Page 9 of My Special Ops Neighbor (Neighborhood Hotties #4)

Y vette 's screens lit up with contact alerts as Curtis's assault team moved into final position around the house. Through thermal imaging, she could see eight figures deploying with military efficiency, each carrying equipment that made her stomach clench with dread.

"Contact confirmed," she announced, her voice steady despite the adrenaline flooding her system. "Eight hostiles, multiple approach vectors."

Vincent was already moving, checking his weapon one final time before coordinating with Agent Bates's team. "What's their equipment signature?"

"Heavy." Yvette's fingers flew over her keyboard, analyzing the thermal readings. "Looks like breaching charges, incendiary devices, and enough firepower to level this house."

Through the hijacked communication network, Curtis's voice filled her headset with cold authority: "All units, final positions. We light this place up in ninety seconds."

"Ninety seconds," Vincent said, his voice carrying the lethal calm she'd learned to recognize. "Whatever you're going to do, do it now."

Yvette's hands moved across multiple keyboards with focused intensity. For fifteen years, she'd been dismantling financial criminals after they'd committed their crimes. Tonight, she was conducting real-time warfare against an active criminal operation.

"First target: their funding," she announced, executing commands that sent automated seizure orders to banks across three countries. "If I can freeze Curtis's operational accounts..."

Her screens filled with confirmation messages as federal seizure orders activated simultaneously. Curtis's mercenaries, helicopter extraction team, and safe house operators would find their payments frozen within minutes.

Through the intercepted communications, confusion immediately spread through Curtis's network.

"Sir, the extraction team is demanding immediate payment," Curtis's security chief reported. "The bank transfers aren't processing."

"What do you mean they're not processing?" Curtis's voice carried the first hint of panic.

"His escape plan just collapsed," Vincent said with grim satisfaction, watching Yvette work from behind her chair.

"That's just the beginning." Yvette activated systems she'd spent hours preparing. "Second target: evidence distribution."

Real-time data streams launched simultaneously to fifty different recipients. News outlets, congressional committees, military prosecutors, international law enforcement agencies—all receiving identical evidence packages that painted a complete picture of RareCore's conspiracy.

"Every major news network in the world just received comprehensive evidence of the fraud, the congressional corruption, and the soldier deaths," she said, watching confirmation messages flood her screens. "This isn't just a federal investigation anymore. It's global exposure."

"Ma'am, international news networks are breaking the story," Agent Bates reported through her radio. "The entire conspiracy is going public in real-time."

Through Curtis's communication network, Yvette could hear his operation disintegrating.

"Sir, we need to abort," his security chief was saying. "Our extraction is compromised, funding is cut off, and the operation is being broadcast internationally."

"Negative!" Curtis screamed. "I'm not going to federal prison because of some accountant. Initiate thermal assault now!"

"Third target," Yvette said, her voice hardening with determination. "Their weapons systems."

She'd been tracking the electronic signatures of Curtis's incendiary devices for the past hour, mapping their communication protocols and trigger mechanisms. Now she exploited the same vulnerabilities she'd used to penetrate their network.

"Yvette," Vincent said urgently, "whatever you're doing, they're moving to trigger those devices."

"Let them try."

Curtis's team activated their incendiary triggers, expecting to create overlapping fire patterns that would burn the house down with everyone inside. Instead, nothing happened.

Yvette had penetrated their electronic systems and disabled every trigger mechanism.

"What the hell?" Curtis's voice cracked with disbelief. "Why aren't the charges firing?"

"Because I own your entire network," Yvette said, though he couldn't hear her.

But she wasn't finished. Using her access to their trigger systems, she reprogrammed the incendiary devices for a different purpose entirely.

"Fourth target: Curtis himself."

Instead of igniting around the house, the devices activated in a perfect circle around Curtis's command position, creating a controlled burn that trapped him and his security detail without escape routes.

"Sir, we're surrounded by fire!" his security chief shouted. "The charges went off in the wrong pattern!"

Through her thermal imaging, Yvette watched Curtis's team realize they'd walked into their own trap. The man who'd ordered the deaths of thousands of soldiers was now caged by his own weapons.

"Vincent," she called. "Curtis is contained. His team is trapped by their own incendiary devices."

"Outstanding." Vincent was already coordinating with Agent Bates. "Federal teams, move in for arrest. Suspects are contained and unable to retreat."

What followed wasn't a battle—it was a methodical federal operation to arrest criminals who'd run out of options.

Curtis's mercenaries, faced with prison sentences for attacking federal agents, surrendered without resistance when they realized their employer couldn't pay them and their escape routes were gone.

"Larry Curtis, you're under arrest for conspiracy to commit murder, defense contract fraud, and assault on federal agents," Agent Bates announced over the radio as her teams moved in.

Through the communication intercepts, Yvette heard Curtis's final transmission: "This was supposed to be a simple extraction. How did an accountant destroy my entire operation?"

"Because this accountant spent fifteen years learning how to dismantle people like you," she said to her screens, watching federal agents lead the handcuffed figure of Larry Curtis away from the smoking remains of his own trap.

Vincent appeared behind her chair, his hands settling on her shoulders as he studied the displays showing twelve federal agents arresting one of the most wanted corporate criminals in American history.

"You didn't just solve this case," he said with genuine awe. "You revolutionized how these investigations work. Financial warfare, real-time evidence distribution, turning their own weapons against them—that was incredible."

