Page 48 of Oliver (The Golden Team #7)

Oliver

Northern Mexico – Five Miles from Langston’s Compound

W e moved under the cover of night, the dust clinging to our boots and the heat rising even after sunset. Langston’s hideout was buried deep in cartel-controlled territory—land where favors were bought with blood, and secrets were currency.

“Thermal’s picking up twelve heat signatures,” Cyclone whispered, peering through his scope. “Two vehicles. Reinforced steel. No markings.”

“Private security,” Oliver muttered. “Langston’s not trusting government muscle anymore.”

Raven nodded. “He knows we’re coming.”

We crouched behind a crumbled stone wall, the compound rising like a fortress in the distance. Tall fences. Watchtowers. A drone looped in wide, slow circles overhead.

“He’s prepping to run,” I said. “Fuel trucks on standby. Satellite dish still warm. Someone’s making contact.”

Oliver glanced at his watch. “We move in five. Quiet entry. Disable surveillance. Capture Langston alive.”

Emery’s voice echoed in my head. Burn him down.

Oh, we would.

But first?

We needed someone inside.

Raven’s communication crackled. “We’ve got a problem,” he said, eyes narrowing.

He handed me his earpiece, and I heard the words that made my blood turn to ice.

“They have Gage.”

Oliver froze.

“What?”

Cyclone checked his communications. “Repeat that.”

The voice came again—one of our field scouts. “Gage went dark three hours ago. He was tracking Langston’s convoy before they reached the compound. Now his signal’s inside.”

“They took him,” Raven said flatly.

Cyclone looked at me. “New plan?”

I nodded. “We go in hot.”

“No,” Raven said. “We go in smart. Langston’s expecting fury. Let’s give him precision. ”

Inside the Compound – Gage

The ropes bit into my wrists, but I didn’t move.

Langston sat across from me, sleeves rolled up, sipping expensive scotch like we were at a fundraiser instead of a hostage situation.

“You’re loyal,” he said calmly. “I respect that. But loyalty to the wrong side… that’s fatal.”

I spit blood on the floor. “You’re gonna regret touching her. You don’t know Oliver. You tried to kill his wife.”

Langston leaned in. “You don’t get it, soldier. She was never the problem. It’s what she knows. What she has. That drive? It’ll bring down people who never heard her name. I can’t let that happen.”

I smiled. “Then you really don’t get it either.”

He frowned.

“Emery Steel doesn’t back down. She doesn’t hide. She fights. She has had to fight her entire life to become who she is.

The lights cut out.

Langston stood up, eyes narrowing.

And somewhere outside, a silent alarm tripped.

I grinned through the blood. “Showtime.”