Chapter 2 #2
"Preferred. Heart attack, stroke, anything that doesn't raise flags. He's got private security, but they're focused outward, not inward. You'll have access to his schedule once the op is approved."
She nodded. "Backup?"
Anubis answered. "Rook's available. He'll handle exfil and overwatch."
Good. Rook was solid, steady, and he didn't ask stupid questions. Usually.
Fury spoke again. “This one’s high-profile, Raven. Bernard’s got eyes on him from multiple agencies. You need to be invisible.”
“I’m always invisible.”
“I mean it. No traces. No witnesses. No evidence. You go in clean, you come out cleaner.”
“Understood.”
Lycos leaned back in his chair, his gaze steady. “Anything else you need?”
She thought about it, then shook her head. “Just the op details once it’s approved.”
“You’ll have them.” He paused. “Get some rest. You’ve earned it.”
The screens went dark.
Raven sat alone in the briefing room for a moment, the silence pressing in. Then she stood, left the data stick on the table for the tech to collect, and headed for the exit.
* * *
Her phone buzzed as she reached her car.
A message from Phantom: Training session tomorrow at 1400. You in?
She smiled. Texted back: Always. There was no better way to relax than kicking her teammates’ asses.
* * *
The private gym was three miles from her house, tucked into an industrial complex that Guardian leased under a shell company. It had everything they needed, including weights, mats, a shooting range, and enough space to spar without breaking bones.
Phantom was already there, wrapping his hands, when she arrived the next afternoon.
Rook sat on a bench, cleaning his sidearm, while Specter and Jinx were sparring in the corner, moving fast and sharp, their strikes controlled but brutal.
Jinx came to D.C. once a month or so to train, but now that he was married, he spent most of his free time in South Dakota with his family.
It was the same for Berserker. Well, not South Dakota, but sticking with his woman most of the time.
Phantom looked up, grinned. "Sleeping Beauty returns."
"Don't start with me, or I’ll finish it, Phantom."
Demon chuckled, "We were starting to think Volkov got you."
She flipped Demon off. "Fuck you. Volkov got dead. I got paid."
Rook snorted. "How'd it go?"
"Like always. In, out, no one saw me."
Demon drawled, "Did Fury let it go at that?"
She laughed, "Fury never lets it go. Doesn't stop me from being right, though."
Specter and Jinx finished their round, both breathing hard. Jinx wiped sweat from his forehead and shot Raven a look. "You up for a round?"
"You sure you want that?"
Jinx grinned. "You gave my son a professional drum set. I'm sure I want to try."
Raven grinned, “Who, me?” The innocence didn’t come close to working, and everyone laughed. “Be right back.” She changed into workout gear in the locker room and stepped onto the mat.
Phantom laughed and asked, “A drum set, really?”
Raven looked at him and held up her hands, “I thought he’d like it.”
“Oh, he does.” Jinx snickered. “So much so that we moved it out to the barn. The cows don’t like it any more than I do.”
“Hey, that was an expensive set of drums.”
“Next time, ask,” Specter said from the side of the mat.
“Where’s the fun in that?” Havoc said as he approached the mats.
Raven smiled at him. “Hey, you. How’s life?”
Havoc smiled. “Couldn’t be better. Came to watch you kick some ass.”
Jinx jumped on his toes. “Ready?”
“Sure.” Raven rolled her shoulders and moved toward Jinx. They circled each other. Jinx was fast, aggressive, all sharp angles and relentless pressure. Raven was fluid, adaptive, the kind of fighter who turned momentum into leverage.
Jinx struck first—a jab, a cross, a low kick.
Raven slipped the jab, blocked the cross, checked the kick. Countered with a palm strike that Jinx barely avoided.
They traded blows for two minutes, neither landing clean.
Then Raven adjusted. Feinted high, went low, swept Jinx's legs, and pinned him to the mat in three moves.
Jinx tapped out, laughing. "You're still impossible."
"You're getting better."
"Not better enough." He groaned as he got up.
“Please tell me your kid goes to school and learns proper grammar.” Phantom laughed.
“I believe the wording is not good enough,” Specter added.
Jinx lifted his middle finger to no one in particular. “Fuck all of you.”
Raven pulled him to his feet. "Give it time. One of these days, you may beat me."
Jinx snorted. “Yep, and then hell will freeze over.”
“It could happen,” Rook said.
Phantom clapped. "All right, my turn."
"You sure?" Raven asked.
"I'm sure I'll regret it. But yeah. Let’s go, chickadee."
They sparred for an hour, rotating partners, trading techniques, pushing limits. No ego. Just skill.
When they finally collapsed onto the benches, sweat-soaked and grinning, Raven felt something she hadn't felt in days.
Alive.
"So," Rook said, popping open a water bottle. "What's next?"
Raven threw a wet sweat rag at him. "Monaco. You know that."
Phantom raised an eyebrow. "The Bernard contract?"
She nodded. "Once it's approved."
"That's a nasty one. He's connected."
"They're all connected."
"Not like this. You're going to be walking through a minefield," Havoc added.
She shrugged. "I've walked through worse."
"You need backup?" Specter asked, leaning forward.
"Rook's on exfil."
"Good. You'll need him."
Jinx crossed his arms. "Be careful, Raven. This one’s different."
Raven met his eyes. "They’re all different until they're dead."
"Yeah, but—"
"I'll be fine."
Jinx didn't look convinced, but he let it drop.
They trained for another hour, then scattered. Phantom headed to the shooting range. Rook left for a meeting. Specter and Jinx grabbed food.
Havoc and Raven stayed behind. She worked the heavy bag until her knuckles ached, and Havoc ran full out on the treadmill the entire time she pounded the bag.
When she finally stopped, her phone buzzed.
A message from Anubis: Monaco op approved. Briefing tomorrow 0900.
She stared at the screen.
Somewhere in Monaco, Henri Bernard was living his last days.
He just didn't know it yet.
“How are you doing, Raven?” Havoc asked as he wiped the sweat from his face and neck.
“I’m doing okay.” She was telling the truth. Each year, her okay got better. Not perfect, but better.
“If you want to come out to the cabin and hang with Elise and me, you’re welcome.” She glanced up at him. He’d always been the one who stayed behind to check on her.
She shook her head and smiled at him. “I really am okay. I’ll take you up on the invitation, but not right now. Bernard’s time is up.” She lifted the phone in evidence.
“You know where we are. Anytime, Raven, and I mean that.”
“I know. Go give your woman a sweaty hug for me.”
A bright smile popped onto Havoc’s face. “That sounds like a plan.” He held up his fist, and she bumped it with hers. “Whatever it takes.”
“As long as it takes.” Raven smiled at him and turned, heading to the dressing room.