“Please, Vi. I need this. I need to see this through. I’m safer in here than in the cafeteria.” Riley’s imploring gaze stabbed Vi’s insides. “All my brothers are out there. I need to understand what they do. They’ll never, ever tell me. I’m their little sister. I deserve to know, understand. Mom and I are driving them nuts and they’re annoying the hell out of me. They’re constantly dodging me at every turn, and I know it’s because I don’t get what they do. Help me get it.”

The Mason brothers had made an art form out of dodging their little sister. She understood their conundrum. And hers. She wasn’t the little girl they envisioned, though. She deserved to see how dangerous what they did truly was.

“Fine, but you sit back there and remain quiet. No matter what goes down, you stay quiet. Okay?”

“Okay.”

“Come on, I’m observing, too, in case Mary or Vi need me for something,” Rhea said. “Bree’s on the roof doing something. That alone terrifies me.”

Vi smiled. Jud had no idea what he’d unleashed when he’d given her science-minded friend control of perimeter security.

Everyone was in position. Vi looked over at her best friend and recognized the steadfast calm in her gaze. The Edge was in the room. Vi always admired how Mary could summon the lethal calm for an operation. It was why she was the final solution when things went to shit. No matter how bad things might be, The Edge got the teams out every single time. That was Mary’s superpower.

Vi…well, she wasn’t sure if she had a superpower. She dug, pulled info and data faster than anyone from anywhere. Knowledge was power, especially for field personnel. She hacked into every webcam and video surveillance system within one square mile of the Dover trailer park. Drones flitted overhead and offered insight into the first arm of the mission. Though it appeared the auction itself would take place on-line in one of the trailers, the true target was the large two-story Victorian style home half a mile down the road.

Apparently, Jian was too good to stay in a trailer and had rented the large mansion nearby.

Gage’s team would engage the trailers and secure the area while Addy’s handled the house. Vi had hacked into the Dover power grid and would kill lights to the area. Both teams had set up frequency jammers that, when combined with HERA’s drones, should prevent any notifications from getting through to the three base camps in Afghanistan. Vi studied the latest images she’d just received from the Delta team that’d performed a preliminary recon of all three camps. They’d even dispensed a sand crawler into each of the three camps and left it active.

She shot off the latest intel they’d gathered to Zero D, just in case. They’d already sent her links to the auction site and all data they’d collected so far.

Vi had forgotten the team even had sand crawlers. They were one of Bree’s toys, one that passed all field-testing with remarkable results. It burrowed into sand and other fine granular sediments and navigated its way around while it performed a grid-like sweep of the area for IEDs and other nasty surprises lurking beneath the ground. So far, the little monsters had flagged several hot spots in all the camps. She compiled the data and sent them to the team leaders. Fallon’s team, as standby, received all data.

You should have left Fallon’s team here. You screwed up.

Vi shoved the thought away and focused on the encampments. All three were bordered along two sides by poppy fields. The waist-high opium source was problematic at best and an outright disaster at worse. Armed militants roamed the area, watching over the fields and the workers within them. She zoomed in on the emaciated, barely-clothed people working the crops and snapped images of the restraints. Thin chains around their necks and wrists encumbered movement, but didn’t seem to stop their ability to work completely. They were obviously prisoners, but she’d have to dig deeper to determine what kind. Innocents? Possibly. Political prisoners from a neighboring warlord? More likely.

HERA spewed identifications on the captured images of the armed militants and the prisoners. Her gut clenched as she pieced together the evidence they needed to green light the op.

“That’s a lot of beeping,” Jud commented.

“Beeps are good, right?” Jacob asked.

“Yeah, beeps are very good,” Mary replied. “HERA’s putting the final nails in this operation. Some of the workers in the fields are from your dad’s convoy.”

“And Dad?” The boy’s gaze moved to their monitors and away from his own.

Vi cursed fate as she studied the images. There’d been six teams spread out to cover the three camps. With no idea what was in each, it’d been a crap shoot at best—one that’d showed fate was a twisted little bitch sometimes. Jesse’s team was one of the two in the camp most likely to hold Danny. Jesse and Nolan’s teams were in position and ready to move, but she still wasn’t sure Jesse had any business in this operation.

She called up his record, reviewed the file of his capture and subsequent rescue. What he endured was unfathomable. The fact he was still out there, doing what kick ass operatives did to keep people safe proved he was a hell of a man.

She keyed in Nolan’s personal com and turned the others off so only he’d hear what she said as she fed the images she’d pulled out of the primary feed and sent them to him. “Your site is hot.”

