Page 24 of The Fixer

“Be careful,” he said, his voice low.

“I could say the same to you,” she replied, her tone softer now.

Reyna cleared her throat, breaking the moment. “If you two are done making goo-goo eyes at each other, can we get this over? Time’s a wasting.”

They piled into the van, the apprehension palpable as Reyna started the engine. Lyndsey took her place at the console, her fingers poised over the controls. The hum of the van’s engine was the only sound as they drove toward their destination.

But as they neared the edge of town, Lyndsey’s screen flickered, a red alert flashing across the monitors. Her heart raced as she leaned in, her voice sharp. “Guys, we’ve got movement. Two vehicles, heading toward the office building.”

Jake’s voice crackled through the comms. “Stay calm, Lyndsey. Can you identify them?”

“Not yet,” she said, her fingers flying over the keyboard.

Reyna’s voice chimed in. “Buckle up, folks. Looks like we’re walking into a party.”

They drove their van into a covered parking lot less than a block from the office building. Jake and Reyna slipped out, their movements fluid and precise. Lyndsey watched their progress on the monitors, her heart pounding as the red dots representing the vehicles she seen earlier drew closer.

“Stay sharp,” Jake’s voice came through the headset. “We’re going dark for entry. Lyndsey, keep your eyes open.”

“Will do,” she whispered, her grip tightening on the console.

As the screen lit up with activity, Lyndsey couldn’t help but feel something was about to go very, very wrong. The stakes were higher than ever, and failure wasn’t an option—not with everything they stood to lose.

CHAPTER NINE

LYNDSEY

Lyndsey sat in the cramped van, the monitors in front of her glowing with live feeds from the building where Jake and Reyna were attempting their infiltration. Her hands hovered over the keyboard, her heart racing as the mission began to unfold. Jake’s voice crackled through the comms, steady and calm despite the danger they could all be facing.

“Approaching the service entrance,” Jake reported. “Reyna’s coming from around the back—just checking it out. Do you see anything on the feeds, Lyndsey?”

Lyndsey’s eyes darted between the screens. “All clear on your side. There’s some movement near the main entrance, but it looks like routine security.”

“Copy that,” Jake replied.

Reyna’s voice chimed in, tinged with amusement. “Relax, Doc. You’re doing great.”

Lyndsey exhaled slowly, her fingers tightening around the edge of the console. “Just get in, get the intel, and get out. I’ll be fine.”

“Oooh, ‘intel.’ You’re starting to sound like a Cerberus operative,” teased Reyna. She seemed to be having entirely too much fun.

REYNA

Jake and Reyna reached the service entrance, blending seamlessly into the shadows. Reyna swiped an electronic, universal keycard over the panel, the light flashing green as the door clicked open. They slipped inside, the sterile glow of fluorescent lights illuminating a narrow hallway.

“Headed to the conference room,” Reyna said, her voice low. “According to the intel, it’s on the third floor. Elevator or stairs?”

“Stairs,” Jake replied without hesitation. “Elevators are too risky. Too easy to get trapped.”

They moved quickly and silently, ascending the stairwell with practiced ease. Lyndsey’s voice came through the comms. “You’re nearing the third floor. I’m picking up some chatter on the building’s internal comms—security is being extra cautious tonight.”

Jake grinned, his voice laced with dry humor. “Good thing we’re cautious, too.”

When they reached the third floor, they encountered their first hiccup. A pair of guards stood in front of the double doors leading to the conference room, a clipboard in the hands of one. Jake and Reyna exchanged a glance before stepping forward, their expressions calm but alert.

“Name?” the guard asked, not looking up from the clipboard.

“I’m Brody, she’s Smithers,” Jake’s voice was smooth and authoritative. “Victor Lang sent us.”