Page 50 of Unexpected Redemption

Today is not that day.

They turn around to face their computers. My knee resumes bouncing as the SUVs pull into a neighborhood, slowing their speed.

Mia rolls out her neck and cracks her knuckles. “It won’t be long now.”

Automatically, I finish her sentence, “Said the cat when they cut off his tail.”

They chuckle but keep their focus on their monitors.

I scoot my chair closer for a better view. On one of the side screens, Klein types out a note in an instant messenger program, letting Big Al know that the team has arrived at their destination. I saw Peggy use that program a few times today.

The nausea that’s plagued me all day reaches new heights, and I swallow aggressively to force my saliva down. My eyes skim around the room, searching for some candy or water. No luck. I glance from the various computer screens to the door, calculating whether I have enough time to run to the break room.

My decision is made for me when one SUV stops, and a few guys exit the vehicle, quickly huddling by the trunk.No time.

“Is that the view from the drone?” I ask, pointing toward a screen displaying the neighborhood from above.

Klein grins at me over his shoulder, waggling his brows. “Yeah. It’s my toy.”

“You’re controlling it from here?”

“Yep. While you and Mia were talking, I flew ahead to ensure the coast was clear and help them pick a place to park.”

He points toward the screen on the right of his computer. “Target is inside the third house from the left. One row up from where Henderson just parked bravo team.”

“They didn’t stop in front of the house?”

“No,” Mia answers. “They’re splitting into two teams. One will enter from the back and the other from the front. Parking directly in front would blow the element of surprise.”

I zero in on the large monitor that shows the feeds from their body cams, searching for Tomer’s view.

Big Al hustles into the room, immediately locking his focus on the monitors. “Oh good. I’m not too late. Status report.”

Klein tips his head toward Mia, and she begins rattling off an update. “Alpha team is parking now. That’s Tomer, Sawyer, and Aaron. They’re a few structures away from the target’s location and will breach the front door. Bravo team is Jonesy, Shep, and Henderson, and they parked on the street behind the residence. They’ll infill through the back patio door. We’re about to do an infrared drone scan.”

Klein addresses the teams through the comm system. “Bravo team, hold at the rear property line. Alpha, proceed to the front property line.”

Through Jonesy’s camera, I make out the other two guys from bravo team. They sink into a squat near the ground beside a fence. I can see the house from their vantage point. Nothing special. Just a basic, cookie-cutter Florida home. Similar to most of the others in the neighborhood.

My mouth dries, and my pulse spikes as I envision what it’ll be like to watch them enter and come face-to-face with Yev.

Following the feed on Tomer’s camera, his team has exited their vehicle and is approaching as Klein ordered. It looks likeTomer’s in the front of the pack. I don’t like that at all. Based on the twitching and cramping, my stomach doesn’t like it either.

Not that I want any of them to get hurt. But knowing he’s ahead of the others makes him a bigger target if bullets fly.

My teeth clamp down on my lower lip, and I tug in a deep breath through my nose to try to quell the rising nausea and anxiety.

Again, Klein directs the teams. “Alpha team, hold by that large oak tree near the blue vehicle. I’m scanning the structure with infrared.”

The view on the drone changes like an Instagram filter. I see our guys in the front and back of the house as reddish-orange figures as the camera lowers closer to the ground. He flies it over the roof in a large circular motion.

Mia and Klein whisper back and forth. She appears to be checking a schematic of the house, comparing it to the drone footage.

“Tango in the living room,” she tells him.

Klein reports it to the teams. “Only one tango inside. He’s in the living room, approximately three feet inside the door, on your two o’clock position. He’s seated. Looks like a reclining chair. Based on positioning, alpha team will apprehend the tango. Bravo team, you will sweep the house to ensure we didn’t miss anyone. The hallway will be on your right when you enter from the rear of the structure. Three bedrooms and two bathrooms to clear. Both teams, confirm.”

“Alpha copies,” Tomer answers next. Hearing his voice sends my stomach into a tizzy.

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