"We did it," Yvette corrected, looking up at him. "Your tactical knowledge gave me the context to understand their operational structure. Your protection gave me the time to build these capabilities."

"You turned their desperation into their downfall."

Through her monitors, she watched federal agents secure the perimeter and begin processing the crime scene. Curtis's expensive suit was torn and streaked with soot from his own incendiary devices. The man who'd valued profit margins over Marines' lives was finally facing justice.

"Agent Bates," Yvette called. "What's the status on the other RareCore teams?"

"Arrests are being made simultaneously across the city," Bates reported. "Your evidence distribution triggered coordinated federal action. RareCore's executives, the senators taking their money, even their shell company operators—everyone's being rounded up."

"And the families of the soldiers who died because of defective equipment?"

"They'll finally get answers," Vincent said, his voice carrying deep satisfaction. "And the people responsible will spend the rest of their lives in federal prison."

Yvette felt tears sting her eyes as the full weight of what they'd accomplished settled over her.

For years, she'd investigated financial crimes after the damage was done.

Tonight, she'd stopped a criminal conspiracy while it was still active, prevented more deaths, and ensured that justice would finally be served.

"The DCAA teams?" she asked.

"Safe," Agent Bates confirmed. "Local police secured the building. Your colleagues were evacuated without casualties."

"Is it really over?"

Vincent's hands tightened on her shoulders.

"Curtis is in custody, his entire network is arrested, and the evidence is already triggering investigations in twelve countries.

RareCore's assets are frozen, their congressional enablers are facing ethics committees, and the story is breaking on every news network in the world. "

Through her screens, Yvette could see the aftermath of her digital warfare campaign.

Curtis's financial empire was collapsing in real-time as seizure orders executed across international banking networks.

His communication systems were still under her control, providing federal agents with detailed intelligence about every aspect of his criminal operations.

"You know what the beautiful part is?" she said, watching the data streams flow across her monitors.

"What's that?"

"He thought he was fighting an accountant. Someone he could intimidate or eliminate with conventional tactics." She smiled with fierce satisfaction. "He never understood that he was fighting someone who'd spent fifteen years learning how to destroy people who use money and power to hurt others."

"And he definitely didn't understand that you had backup."

Yvette turned in her chair to face him fully. Vincent stood behind her like a guardian, his tactical gear still strapped on, his weapon ready despite the fact that the immediate danger had passed.

"You were incredible tonight," she said. "The way you coordinated the defense, protected the federal agents, kept me safe while I worked. You're exactly the partner I needed."

"You made it easy. Watching you dismantle their entire operation from a basement workstation while they were trying to burn us alive..." He shook his head in amazement. "You're the most formidable person I've ever met."

Agent Bates approached their position, tablet in hand. "You might want to see this. The story is breaking everywhere."

The screens showed international headlines streaming across news networks: "Billion-Dollar Defense Fraud Exposed," "Corporate Conspiracy Led to Thousands of Military Deaths," "Forensic Accountant Brings Down Criminal Empire."

"We're famous," Vincent said.

"We're effective," Yvette corrected, though she couldn't suppress a smile. "And we make a hell of a team."

As federal agents continued securing the scene and processing evidence, Yvette began shutting down her warfare systems and archiving the intelligence she'd gathered.

The basement that had served as their command center for the final battle was now quiet except for the hum of cooling equipment and the distant sound of federal vehicles outside.

"What happens now?" Vincent asked.

"Now we make sure this sticks," she said, already planning the follow-up investigations that would be needed.

"Curtis is just the beginning. There are probably dozens of other defense contractors using similar fraud schemes.

Congressional corruption networks that need exposure.

International connections that require investigation. "

"Sounds like you're planning to stay in this line of work."

Yvette looked up at him, seeing the question in his eyes. "Only if I have the right partner."

His smile was fierce with anticipation. "I can't think of anything I'd rather do than help you take down criminals who profit from other people's suffering."

"Even if it means more nights like this? More danger, more bureaucratic interference, more people trying to kill us?"

"Especially then." Vincent's hands framed her face, his thumbs tracing along her cheekbones. "We just proved that we're unstoppable when we work together. Your analytical brilliance and my tactical training—we can take on anyone."

Through the windows, Yvette could see the burns from Curtis's incendiary devices finally dying out, leaving only charred circles in the grass where his trap had become his cage.

Federal agents were loading the last of his mercenaries into transport vehicles while crime scene technicians documented the evidence.

"It's really over," she said, finally allowing herself to believe it.

"This case is over," Vincent corrected. "But I think we're just getting started."

As if to emphasize his point, Agent Bates reappeared with her phone.

"I just got off a call with the Justice Department.

They want to discuss creating a specialized task force for financial crimes that involve national security.

Apparently, your methods tonight impressed some very important people. "

"Our methods," Yvette corrected automatically.

"Right. Your partnership." Bates smiled. "They're calling it the most innovative investigative operation in federal law enforcement history. Real-time financial warfare combined with tactical defense operations. They want to make it a permanent capability."

Vincent's grin was pure satisfaction. "Sounds like we're going to be busy."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Yvette said, standing up from her workstation for the first time in hours.

Her legs were unsteady from adrenaline and exhaustion, but Vincent's strong hands immediately steadied her. The man who'd protected her life while she dismantled a criminal empire now held her like she was something precious and powerful all at once.