“Roger.” Nolan’s grim voice filled the speakers. He didn’t go into detail on what she’d sent.

She felt Jacob’s attention on her. Jud approached and put a hand on the young man’s shoulder. “Get to work, bud. I need you focused on keeping them safe. Quillery and Edge are working to get your dad out.”

“Drone surveillance puts the exfil at twenty-one, three of those in immobile status.”

“And the other camps?” Nolan asked.

“More militants, less than ten exfil in each once the dust settles,” Mary added. “We need Fallon’s team on camp two. There’s enough firepower there to light up half the country. I feel like a fireworks display is in order.”

“Roger,” Nolan replied. “Will send data shortly.”

“Data?” Jud asked.

“His team is primary. He’ll assess the data I provided and decide who goes where. He’ll send his plans to me and we’ll program each person into the schematic so HERA can do her thing.” Vi motioned toward the schematics. “HERA will do a SWOT analysis of Nolan’s plan and offer feedback to his field device. He’ll see each person’s strengths versus the anticipated skirmish and provide feedback from there. The biggest piece of data he’ll have to provide as the battle ensues is the physical and emotional status us his team members.”

“You’re worried about Jesse. I saw his file pulled up earlier.” Jud sat in a seat he’d dragged over at some point.

“He’s one of the best soldiers around.”

“You’re still worried,” he whispered.

“It’s my job to worry.” She focused on the op and tuned out the man looming near enough for her to reach out and touch him. “All camps, we’re a go in three. Release drones for first phase clearing.”

Team leads in all the camps tapped their assent. Green dots appeared beside their team numbers on the display overhead.

“Power is down in Dover. Jammers are operational. Both teams are a go for entry,” Mary said as she stood.

Vi ignored her best friend’s standing stance. Mary always stood. When things got bad, she paced. It was her thing. Vi was the immovable force behind the computer. Come hell or high water, her ass was planted in the seat. Drone feeds streamed in, so much between all the encampments, Vi almost couldn’t keep up.

Eliminate the unnecessary. Let HERA guide you.

And she did. The system was a genius at dispensing warnings, offering a clue where attention needed to be. Dover was the first problem at hand. There were too many unknown variables in too wide of a space. Unlike the three militant camps overseas, innocents surrounded the two targets stateside. Civilians who had no idea there was a sex trafficker of women and little kids living next door.

She zoomed drones toward lots twenty-eight through thirty, in the back at the top of the horseshoe-shaped park. Audio mics picked up angered shouts. Flashlights flickered back and forth, up and down as the combatants attempted to figure out what was happening. Vi flicked the floodlights on the two larger drones on, flooding the area to offer Gage’s team an easier take down. Gunfire echoed from the area as one of the men aimed his semi-automatic rifle at the drones and fired.

So much for a clean take down.

She aimed. Fired. One sleeper dart down.

“They’re all yours, Dover one.”

“Roger,” Gage replied. “We’re moving in.”

Mary was helping Addy’s team penetrate the two-story Victorian, so Vi focused on the overseas teams. With two teams per encampment and enough drones to take on the Death Star, the teams had the situation well under control for the first phase—which focused on taking down as many of the armed baddies as they could before the teams actually moved in.

Drones in the three overseas camps weren’t armed with sleepers. Anyone hit wouldn’t be getting back up. She focused on Nolan’s camp first, helping down as many baddies as she could by taking control of the drones. Once they were out of juice, she flew them toward Jesse’s team, who got to work refueling them.

With a few moments to spare, she focused on the second encampment. With two of the best operative teams around involved, she felt relatively confident she wasn’t needed. She scanned data from the drones and field operatives. So far so good, but the fight hadn’t really started. This was the shock and awe stage—the moment when the other side hadn’t figured out they were in someone’s cross hairs.

Camp three had a heck of a lot of baddies, almost twice as many as the other two combined. Did they have enough juice? Probably not. Dallas and Dylan had this camp. Mary was already engaged, moving drones into position to take down militants until Fallon’s team arrived to assist. Vi shifted her attention back to Dover. Gage’s team swept the trailers with precision speed.

Addy’s team met resistance.

Vi activated control of two drones and got to work knocking out baddies. One idiot chose to run, but she chased him over a fence and through a neighbor’s yard. Spotlight on, she waited until he fell to the ground, hands in the air. There was no running from HERA. She aimed and fired a sleeper dart. She keyed in the coordinates so someone would come and haul the trash away.

“Team two, where are you going?”

“Sweeping the upstairs. I heard movement.” Addy’s voice was barely discernible. “I’m handling the side mission, Quillery.”

