Chapter 4
The next morning, I wake to sunlight streaming through the blinds and the familiar weight of Noodles’s arm draped over my waist. He stirs beside me, his fingers curling around my hip.
“Morning, beautiful. How are you feeling?”
“I’m good. Just thinking about the baby.”
“Our little peanut.” He kisses my forehead, his smile soft with wonder. “The luckiest baby in the whole world.”
My phone buzzes on the nightstand, the familiar tone signaling an alert from Guardian Headquarters. I grab it with a sigh, scanning the details of a new hostage situation unfolding.
We specialize in the rescue of human-trafficking victims, but sometimes the FBI calls us in to assist with domestic hostage rescue situations. Delta team is our go-to expert for such missions and it looks like we’re spinning them up.
“I have to go in.” I give him an apologetic look. “I’m really sorry. Duty calls.”
He just smiles, pulling me in for another kiss. “Go save the day. I’m thinking I’ll take Kai surfing.”
Noodles is an avid surfer and a powerful swimmer. It’s how we met, actually. He saved me from the surf that swept me off the rocks and into the ocean. I would’ve drowned if not for him. Because of the dangerous surf, he had to take me out past the breakwater before paddling us down the beach until it was safe to head in.
I got to meet Old Joe during that rescue and let’s just say, I’m not a fan of swimming with great white sharks. Noodles, however, was totally Zen about it.
When he needs to think, he heads out beyond the break to talk to his watery friend.
Talk about first impressions.
“He loves that, just promise no communing with Old Joe.”
I wish I could go with them. A day spent playing in the surf sounds divine, but I have a job to do, and lives depend on me. The rest will have to wait.
“I love you,” I say fiercely.
“I love you too. Now go save lives.” He shoos me off the bed, and I scramble to get ready, clinging to the memory of his smile.
Today is going to be a good day.
It has to be.
I burst into Guardian Headquarters, scanning the room. I’m the last to arrive. Everyone else is ready to go, reviewing the details of the situation.
“There you are.” My boss, Sam, waves me over to the monitors, where live footage shows a bank robbery in progress. He’s the lead of Guardian HRS, kind of like a CEO, or General.
CJ, the lead for the Guardian teams is with him. He’s Guardian HRS’s version of a full bird colonel. “We have a dozen hostages at a bank; the gunmen are demanding a helicopter and safe passage out of the country.”
“They’re armed and volatile,” CJ says grimly. “This is going to be a tech-heavy op. They want to deploy the drones.”
“Do they have eyes on the hostages?” I glance at Sam.
“No. All interior cameras are disarmed.”
“I’ll get the drones prepped. We’ll send in the bumblebees. It’s the best way to get eyes in there.”
My team springs into action, preparing to deploy our high-tech arsenal of autonomous drones. Over the years, we’ve created several variants, each performing unique functions. From bumblebees to dragonflies, to the Rufi, along with Smaug, a high-altitude drone, our capabilities continue to expand.
The bumblebees are perfect for covert surveillance. Not only can they crawl through the smallest of openings, people tend to ignore insects. Outfitted with high-tech cameras, with wide-angle views, they’re perfect for covert surveillance. They’ll get us the information we need without alerting the gunmen. It’ll make rescuing the hostages that much easier.
I roll up my sleeves and dig in.