Page 11 of Harris

They didn’t usually take public transit, preferring to rent their own vehicle in advance, but they needed to be as visible as possible for this mission. That way, the men they were trying to attract would have a better-than-average chance of seeing them.

“Got him,” Fletcher answered.

Harris had noticed the guy the moment they got out of the car, and he couldn’t help but notice their Uber driver had sent off a quick text when they were picked up at the airport. Hmm. Seemed the powers that be knew they were in town as they’d suspected and counted on. The Noah Group likely had people stationed around the city to keep an eye on things.

“Might as well have a neon sign hanging over his head,” Shaw chuckled. “‘Thug here.’”

“They’re not very good at this,” Harris agreed.

“Should we start the show?” Fletcher asked. “You know, lay some groundwork.”

“No better time than the present,” Brick agreed.

Harris sped up his pace and intentionally slammed his duffle bag into Brick’s thigh.

“Hey, asshole. Watch where you’re going,” Brick growled on cue. “Did they add the clumsy gene into your DNA, or do you come by it naturally?”

“You don’t always have to be a hard-ass, you know,” Harris shot back.

Brick stopped mid-stride and turned to face Harris. The look on his face was deadly.

“You’re standing on my last nerve. I’m beginning to regret letting you tag along.”

“I’m not some lost puppy,” Harris argued.

“Then stop acting like one,” Brick shot back.

“Okay, okay,” Fletcher said as he stood between them, acting as the peacemaker. “You two gotta learn to get along.”

“Not likely,” Brick growled before turning and heading straight toward the elevators at the other end of the lobby. They’d already done the online check-in and could use their phones to unlock the door.

When the sliding doors opened, the four of them got on and hit the button for the sixth floor. Once the doors closed, all their demeanors relaxed.

“You think he bought it?” Harris asked.

“Oh yeah,” Shaw said. “The dude was enjoying his front-row seat, that’s for sure.”

“Good,” Brick said. “Let’s get to the room. Once we sweep it for bugs, we’ll bring the rest of the team up to speed.”

“Already done,” Harris chuckled while tapping the side of his head. “My sister’s got her own front-row seat.”

“That’s going to come in handy,” Fletcher said.

“I’m counting on it,” Harris agreed.

The elevator chimed, and as the doors opened, they took defensive positions out of habit, always prepared for every eventuality. They reached their two-bedroom suite and immediately swept through all the spaces, searching for listening devices, cameras, and other hidden equipment. Once they were satisfied the rooms were secure, Harris set up his laptop and connected it to Spence at the comms in the rental house.

“That didn’t take long,” Spence said. “Already got a tail.”

“Yeah, we got lucky,” Brick chuckled. “Though the dude sucks at his job.”

“It feels odd to say we’re lucky we’ve got a tail when, typically, we’re trying to stay off the bad guys’ radar,” Shaw commented.

“True, but I think it won’t be the last time we do things out of character on this mission,” Harris said. “As long as we remember the long-term goal is stopping these groups from harming anyone else.”

“Agreed,” Brick said. “How’s the rental?”

“We’re all settled in,” confirmed Spencer. “Sensors and cameras are up and operational, and the perimeter is secure. Information is still coming in from my contacts regarding the makeup of this group, but so far, it appears likely this group is an offshoot of the California cult. There are ten to fifteen individuals involved in operating the dive bar as their front.”

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