Chapter Twenty-Three
we'd eaten, I began laying out the finer points of the break in. I knew that the likelihood of this turning violent was a remote possibility, but I didn't want to be unprepared if that's how things went down. I needed to be able to protect my partners if it came to that.
I also knew from looking at the blue prints of the TriCorp labs that it was highly likely that the labs would all have to be broken into if Echo couldn't figure out how to bypass the security codes on the doors. If there was one thing a SEAL knew, it was demolition, but I wasn't sure where I was going to find the explosives I needed in order to do the job. I knew that C-4s would be perfect because I could slip it into the small spaces under the door and do what we needed to do to open the door without causing a fire or possibly killing us all. It would be a controlled explosion, but I needed to get my hands on some of it without triggering an investigation.
"Cece, this is probably a long shot, but do you know anyone who can get their hands on some C-4?" I asked.
"Sounds familiar, but I'm not sure," she said as her phone buzzed. She looked at the screen briefly then turned back to me. "What is it?"
"Explosives," I whispered.
"Ah, okay, yeah, I think I know a guy," she smiled as she tapped away at her screen.
"Jesus! Don't fucking text that shit!" I said grabbing her arm. She wrenched it away and gave me a dirty look.
"How stupid do you think I am?" she said impatiently. "I'm talking to my van guy and making sure he'll be here on time. Then I'll call my other guy."
"Sorry," I said. "Can't be too careful, you know."
"Believe me, I know," she said rolling her eyes making me chuckle. "Anything else you need?"
"Firepower," I said quietly looking over at Echo.
"Don't look at me, I'm not hearing any of this," she said without taking her eyes off the screen. "My job is to program and get the key, you guys are the demolition experts."
"Gotcha," I said as I turned my attention back to Cece. "Can you get me a semi?"
"Just one?" she said raising an eyebrow.
"Well, we're not going to let her have one," I said tilting my head in Echo's direction.
"Good point," she nodded. "But you need back up just in case things go bad."
"Then two," I said. "And back up magazines."
"Got it," she nodded as she quickly dialed a number and said, "Broadway bodega. Twenty."
"Go with you?" I asked as my phone buzzed with an incoming call. I looked at the screen and saw it was Commander Donnelly, and remembered, too late, that I hadn't checked in with him like I'd promised. The call went to voicemail as I vowed to call him back after we'd finalized our plans.
"Nah, I got it," she shook her head. "Don't want to scare the guy off by making him think I have a boyfriend who's a badass."
"No worries there," Echo said dryly as she continued typing.
"Hey, don't disrespect me!" I said grudgingly causing her to look up and grin. I inhaled sharply as she focused her laser blue eyes on me for a few moments. For a moment, I wanted more than anything to pull her up out of her chair and kiss her so deeply that she'd simply say yes to all the rest of what was running around in my head.
"Wouldn't dream of it, SEAL," she said as she tapped one key hard and fast for a few seconds.
"Okay, I'd love to stay and break up this lover's quarrel, but I need to get over to meet my guy," Cece said as she grabbed her phone and stuffed it into her back pocket. "Be back in a flash with supplies."
"Be careful, Cece," Echo said.
"Don't stress, chica," she grinned as she headed for the door hollering, "Mando, running an errand, back in fifteen!"
I heard a shouted protest come from the kitchen, but Cece was already out the door by the time I understood what Mando had said to his sister. I looked at Echo who was frowning at her computer screen as she typed and said, "Move back upstairs to work?"
"No, I get better Wi-Fi reception down here," she replied. "I'll stay."
"Okay, I need to go up and work on mapping out the timeline so that we can go over it when Cece gets back," I said. "When she gets back, come find me so we can go over it and make sure we're all on the same page."
"Will do, boss," she said giving me a half ass salute as she kept one hand on the keyboard.
"Your salute is the sloppiest thing I've ever seen, lady," I laughed.
"So sue me once we're done," she grinned. "Or don't, I mean, you'll be a billionaire after that so you won't need my unemployment checks."
"Oh, that reminds me!" I said remembering Eva's money. I reached into my back pocket and pulled out the envelope she'd given me. "Here, take this for rent."
"Hey, I was just kidding," she said shaking her head and waving the envelope away. "I got a pretty good severance check and I'll find another job once we've taken care of this mess."
"No, seriously," I said. "Just do me a favor and take it."
"Why? So you'll feel less guilty about commandeering my apartment and my friends?" she grinned.
"Is that what you think I'm doing?" I asked.
"Oh Ryan, I was just teasing," she said as she reached out and took the offered envelope. Her fingers brushed mine as she did and I felt myself growing stiff again. It annoyed me that she had the ability to arouse me with the slightest gesture, and that even if I wanted to do something about it, I couldn't be the asshole who tempted her to cheat on her boyfriend.
Just then, Mando came out of the kitchen and walked around the restaurant checking on customers and bringing us a huge basket of fresh tortilla chips and salsa. He leaned down and kissed Echo on the head and whispered something in her ear that made her turn around and smack his arm.
"You're impossible!" she laughed as she grabbed a chip and scooped up some salsa and shoved it in her mouth. She mumbled through a mouthful of chips and salsa, "I'm telling Cece when she gets back!"
"Go ahead and do it, chiquita bonita!" he laughed as he headed back into the kitchen ordering his team to get ready for the supper rush.
"Come find me when Cece gets back," I said as I headed for the door.