Page 25 of The Player

“Hope,” he said, his voice low and urgent. “I need to go check out the office. This is our best chance.”

She paused, looking up at him with those clear, determined eyes. “I’ll be fine,” she said, her voice steady. “You need to go.”

Seth hesitated, torn between the need to protect her and the knowledge that they couldn’t afford to miss this opportunity. “I don’t like leaving you here alone,” he admitted, his voice gruff with worry.

Hope gave him a small, reassuring smile. “I can handle myself, Seth. Go. We don’t have much time.”

He stared at her for a moment longer, then nodded, his resolve hardening. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

She nodded, already turning back to her work, her focus once again on the task at hand. Seth slipped out of the bathroom and moved toward the door, his mind already shifting to the next part of the mission.

He made his way through the hallways of the Citadel, his steps careful and deliberate. The club was quieter now; most of the guests were either occupied in their private rooms or enjoying the more public areas. Seth’s destination was the office, a place where he could gather information and, if possible, plant a few bugs.

He verified Valente’s whereabouts before heading in the direction of the office, his heart pounding in his chest as he navigated the winding corridors. Just as he rounded a corner, he nearly collided with Basil Hargrove, the man’s sharp eyes narrowing as he took in Seth’s presence.

“Mr. Conway,” Hargrove said, his tone suspicious. “What are you doing wandering the halls? Shouldn’t you be with your wife?”

Seth forced a sheepish smile, playing the part of the slightly clueless husband. “I wanted to get some juice for Hope. There was water, but she could really use the boost from the natural sugar. She’s still coming down from the scene, and I didn’t think to ask for something before we left the main area.”

Hargrove’s gaze didn’t soften, though his expression became slightly amused. “Surely you know by now that anything you need can be brought to you? You really shouldn’t be leaving her during aftercare.”

Seth nodded, playing along with Hargrove’s assumptions. “You’re right, of course. I’m still getting used to how things work around here.”

Before Hargrove could respond, an alarm suddenly blared through the corridor, a loud, shrill sound that sent a jolt of fear through Seth’s system. It could only mean one thing—Hope had triggered something in the system.

Hargrove’s eyes widened, and he immediately turned, ready to dash toward the source of the alarm. But Seth acted quickly, grabbing Hargrove’s arm and putting on a helpless act. “What’s happening? Are we in danger? I need to get back to my wife!”

Hargrove shook him off, clearly annoyed but too focused on the alarm to deal with Seth’s questions. “Wait here,” he snapped. “I’ll handle this.”

Without another word, Hargrove ran toward the office, his steps quick and purposeful. Seth watched him go, his heart racing, before taking the opportunity to turn and sprint back to Hope. As he ran, he couldn’t shake the feeling that the real danger had only just begun.

CHAPTER 11

HOPE

Hope's fingers flew over the keys of the tiny laptop, her focus razor-sharp as she navigated through the layers of security protocols guarding the Citadel's system. Each barrier she broke through brought her closer to the information they needed—evidence they could use to expose Nero Valente, his connection to the Obsidian Cartel, and perhaps the information they needed to find and flush out the mole at Cerberus. Hope knew time was running out. Seth was counting on her to extract the data before they were discovered.

A bead of sweat trickled down her temple as she typed in the final command. The screen flickered, and then a flood of encrypted files began to pour into the small drive she had plugged into the laptop. She could feel the tension in her chest start to ease as the progress bar inched forward. They were so close.

But then, without warning, the screen flashed red, and an ear-splitting alarm blared through the room.

Hope cursed under her breath, her heart lurching as she realized she must have triggered some kind of security measure. She knew she only had seconds before someone came to investigate. Every instinct screamed at her to run, but she couldn’t leave without the data… or Seth.

“Damn it!” she hissed, furiously backing up the files as fast as the system would allow.

The alarm continued to wail, the shrill sound reverberating through the walls, heightening her sense of urgency. She began throwing on her clothes, which had been placed in the room, with one hand while the other hovered over the keyboard, her mind racing through potential escape scenarios.

As she yanked her dress over her head and shoved her feet into her heels, the door to the room burst open, and Seth charged in. His eyes locked on her, taking in the situation in an instant. She opened her mouth to explain, but he held up a finger, his expression deadly serious.

She gave an imperceptible nod. Seth was right; they didn’t know if the room was bugged. Talking now could be the difference between getting out of this alive or not.

Seth moved swiftly, grabbing the raincoat she’d worn into the club and throwing it over her shoulders. “I don’t know what this alarm is, but I don’t like it,” he said loudly, his voice carrying a casual but concerned tone that belied the tension in his eyes. “We’re leaving. Now.”

Hope nodded, swallowing back the panic that threatened to choke her. She handed the tiny laptop back to Seth, who quickly stowed it in the lining of the raincoat. They’d been unsure if or when the raincoat would be returned, so they had opted to secrete it beneath Seth’s shirt before arriving at the Citadel. Her heart pounded in her chest as they headed for the door, the alarm still blaring in the background, echoing in her ears.

The corridor outside was a flurry of activity. Club staff and guests alike were in motion; some panicked, others merely annoyed. It was controlled chaos, and Hope and Seth had to blend in, had to act like just another pair of bewildered patrons who had no idea what was going on.

As they moved toward the exit, Hope noticed a few club enforcers trying to corral the crowd, their eyes scanning for anyone who looked suspicious. One of them stepped into their path, blocking their way.

---