Page 47 of Skull
With that, she marched out into the hall, her heart pounding with fury and an edge of disappointment in herself for trusting Blade, even a little. She had a new plan to form, and only a short window to brief Iceman and Anna. The mission wasn’t finished, not by a long shot. Walker exhaled, cracking her knuckles as she strode away. None of this was going to be any fucking fun.
Skull leanedagainst the back wall of the cluttered conference room, arms folded tight across his chest. The harsh overhead lights illuminated the group gathered around a long wooden table scarred by countless operations’ worth of frantic planning. At the head of the table, Walker stood with a straight posture, though her expression wavered between guilt and a simmering anger. His whole body ached from the beating, but he was determined to stay in the fight. A little pain only reminded him how alive he was, and that was what he wanted for Hazard and Leigh.
She exchanged a look with Iceman and Anna before speaking. “Blade gave us exactly one name,” she said, her voice echoing in the cramped space. “No location—just a name: Diego Canto. Pincho’s second in command.”
“Diego Canto?” Anna scrubbed a hand over her face, her frustration barely contained. “That’s not exactly the lead we were hoping for.”
Iceman, so chilling he practically sucked the heat from the air, inclined his head. “This is a fucking setback.”
“Your rear on the line with the commander,” Anna murmured.
“I don’t give a flying fuck about my ass being on the line. I want viable solutions to this problem we’re working. If I have to get chewed out, then so be it.”
From across the room, Skull watched as Iceman’s gaze flicked to him, then back to Walker. That combination of ice and steel in Iceman’s voice usually meant time was short and the risk was high.
“Yeah, well, maybe it’s not so bad,” Breakneck drawled from the side of the room, feet kicked up on a spare chair. His grin was all swagger. “We got a name, right? That’s more than we had yesterday.”
Boomer snorted. “Thanks, glass-half-full. Doesn’t change the fact that we still don’t know where they’re keepin’ Hazard and Leigh.”
Walker’s fingers curled around the edge of the conference table. “Emotions aren’t going to get us anywhere,” she said softly. “Not to Hazard. Not to Leigh.” She took a steadying breath. “Diego’s going to be at a function tonight, a Shakespearean play.A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
GQ, leaning against the wall near Skull, lifted an eyebrow. “Diego’s the theatrical type?”
“Apparently he has a soft spot for the actress who plays Titana,” Walker continued. “He’s attended this show multiple times. The problem is security’s going to be heavy, and the place will be packed with civilians. We can’t just storm the theater. Not unless we want an international incident.”
Anna set her hands on her hips, her frustration giving way to curiosity. “So what’s your plan?”
Walker’s lips pressed into a thin line. “We need to grab that actress…discreetly. Detain her somewhere safe. I’ll take her place in the production and slip into the role of Titana. Theater lighting is dim, and with the right disguise, no one will be the wiser until it’s too late. Since he’s hot for”—she looked down at her notes—“Zulia Perez, I’ll extend an invitation for him to meet me in my dressing room during intermission.”
She held up a hand to cut off the wave of protests that threatened to erupt. “I speak fluent Spanish, and I have a theater degree, and many years of being undercover. I know Titania’s part by heart.”
A moment of stunned silence followed.
“Really?” GQ drawled, flicking a quick glance at Breakneck. “This is either the best plan I’ve heard all week, or we’ve officially jumped the shark.”
Boomer let out a short laugh. “I vote shark. But I’m game.”
Walker’s eyes flashed. “This is off the books. I know that.” She bit her lip. “This is all risky stuff. Diego might not talk, but we’re out of options. Regardless of the craziness of this op, we should get a solid lead to Hazard and Leigh.” She hesitated just long enough for Skull to notice the tiny crack in her otherwise determined demeanor. “I’m going to make this performance Oscar-worthy.”
Iceman studied her for a long moment, and the hush in the conference room pressed in until the hum of the overhead lights became audible. “You’re sure you can pull this off?”
She lifted her chin. “Iceman, you should know me by now. If I’m not confident?—”
“She’ll wing it anyway,” GQ quipped. “For the record, I retract everything I said about the CIA and in particular, you two.” He included Strekoza in his gaze. “We’re lucky to have you. This has been an emotionally charged situation, and you two have come through for us every step of the way. I’m fucking impressed by everything you’ve done.”
Anna smiled, giving Walker a warm smile. “Impressing Navy SEALs. Well, that’s something.”
Boomer chuckled. “You don’t count, Anna. Your brother is a SEAL and so is your husband. We’re already impressed with you.”
Anna’s expression shifted from amused to thoughtful. “We still need backup. If something goes sideways?—”
Skull stepped forward, the metal chair behind him screeching across the floor. “Boomer and I’ll be in the audience, posing as regular theatergoers,” he offered. His voice was gravelly, underscoring the risk. “If you need us, we’ll be close.”
Walker nodded. “Perfect. And Strekoza will handle distracting Diego’s guards in the lobby or wherever they post up. Once I lure Diego backstage, you’ll converge, neutralize him quietly, and get him through the back door.” She glanced pointedly at Breakneck and GQ. “We’ll have a van waiting a block away. If we do everything right, no one will realize Diego’s missing until well after intermission.”
Breakneck’s grin widened. “Smooth. I always thought we should go into show business.”
Anna exhaled slowly. “All right. It’s risky. Hell, it’s insane, but I’m in.”
