdictional protocols, we need SWAT here now! What do you mean forty-five minutes? We have armed PMCs heading straight for us!"

She ended the call with obvious anger. "SWAT is tied up with a hostage situation downtown. FBI tactical team is en route from Baltimore but they're thirty minutes out minimum."

"Bureaucratic nightmare?" Vincent asked.

"The worst kind. RareCore's lawyers have been fighting every warrant, every authorization.

We're operating in a legal gray area while they're throwing everything they have at us.

" Her radio crackled with reports from field teams. "And it gets worse.

Six two-man teams just went active simultaneously across the city.

They're hitting federal safe houses, targeting investigators' families. "

"Coordinated assault on the entire investigation," Yvette realized, studying the intelligence feeds. "They're not giving anyone time to respond."

"Exactly. Blitzkrieg tactics - overwhelm every target before we can organize proper defenses." Bates was already issuing orders through her radio. "Local police are responding but they're not equipped for this level of threat."

Yvette's screens suddenly exploded with financial activity. "Vincent, look at this. They're liquidating assets, moving money offshore. But these aren't escape funds - they're combat pay rates. Hazard bonuses."

"They've escalated from corporate security to private military contractors," Vincent said, studying the data over her shoulder.

Bates was shouting into her phone again. "I don't care about budget approvals! We have PMCs attacking federal personnel! Get me air support, get me whatever you can authorize right now!"

"How long until backup arrives?" Yvette asked.

"SWAT is twenty-five minutes out if they can break free. FBI tactical is thirty." Bates's face was grim. "And Curtis knows our response times. That's why he's moving now."

"I need to ask you something," Yvette said, confusion and anger clear in her voice. "We've identified Larry Curtis. We have evidence of the conspiracy. Why isn't he in custody already? Why are we letting him run around with private armies?"

Bates rubbed her temples. "The arrest warrants are hung up in legal challenges. RareCore's lawyers filed injunctions claiming the evidence was obtained illegally, corporate privilege violations, constitutional challenges. It's tied up with three different federal judges."

"But he's actively attacking federal agents right now!"

"Which gives us grounds to act, but we need personnel to actually make arrests. And Curtis isn't stupid - all his teams stay mobile, never in one place long enough for local police to respond."

Vincent joined the conversation. "What's his endgame? He's been identified. His company's finished. Why isn't he cutting his losses and running?"

"Because he can't run successfully," Bates replied. "Yvette's investigation froze most of his assets. International law enforcement is watching his escape routes. He knows the evidence trail leads straight to him personally - this isn't just corporate fraud anymore, it's murder conspiracy."

"So he's trapped," Yvette realized.

"Worse than trapped. He's facing life in federal prison, and his military background means he knows exactly how this ends if he surrenders." Bates checked her weapon. "His only play is eliminate the witnesses and destroy the evidence before reinforcements arrive."

"Even if he nukes this house from orbit, he won't get the evidence," Yvette said, turning back to her workstation. "I've got automated processes sending signed affidavits to my boss, copies to DCAA's legal department, files to congressional oversight committees. The evidence is everywhere."

Bates's expression grew even darker. "Yvette, your boss and DCAA headquarters are under attack too. Curtis sent teams there twenty minutes ago."

Yvette's hands froze over the keyboard. "What?"

"Three-team assault on the DCAA building. They're trying to take out your entire department and destroy the servers." Bates checked her phone for updates. "Local police are responding, but Curtis planned this to overwhelm multiple response networks simultaneously."

"My colleagues..." Yvette's voice was tight with worry.

"Are evacuating the building as we speak. But Curtis isn't just trying to eliminate you - he's trying to eliminate your entire support network and destroy every copy of the evidence he can reach."

"Then it's a good thing I'm paranoid about multiple copies," Yvette said, her voice hardening with resolve as she dove back into her work. "He has no idea how many locations have this data."

Her fingers flew over the keyboard as she exploited a vulnerability she'd been tracking. "Wait... I think I can crack their communication network. If I can get inside their encryption protocols..."

She worked in intense concentration for several minutes, lines of code scrolling across her screens. Vincent watched her process multiple data streams simultaneously, turning her investigative skills into digital weapons.

"Got them," she announced triumphantly. "Full access to their communication network. I can see all their teams, approach routes, tactical plans."

"Outstanding," Vincent said, moving behind her chair to study the displays. "What can you do with that access?"

"Watch this." She began inputting carefully crafted false intelligence into RareCore's network. On her screens, they could see some of the peripheral assault teams receiving redirected orders, moving away from optimal positions toward empty locations.

"You're turning their own coordination against them," Vincent said with admiration.

Bates looked up from her tactical planning. "How much time does that buy us?"

"Maybe ten minutes while the outer teams reposition based on false intel," Yvette replied, still working. "But Curtis's main force is too close to fall for misdirection. They'll be here regardless."

"That's still not enough time for federal reinforcements." Bates turned to Vincent. "How defendable is this position?"

"Very, if we use every advantage." Vincent was already shifting into tactical mode. "Reinforced construction, multiple escape routes, excellent sight lines. But we're outnumbered three to one."

"Then we better be three times smarter," Yvette said, expanding her network infiltration. "I'm tracking Curtis's approach. I can give you exact positions, timing, maybe even intercept their tactical communications."

"Can you maintain that access during an active assault?"

"Already running on independent power and satellite uplink." She was implementing final protocols. "As long as this building stays intact, I can be your eyes and ears."

Vincent secured his ammunition and weapons. "What about Curtis personally? Any intelligence on his capabilities?"

Yvette pulled up personnel files she'd been analyzing. "Larry Curtis, former Army Special Forces. Decorated combat veteran, multiple deployments. He's not just a corporate executive - he's a trained killer who knows exactly what he's doing."

"Which explains why this feels like a coordinated battlefield operation," Vincent said.

Bates was positioning her remaining agents throughout the house. "Defensive positions, people. We hold this location until reinforcements arrive. Rules of engagement are active - these are armed hostiles threatening federal personnel."

Through the monitors, Yvette could see vehicles approaching from multiple directions. "Contact. Six vehicles, different vectors. This is it."

Vincent moved closer to her, his hand settling on her shoulder. "You ready for this?"

She looked up at him, seeing the same fierce determination in her own eyes reflected back. "Time to show them what happens when they threaten the wrong people."

"Stay smart, stay safe," he said, leaning down to kiss her forehead. "Your mind is our best weapon."

As Vincent moved to coordinate the defense with Bates, Yvette settled deeper into her chair, surrounded by monitors showing the approaching assault force.

Her fingers moved across the keyboard, tracking enemy positions, intercepting communications, preparing to wage electronic warfare against a private army.

The final battle was about to begin, and she intended to make sure Curtis's last mistake was underestimating a forensic accountant who'd learned to fight back.