Page 26 of The Fixer
The man at the head of the table smiled, his teeth white and even. “We don’t deal in guarantees, Ms. Rahimi. We deal in results.”
Reyna caught Jake’s subtle nod. Rahimi’s skepticism was a potential fracture point in the room. But as the auction continued, Reyna’s focus shifted. A guard near the door was speaking into his comm, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the room.
“Jake,” Reyna said softly. “We’ve got a problem. Back left. I think we’ve been made.”
Jake’s gaze barely moved, but his voice in her ear was calm. “We’re fine. Stay cool.”
Reyna bristled. “Easy for you to say. I don’t think he likes my face.”
The guard stepped forward, his voice cutting through the low hum of conversation. “Excuse me. Who are you with?”
Every eye in the room turned to them. Reyna felt the air shift, the collective suspicion of the syndicate members sharpening like a blade.
Jake leaned back in his chair, his expression casual. “Victor Lang. You have a problem with that?”
The name dropped like a bomb, and for a moment, the room was silent. Reyna held her breath as the guard hesitated, clearly weighing his options.
Before the guard could respond, the man at the head of the table spoke. “Enough. Lang’s interests are well-known. Let’s continue.”
The guard stepped back, but the damage was done. The room’s energy had shifted, and Reyna knew they were on borrowed time.
“Time to bail,” she whispered, nudging Jake’s foot under the table.
“Not yet,” Jake replied. “One more piece of intel.”
The next few minutes dragged like hours. Rahimi was outbid by Ivanov, who smirked as the final offer was accepted. The case was closed, and the man at the head of the table began to wrap up the meeting.
“Jake,” Reyna said sharply, “we’ve got enough.”
“We don’t have the tech itself.”
“And we’re not going to be able to get it now. Let’s take the intel we have and go.”
He nodded, and they both stood, their movements deliberate and measured. But as they approached the door, the guard from earlier stepped in front of them.
“You’re not going anywhere,” he said, his hand on his weapon.
Reyna sighed, her lips curving into a wry smile. “Why do you guys always have to make it difficult?”
Without warning, she struck, her fist connecting with the guard’s jaw as Jake disarmed him in one fluid motion. The room erupted into chaos, voices shouting as chairs scraped against the floor.
“Move!” Jake barked, grabbing Reyna’s arm as they bolted for the exit.
The halls blurred as they ran, the sound of footsteps and shouting behind them. Reyna’s heart pounded, adrenaline surging as they burst through the service entrance and into the alley. From the alley, they ran toward the parking lot.
“Lyndsey,” Reyna barked into her mic, “we’re coming in hot. Be ready.”
“Moving now!” Lyndsey’s voice crackled through the comms, tense but steady. “Hurry!”
They rounded the corner as Lyndsey pulled up; Jake and Reyna sprinted toward her. The door slid open, and they dove inside, the van peeling out before the door even closed.
“Drive!” Jake shouted, his voice edged with urgency.
“I’m driving!” Lyndsey shot back, her hands gripping the wheel as the van sped through the narrow streets.
Reyna grinned, her breath coming fast as she looked at Jake. “You seem to pick the most interesting women as friends.”
Jake shot her a glare, but his attention quickly shifted to the rear window. “We’re clear?”