Side mission? What the hell?

“I asked her to go up there and get something,” Jud said.

“When?” She remained focused on the feeds, alternating between camp one and Dover. Mary had camp two and three well under control, even though the number of red dots at the latter was growing. More baddies were moving in. “Team two, what’s your status?”

“Operatives three and four have the target secured in the southwest corner, first floor,” Addy said. “Target is immobilized.”

Thank fuck. They had Jian.

She ignored the side mission, though anger seeped into her thoughts. How dare Jud order her teams to go somewhere without telling her? And for what? The niggling doubt she’d nurtured grew a bit stronger as she spent a couple seconds figuring out what his objective really was with this entire operation. Why was he here instead of there?

Then she noted the camera feeds from Jesse’s headset and froze. Son of a bitch.

“Bravo one, team four has eyes on packages.”

“Dad?” Jacob asked.

“Eyes on the monitors, bud,” Jud ordered.

The view from the camp was dark, clouded with dust and debris. Gunfire echoed in the distance. Someone beside Jesse flicked their headgear light on.

“We have three DOA and four in critical. Need medical evac. Be advised primary objective has been located.” Jesse’s voice offered little emotion.

Crap. They’d anticipated medical evac, but she’d hoped it wasn’t necessary. The Delta team helped her secure medical choppers and a couple SEAL teams standing by at the rendezvous. Though having SEALs swoop in and help at the camp itself would be awesome, this wasn’t a sanctioned mission. The less they were involved, the better.

Vi switched monitoring of Jesse’s view to her laptop. A couple keystrokes later and she was seeing exactly what he was. Son of a bitch. Angry red lines ran along the men’s torsos. Untended wounds seeped. Bled.

“You have antibiotics available, team two?”

“Roger, Command.” Jesse’s voice lowered. “I’m not going to hurt you, sir. I’m Jesse Mason. I’m here to get you out.”

“Stay back from him!” an angry voice shouted. “It’s not his turn. Take me instead, you son of a bitch. Keep away from him.”

“Don’t mess with him,” another voice shouted. “He’s had enough. They both have. Take me.”

“Jesus,” Jesse let the visual in his headset sweep through the room. Vi studied the situation. Her gut clenched when she realized who the two resistant prisoners were protecting. Chains rattled as the other prisoners surrounded the man Jesse was trying to give aid to.

“Give one of them the headset,” she ordered.

The drones were slow establishing identities. Facial recognition scans proved problematic when the person was mired in filth and prolonged, repetitive injury. The first man’s identification came through. She closed her eyes as Jesse tried to give the com to him.

“His name’s Joe,” she offered.

“We’re here to help, Joe. I have someone here wanting to talk to you. She’ll explain what’s going on while I tend to Danny.”

“Don’t get near him,” the other man warned.

“My name’s Jesse. I was in a hole a lot like this one not too long ago. Let me get you out. Talk to Quillery.”

“Where’d you hear that name? Are you bugging us?” Joe demanded.

“Talk to her and find out.” Jesse held the com out.

The man’s eyes widened. He snagged the com. “Who is this? Danny mentioned a Quillery, said she was an angel heaven sent.”

“I’m no angel, Joe. My name’s Quillery. My partner Edge and I are leading this operation to get you and your men to safety, sir. I’m sorry it took so long to locate you and your convoy.”

“They separated us, Quillery. I don’t know where the others are.”

“We have secured the other two camps. I need you to stand down and let my men work on yours.”

“Pat, William and Jay didn’t make it. I wouldn’t let them burn their bodies. They deserve a proper burial. It’s been a couple sunrises since the last one went. I’m afraid a couple others aren’t gonna make it.”

“We aren’t losing any more men, not today. Not ever, Joe. Now I want you to stand down and let Jesse work, okay?”

“Are you really Quillery?” The man’s voice cracked. “Heard lots of stories about you and your girl.”

“I’m sure you have. I’m thinking your pal there made some stuff up to make time go by.”

“There was mention of a cape.”

“I’ll have to add that to my costume. Are you okay to let Jesse take over from here? We’ve got another couple of camps to help out.”

“I’ll trust him since you do,” Joe supplied.

“I look forward to meeting you soon, Joe.” She waited as the man returned the com to Jesse. The second he was back, she finished. “None of the convoy has any known drug allergies. Get them injected and get them out. Medical is standing by at the rendezvous point.”

She typed out an encoded message to the SEAL team waiting a half click away. It must’ve been hell for them to not engage when gunfire ripped through the sky. But they’d done as requested and hung back, just in case.

