Page 3 of Nails

“Nice to meet you,” Riley said.

“Likewise.I want to thank you both for your assistance with this operation, especially at the last minute.We had a few folks come down with some stomach bug that’s going around.”

“Anytime.We’re glad to help,” Ryan said.

“Yeah.Looks like you’ve got quite the operation running here,” Riley commented as she looked around.

Topper let out a deep laugh.“Yeah, this one’s been over a year in the making.Well, actually, almost two years.We’ve gotten close to busting them a few times, but somehow, they always find a way to evade us.I swear these scumbags have a horseshoe up their asses.”

“And they continue to operate here, knowing that they have a target on their back?”Riley asked.

“Yep.I’ve come to the conclusion that they think they’re untouchable because of the attorneys they have in their back pocket.”

“Damn.That’s bold,” Ryan stated.

“Yeah, it is.The dealer has been using this location as the main distribution hub.However, we now have enough evidence to take them down and make the charges stick.However, I’m not gonna lie, it could get a little dicey once we move in.”

He then gestured to a group of men standing nearby.“Come on over, and I’ll introduce you two to some of the team.”

Riley and Ryan followed Topper as they approached the command center trailer.Topper then introduced the pair to a few key players in the operation—another DEA agent, a local narcotics detective, and a couple of SWAT team leaders.As they exchanged greetings, Riley felt the weight of a few lingering stares.She didn’t need to look up to know some of the men were checking her out.She had dealt with men eyeing her over her entire career.

At five-feet-ten, with long brown hair, bright blue eyes, and a lean, toned figure built from years of training, she was used to standing out in a room full of men.Some admired her, while some underestimated her.Then, there were a few who made the mistake of thinking she’d be impressed by their attention.

She’d learned her lesson early in her career.She was young and naïve and made the mistake of letting her guard down with a colleague.It had ended in disaster.Now, her focus was on her job and not winding up in another man’s bed.

After the introductions were made, Special Agent Topper led Riley and Ryan inside the command center truck, which was bustling with activity.Riley always found the mobile command centers fascinating.One whole wall was covered in computer monitors.Several of the screens displayed live drone footage of the location.Riley studied the large, rundown two-story house that was surrounded by overgrown grass.The front porch was dilapidated, with broken boards, and some parts of it had even caved in.There were a few broken windows.Some were boarded up with plywood, while others were covered with scraps of lumber.

“How big is the property?”Riley asked.

“Just over five acres.It is all wooded except for the area where the house sits and the surrounding yard.We have two teams sweeping the perimeter right now to make sure there isn’t anything that would tip off the group of our arrival.”

“Do we have an estimate of how many are in the house?”

“Our thermal imaging cameras picked up twelve heat signatures inside and four outside.We have a team with eyes on the four outside.They are patrolling just inside the tree line.Come over here, and I’ll show you the layout of the house.”

Riley and Ryan followed Topper over to a table that was covered in maps, photographs, and a blueprint of the house.

Riley scanned the blueprint.“This thing looks more like a mansion.It’s huge,” she commented as she moved to the next table to look at the layout of the second floor.

“The main floor appears to have an open floor plan consisting of a large kitchen and family room.The master bedroom is located on the main floor on the east side.There is a study attached to it.The second floor contains the other five bedrooms, along with another entertaining area.”

Riley moved to the final blueprint.“Is that a basement?”she asked.

Topper nodded his head.“Yep.There is a full basement, which is where we believe they make the drugs.These blueprints are from when the house was built over fifteen years ago.We can’t be sure that there haven’t been any modifications made.”

“Do we have an idea where everyone is inside?”Ryan asked.

“We have five heat signatures on the main floor, and the rest are upstairs.”

“What about the basement?”Riley asked as her eyes moved over the plans again.

Topper’s expression appeared unsure as she looked at Riley.

“We can’t be sure.There appears to be something in the basement that is blocking the thermal imaging camera.”

Riley caught Ryan’s concerned gaze.Several factors could prevent a thermal imaging camera from accurately detecting heat signatures, especially in a basement.

“We’ve had teams watching this place like a hawk for the last week.We’ve counted the number of people who go inside and those who come out.We believe that everyone is accounted for.”