Page 20 of Disavowed

“Get that gun out of my face,” he grit out. If he made this too easy, they wouldn’t buy his story. He also knew Smith wasn’t about to shoot him. Yet. The fact that he’d gotten this meeting in the first place meant that Schneider’s word was good for something.

For several seconds, Smith continued glaring, still holding the muzzle of the gun at his head. In return, Dom held the man’s gaze, determined not to back down. Any sign of weakness would undermine his credibility.

“That’s enough,” Schneider said sharply. “He got your message loud and clear.”

Without losing eye contact, Smith lowered the gun, then walked away and slammed it onto the desk.

A cell phone rang, the one clipped to Schneider’s belt. Schneider pulled it out and, just before answering, announced, “It’s the boss.” He put the phone on speaker and set it on the desk behind him. “We’re here, sir.” He motioned for Dom to approach.

After cutting Smith a warning look, Dom stepped to the front of the desk.

“Detective Carew,” a male voice came through loud and clear, but it was scratchy, the way someone would speak if their vocal chords had been damaged in an accident.

Shit. Dom thought he’d be able to verify the boss’s identity within two seconds. Could be the voice held a somewhat familiar tone, but a positive ID was impossible.

“Yes, sir.” He glanced at Schneider. “I’m here.”

“Mr. Schneider apprised me of what went down at the warehouse last week,” the boss said. “Thanks to you I’ve lost a valuable shipment.”

Schneider looked at him and gave a nod, indicating he should respond.

“Unavoidable,” he said. “Letting Schneider go was doable. Allowing heavy weaponry like that to disappear with him was not.”

“I hear,” the boss continued, “that allowing Mr. Schneider to escape police control is one more transgression Internal Affairs is investigating you for. It seems you may soon be without employment.”

“Yeah, well…” Dom rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s been a shit year.”

“Perhaps things will pick up. Should this arrangement work out, it can be quite lucrative. But,” he added after a lengthy pause, “total allegiance is required. No exceptions. If you accept the terms at the end of this meeting, your life will be forever changed. Are you prepared for that?”

“Yes,” he said firmly.

“Excellent. Mr. Smith, an update please.”

Smith stepped forward. “The cop’s story checks out. Internal Affairs is investigating him for missing evidence, and he’s on the verge of being suspended for drunk and disorderly and a bunch of other bad cop shit.”

“And you trust your sources?”

Smith hesitated. “Yes.” He twisted his lips in obvious disappointment.

Where the hell is Smith getting his information?

“You see,” the voice said, “I have all potential employees thoroughly investigated.”

“I imagine you can’t afford not to,” Dom said.

“True,” the boss replied. “But I have a big job coming up very soon and am in need of new membership. We recently lost two of our operatives in New York City.”

Yeah, no shit. Fatima and Abdullah. The two Pyramid dirtbags who kidnapped Alex to squeeze her for security intel on One Police Plaza. When she wouldn’t talk, they tried to kill her.

“We have a job in the very near future that requires multiple operatives, more than what I have now. I don’t want anything preventing this job from going down precisely as I planned. Since our ranks are diminished, your impending need for new employment couldn’t have come at a more optimal time.”

He made a mental note of how the boss had not only emphasized the importance of this job but that he’d planned it himself. Interesting.

“A background check is only the first step. Next you will be required to pass muster. Specifically, a test. Your skills as a Delta operative are known to Mr. Schneider, and I, too, have my sources. However, I need to know you are ready, willing, and able to apply those skills to the tasks you will be expected to perform.”

“Of course.” Dom’s heart rate picked up. Here it comes. There was only one type of assignment the Pyramid would require of him.

“Mr. Smith has selected a sample target. By midnight two days from now, you will take that target out. Mr. Smith must be present for verification purposes. Are these terms acceptable to you?”