Chapter 1 Makeshift HQ, South America #3
“Awesome that those two are playing nice in the sandbox.” Thor hooked his thumb toward Specs and Jupiter. “But we need to know what’s going on if we’re going to be sitting ducks, protect this mission, and get us all out alive.”
Lark drew in a breath and finally stopped pacing.
The orange stress ball rolled between her fingers as she faced both her team and Kawan’s now watching her. Waiting. Weighing.
“The mission is simple,” she said, voice steady but low. “A U.S. defense contractor developed cutting-edge AI for military battlefield logistics—target tracking, deployment modeling, and autonomous drone assessment. Not quite sentient, but close enough to make the Pentagon wet their pants.”
Sloan gave a low whistle. “I’d love to see that in action.”
“But someone inside the company got greedy,” she continued.
“We intercepted chatter that someone was looking to sell a copy—modified and unrestricted—to the highest bidder. Not through official channels. Not to allies. We're talking rogue elements. Cartels. Hostile states. Groups who’d use it to destabilize… everything.”
“So, you set up a buy,” Kawan said, eyes sharp. “But you don’t know who the seller is?”
“We have a tech analyst working undercover inside the company. Someone who works with the AI systems. Someone just high enough who would be involved in testing the systems, development, and what the next steps are. He’s been monitoring the chatter. That’s how we knew when and where.”
“Who’s on the inside?” Kawan asked, leaning against the edge of the desk with his long legs stretched out and arms folded across his chest.
“A man by the name of Bretton Halston,” Lark said.
“I’ve worked with him before—Black Ops through dark channels with the CIA.
Smart as hell and scary with a weapon. Total package, if you ignore the fact he’s a bit crazy.
” Lark rubbed the back of her neck. “He’s been on the inside now for ten weeks.
If it weren’t for him, we wouldn’t have been able to identify the buyer and ensure we have someone working on the inside with them, too. ”
“You have someone working with the buyer as well?” Thor blinked.
“We have an operative that’s been undercover with a Middle Eastern billionaire tech mogul.
” She fiddled with the tension ball. “Torin Reece has been working undercover for months, gathering intel for something unrelated. Once Bretton sent us the intel that a buy meeting was set up, we were able to get word to Torin, who has assured us—at least, at last communication—that he will be at this meeting.”
“That’s a dangerous game,” Lief mumbled.
“We don’t play games.” Lark rubbed the stress ball up and down her thigh.
“In less than two hours, we head to town. In two hours, the person inside the company will think they’re selling a highly functional weapons AI program to a foreign arms broker.
But with Torin there, we’ll be able to intercept it, protecting the tech. ”
“What if they want to see the program before they walk away?” Sloan asked.
“Then we’ll show it to them,” Alverez said.
“Christ. You’re using the real AI,” Sloan said quietly. “That’s why you’re so jumpy.”
Lark glared. She might be high-strung, but jumpy—no fucking way. “The asset had to be real. Nothing else would pass the buyer’s scrutiny.”
Kawan unfolded his arms. “Ballsy. Then again, I’d expect nothing else from you.”
“Was that a compliment?” Lark grinned.
“Don’t let it go to your head.” Kawan’s smile disappeared. “Now, tell us what happens when this plan of yours goes to shit.”
“It’s not going to.” Lark looked him dead in the eye.
“But isn’t that why you’re here? To be my safety net.
To get me and my team out if bullets start flying?
” She squeezed the ball in the palm of her hand.
Sending an evac team was one thing. Sending a team who’d expected to be part of the mission?
And the orders came from someone higher than Lorre?
That meant either Lorre didn’t believe this mission would succeed under her command.
Or that there was chatter she didn’t know about.
Or someone else decided they didn’t completely trust her.
Based on past actions, it wasn’t out of the question.
“That’s what they told us.” Kawan stepped closer. Four hours’ notice, vague orders, classified briefing. We were sent in fast and quiet.
“What are you implying?” She held his gaze, knowing damn well where his head was at.
Someone—Lorre—believed the mission was doomed.
He had Grady send in the cavalry, making it look like it wasn’t him, because if she pulled it off, Grady’s the one who looked like an asshole.
But if she didn’t, Lorre would still have the communication trail with Grady regarding sending in a SEAL team so late in the game.
He inhaled sharply, like he always did when he didn’t want to tell her the truth. “It’s not about trust, it’s about insurance.”
“Alright,” Thor said, stepping forward, diffusing the growing tension.
“We’ve got your six. Just don’t keep us in the dark when the fuse is lit, and we’ll run the best evac plans both from the hangar and from town.
As well as one or two mid-mission runs. I’ll get backup from the air.
There are two places close by we can land a bird if necessary, as well as right here, and the other half of our unit isn’t too far away. You know the drill.”
“That I do.” Lark arched a brow, a slight smirk teasing the corner of her mouth.
“Oh, Lieutenant Commander Armstrong,” she said, her tone dry.
“The fuse was lit the minute that tech went on the black market by an unknown source inside the company.” She turned to the rest of the room, “Now it’s just a matter of who burns first. My team will fill you in on the rest of the details.
” Spinning on her heel, she headed for her office, ears attuned to the noise her shoes made.
The sound of boots hitting the floor echoed behind her, but she didn’t need to glance over her shoulder to know exactly who followed.
Kawan.
Shit.
She'd hoped the mission prep would keep them too busy for private conversations.
She should’ve have known better.