Page 64 of Rogue Hope
He froze, gaze shifting over Zara’s shoulder. His expression flickered—alarm suppressed but not fast enough.
“Company,” he said quietly. “Two men at the bar.”
Zara resisted the urge to turn. Instead, she angled herself to catch their reflection in the window glass. Two men in business attire—seemingly casual, but with the perfect posture and environmental awareness that screamed professional.
“Vanguard?” she murmured.
“Likely.” Shen’s voice dropped further. “They’ve been all over Singapore lately. Intelligence suggests a major operation in final prep.”
Finn positioned himself to observe without being obvious. Two fingers tapped his leg twice—immediate threat.
Zara’s mind raced through exit strategies. Thirty-two floors up meant limited options if the stairwells were compromised. She caught Finn’s eye, reading his thoughts as clearly as if he’d spoken aloud.
We’re blown.
34
“Move.”Zara kept her voice low, fighting to keep panic from her tone. “Secondary exit?” she asked Shen.
Shen jerked his chin toward a service door half-hidden behind a decorative screen. “Staff elevator. Bypasses lobby. Exits through loading dock.”
“We’ll take it,” Finn said. “Shen, split off. No reason for you to burn with us.”
“Too late.” The older spy’s mouth flattened into a grim line. “If they’ve made you, they’ve seen me with you. Cover’s already toast.”
Zara caught the man at the bar speaking into his cuff. Backup incoming. Clock ticking.
She gathered her sketching materials with forced calm. “Keep cover until we hit the service elevator.”
The three rose casually, Shen leading them on a meandering route toward the hidden exit like a tour guide showing VIP guests around. Every instinct screamed at Zara to drop the hunched academic posture, but she forced herself to maintain it. Beside her, Finn kept up his professor act, though his eyes never stopped scanning.
They’d almost reached the service door when one of the men abandoned pretense. His hand darted toward his jacket—weapon.
“Go!” Finn ordered.
Shen punched a code into the keypad. The door swung open. They slipped through as shouts erupted behind them, followed by the unmistakable sound of weapons clearing holsters.
The service elevator waited with open doors. They rushed inside. Shen hit the button for the loading dock while Zara pulled a small device from her bag and fried the elevator’s camera.
“They’ll lock down the building,” Shen warned as they descended. “Every exit covered in minutes.”
“Then we need to be out in less than one.” Finn retrieved a compact SIG from his ankle holster.
Zara drew her own weapon, mind racing through options. The pain had backed off to manageable levels, but a firefight would push her body into dangerous territory.
“Loading dock connects to the alley behind the financial district,” Shen said. “Two blocks to the night market. Maximum crowd, minimum cameras.”
The elevator slowed. Zara positioned herself beside the doors, weapon ready but hidden. Finn mirrored her on the opposite side.
“Stay between us,” she told Shen. “If we get separated, hit the secondary rendezvous.”
The doors slid open to a crowded loading area—trucks, workers, stacks of supplies. No immediate threat, but that wouldn’t last.
They moved quickly through the organized chaos, Shen guiding them toward an exit at the far end. Halfway there, alarm klaxons screamed to life. Workers looked up, confused, as red warning lights flashed.
“Security lockdown,” Shen said unnecessarily. “Thirty seconds before doors seal automatically.”
She pushed harder, ignoring the fire in her knees. They reached the exit as heavy metal doors began sliding shut on automated tracks. Finn went through first, then Shen. Zara dove through the narrowing gap, feeling metal brush her heel as it sealed behind her.
