Page 16 of Fourth Point Of Contact

As she plucked the bottle from my hand, I stared at it longingly. “I’ll see you tomorrow, my friend.”

“I know. I’ll wake you up before I leave.”

“I was talking to the wine,” I mumbled, laying back on the couch and closing my eyes. I sighed heavily as my eyes drifted shut. Being single sucked. But getting dumped for some British hoebag was so much worse.

6

PATRICK

“The pickup location is JFK airport,”Lock said, pointing to a man on the screen. “His name is Peter Masterson. With the tracking Jack planted on Cash’s vehicle, we’ve been able to pinpoint where we suspect he’s been meeting up with other men he’s been working with. Masterson is the primary target, considering his substantial financial holdings around the globe. If we can get some insight into his dealings, we may be able to piece together what’s really going on.”

“How are we taking him?” Chase asked.

“You’re not. The goal is a simple switch. Patrick, you’ll take lead on this one. You’ll pose as an airline pilot on your way to your next flight. Chase and Nick, you’ll cause the distraction and get Masterson to set down his briefcase. Then Patrick will make the switch and continue on. Find some stewardesses and blend in, if possible. Once Patrick is in the clear, you get out of there and haul ass home.”

“Do we have any idea if he’ll be carrying anything?” I asked.

“New York is his primary location. He’s flying into Canada, which he does regularly. Once a month. We think Ontario is the location where the Shadow Government works from.”

“Why Ontario?”

Lock shrugged. “Not sure yet. That would require us to have greater intel. That’s one of the things we’re hoping to gain from this.”

I raised my hand, grinning when Lock rolled his eyes. “Question, where exactly am I supposed to get a pilot’s uniform?”

“Scottie has you covered. He snatched one on his return trip from his last job.”

“Is it real? Can I fly with it?”

His eyebrows shot up. “Fly? As in, you want to commandeer a plane and take a joy ride?”

“Well, the ladies dig a man in uniform,” I grinned. A hard slap landed against my head and I turned, glaring at Chase. “What the hell was that for?”

“Aren’t you sleeping with Vira?”

“Yes, but we’re not exclusive.”

“Why not?”

“Because she doesn’t want it,” I shrugged. “Besides, where my dick lands is none of your business, and I have a feeling I’m about to have a hard takeoff.”

A round of groans filled the room at my lame reference. Whatever. I was about to become a pilot.

“This is gonna be great. The shades, the uniform…I’m gonna have ladies drooling all over me.”

“You’re going on a job, not a date,” Lock argued.

“Hey, I can still let the ladies look.”

“Just remember, you’re not in a strip club.”

“Hey, I take offense to that.”

“Why?” Chase asked.

“Because strippers are more than slabs of beef,” I said, narrowing my eyes at him.

Nick chuckled from across the table, running his hand through his grease-slicked hair. “Holy shit.”

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