Although she wanted to remain focused on Danny as Jesse assessed his condition, she had other teams needing her help. She took over drones in Dover, swept the grounds for any abnormalities. Heat signatures in a distant corner on the lower level in the kitchen looked off. “Team two, we need someone to walk the lower northeast sector, kitchen area. Heat signatures look off on the drone.”

“Roger,” Addy said. “Sideline package is secure.”

Right. Sideline package. She looked over her shoulder and froze. Jud was gone. Jacob’s widened gaze regarded her as the chimes from his displays drew her attention.

The Arsenal was under attack.

“Uncle Jud and I have this under control, Quillery. Get Dad and the others home. We’ve got this.” The young man turned his attention back to the monitors. “I’m sounding the warning, Marcus. Jud wants everyone in the mess hall.”

Vi’s gut soured. The Arsenal was under attack. She needed to help.

She looked at the monitors. Adrenaline surged. A calm swept through her. No. Jud would handle whatever messed with the compound. She and Mary had teams to bring home.

“Team seven, this is command. Come in.” Mary paced.

Vi noted the movement as her mind processed the statement. She studied the feed data from camp three and realized Fallon’s team never arrived. What the hell? Dread settled into her gut and churned. She did a cursory check of the other teams and camps. Dover was done. Camp one was clear of baddies, but the teams would be there a while assessing injuries and preparing for exfil. Camp two was clear and flagged as moments from heading toward their exfil. Camp three was neck deep in baddies.

The external com line dinged on her headset. She glanced at the number flashing across the display monitors and clicked it on. “I’m a little busy, Zero.”

“There’s a training camp one point three clicks northwest of the third camp. You need to kill the supply line or you’ll never clear that camp.”

“Satellite images and recon didn’t note a camp,” she argued.

Data streamed into her feeds as she allowed Zero remote access into a shared hub.

“It’s a pop-up camp, moves every few days. This one came from the eastern region you weren’t reconning and set up a day ago,” Zero explained. “I only know because we’re watching the other group your target’s joining forces with. They struck a deal a few days ago.”

“Appreciate it.”

“Quillery, get your men out and get gone. The group your hitting is connected, the kind of connected I can’t talk about.” Translation—someone stateside was funding operations or involved somehow. Someone stateside with enough weight to push the alphabet agencies around.

They were neck deep in bullshit and she didn’t have time to swim to shore. “Appreciate the head’s up, but I gotta cover my teams. If you want to help, find my missing team. Team eight on the data you were sent was en route to camp three and never arrived. I’ve given you access to HERA’s system and the trackers we have on the equipment and the team members. Get me a location and intel.”

“On it.”

Fuck. She’d just let a stranger into HERA, probably not the wisest decision she’d made but they needed more hands on deck. Mary had to keep the other teams moving toward exfil with wounded in tow. Oh, and she’d also taken over most of the drones in camp three.

Vi forced a deep breath. Mary had assumed control of the exfil on the other camps while Vi had been on the phone and running drones in camp three. She typed in the coordinates of the training camp and sent them to Dallas and Dylan’s wrist devices. She studied the satellite images HERA was processing and determined where the biggest payload for explosive ordnance. Weapons caches. A fuel truck.

“I need one of you at those coordinates with ordnance. Team eight is MIA. Intel indicates reinforcements are coming from those coordinates. Neutralize with ordnance at the three zones indicated. I’ll guide two zapper drones with whoever goes, but we need to go now.”

“I’ll go,” Dallas replied quickly. “En route.”

“I didn’t agree to that,” Dylan growled.

“You’re older and slower, brother.”

Vi let the banter go back and forth as she extracted two drones from the firefight and followed Dallas’s path to the new zone. Until they got the troop supply neutralized, camp three wouldn’t get cleared. Right about now was when she wished they had access to a kick ass military chopper with enough payload to make the freaking camp a sink hole. Sadly, that wasn’t on her available armament list today, so they’d make do.

“Camp two is at exfil, two minor injured personnel. Camp one en route with SEAL team accompaniment for medic evac,” Mary offered.

Vi kept focused on Dallas’s progression through hell. It was the only word that described the brutal pace he’d set, the wake of death he carved out in his path. “I didn’t realize you were so good with a knife.”

“I took a lesson a long time ago from the best around,” he commented. “Someone you just met, actually.”

Jud.

Vi held onto the nugget of information as she swept her gaze over to Jacob’s monitors. The compound was under attack.

Focus. Keep Dallas breathing. That’s your objective.

Neutralize the supply line.

Close camp three.

Find Fallon’s team.

Get everyone home. Alive.