Page 103 of Zorro

“Enough!” Joker barked. The room snapped into silence.

“Bear and Flint are solo,” he said, his voice iron. “We’re going to rectify that situation, but first we get organized. No one flies blind.”

Zorro couldn’t stay still.

He paced hard, every step radiating tension, hands flexing like he wanted to wrap them around someone’s throat. His family. Everly. His team. They were out there. He couldn’t hear them. Couldn’t reach them.

That was killing him.

His body shook with restraint, rage held together by threads.

He wanted to slam out of the room, grab his shit, and mow down anyone between him and the people he loved.

But Joker turned toward him before he could move.

“LT—” Zorro started, his voice ragged. “I got a text from my sister after the briefing. My family’s up at the pool. Javi and the girls went for snacks two floors below.”

Joker lifted one hand. “I know what’s on your mind. All of you.”

He looked around the room, gaze steady, voice going low and lethal.

“But first, we understand the situation. We figure out how to save as many lives as possible and then we end this. No questions. No quarter.” His jaw clenched. “We fuck them up.”

The room quieted to a low hum of assent. Controlled fury.

“Who has intel I need to hear?”

Zorro stepped forward, jaw tight. “They were in the hotel to intercept the man we saw at the compound,” he said, nodding toward Migs and Sanchez. “When he saw them, he reacted. Two more joined him. I warned BOPE, but they opened fire before we could get ahead of it.” He exhaled sharply, rage flashing through the restraint. “This is Alvorada Negra, Black Dawn. Batista is not dead. One of the men in the elevator was Leandro.”

Migs swore under his breath.

Zorro continued. “I recognized his face. The target’s not the summit. It’s BOPE. Tactical, but personal. They’re trying to humiliate them. Undermine Brazil’s elite.”

“If Batista’s here,” Professor said darkly, “Duarte’s here too. That bitch doesn’t miss.”

Migs unhooked the radio from his belt and handed it to Joker. “We still have active BOPE channels. You’ll be able to reach Captain Leite.”

Joker took it with a nod. “We’re thankful for your assistance.”

Migs gave a grin, sharp and boyish despite the blood on his knuckles. “Being in the fight with you guys is a dream come true.”

Blitz stepped forward. “They forced everyone into the ballroom, LT. Exits are chained. The doors are rigged with explosives.”

“I can clear them,” D-Day said, already calculating. “If we eliminate the guards.”

Helen’s fingers tightened slightly. Not fear, something steadier. She’d seen what her husband could do, back in the Philippines. Though the dread was real, so was her belief in him.

D-Day glanced at her and nodded once, his expression fierce. “I want to go with you to see who I can help.”

“How did I know you were going to say that?” D-Day said as he pulled her close.

“That would have worked,” Buck said, voice tight, “except they’ve stacked civilians against the exits. Each Black Dawn guy’s holding a hostage. We take them out wrong and we set off a chain reaction. We don’t know who has the detonator.” He paused. His voice cracked. “It could even be remote.” He exhaled roughly. “Maritza, Julia…and Everly…Zorro’s family. I’m not going to stand around while they’re in danger.”

It landed like a gut punch. The silence that followed wasn’t empty. It was heavy with love and fury. Their missing members and Zorro’s family.

Bree spoke up, calm and matter-of-fact. “I can get inside the ballroom. Let them take me hostage. They’ll have to unlock the door to push me in. I’ll get the lay of the land. If the guy with the detonator’s in there, I take him out. All I need is an earpiece, my new hot pink bikini, and a beach bag.”

Blitz’s response was immediate, visceral. “Like hell you will.”

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