Running a hand down his face, Trace looked to Trevor for direction. “You’re in charge now. What do you think?”
The newly appointed team leader blew out a breath. His gaze ran the entire group before landing on Emma. The two shared a look before Trevor said, “Let’s do it.”
Derek let out a whoop. “Well, all right.”
Trace wanted nothing more than to send that bastard, Sadiq, straight to hell.
Looking over at Emma, he realized that was a lie. There was one thing he wanted more, and that was to build a future with the woman he loved.
One that didn’t involve living out the rest of their days in hiding.
Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck.
To Emma, he said, “We do this, you’re staying the hell back.”
“Absolutely.” Trevor agreed. “Derek, I want you to take Emma back to the SUV. We’ll need your eyes while we’re on the inside.”
His ‘eyes’ would come in the form of Derek accessing real-time satellite images—thanks to Ryker—and walking them through the infiltration of the structure.
“Got it, Boss.” He turned to Emma. You okay to walk?”
“I’m good.”
Taking a minute they really didn’t have, Trace stepped in close and framed her face. “Be careful.”
Emma wrapped her fingers around his wrist. “You, too.”
“We’re going to get this bastard...and then you and I are going to finish that talk.”
Leaning up onto her tiptoes, she pressed her swollen lips to his. “Looking forward to it.”
“Come on, man,” Coop groaned. “Can’t you guys do that later...after we kill the bad guy? Preferably when I’m not around?”
Despite the situation, Trace couldn’t stop the smile from forming on his lips. “I’ll see you soon.” He kissed her again. “Stick with Derek and do exactly what he says.”
“Oh, don’t worry.” Emma slid out of his arms and over to Derek. “I may want to get the hell out of here as soon as possible, but I don’t have a death wish.”
Good girl.
Giving Derek a look that said all he needed to, Trace dipped his chin as the other man turned and led Emma in the opposite direction.
With Trevor in the lead, he fell in line with the others as if he was a part of their team. Less than twenty minutes later, D’s voice came through their coms.
“You should be approaching the building’s north entrance. There are tangos at each entrance. I’m also picking up five other heat signals inside.”
“Copy that,” Trevor responded before handing out orders. “Trace, you take the guards near the east entrance. Grant, I want you to take the west. Coop, you go south, and I’ll take the north. Once it’s clear, we’ll each enter through those doors and meet in the open room on the main floor as originally planned.”
The building was a two-story structure that, according to Ryker, had been one of several locations Asad Al-Karim used to house his minions between their riots and takeovers. Ryker had explained that Karim had chosen Mexico because their authorities could easily be bought off.
As they approached the tree line, each man prepared to take out their assigned targets. Like a well-oiled machine, the group positioned themselves as Trace took aim at the single guard standing next to the building’s main entrance.
He released a breath and pulled the trigger. The guard dropped instantly.
One-by-one, each R.I.S.C. operative eliminated their initial targets before crossing the grassy clearing and making their way inside. With Derek’s eagle-eye guidance, they were able to take out three of the four remaining men before the tangos could barely get a shot off.
Taking pictures of the dead, Grant shoved his phone back into his pocket and said, “None of these are Sadiq.”
The fifth heat signal.