Page 69 of Breached

I shook off the feeling and quickly emailed the footage to Paul while I checked the time. Yikes, it was nearly eight at night! Where did the day go?

I raced downstairs and saw the red light was on in the far conference room. I carefully opened the door to the small room next to it. John was there, and he quickly stood when he saw me, and his head flipped between me and Paul, who was dressed as Eric Noah and could be seen through the window.

“Ah, careful. He can see you, and he’s speaking to Bruno.”

“Perfect.” I stepped up to the glass, and John joined me. “We’re good, John,” I assured him. “Besides, even if we weren’t, I’d never jeopardize him, this mission, or any of you.”

“Okay.” He nodded once, but I could feel him side-eyeing me.

“Just tell me when I can share something with him while he’s still on with Bruno.”

“Share something?”

“Yes, he needs to share this with Bruno.” I turned to face him head-on. “I need you to trust me.”

He pressed his lips together as he thought, then reached back and grabbed his phone. “Call him. He knows what to do. But just wait until he’s done explaining this.” He pointed and turned up the volume on the speaker.

“Thanks.”

“No, man, drones won’t work.” Paul flicked his cigar, looking perfectly at ease on the video call with Bruno. “These guys aren’t part of the military. They’re oddly associated, but not funded by them. Their money comes from elsewhere. They can bend the rules, and they have more money than God when it comes to the place. The moment a drone comes within even a mile of the border of their property, it’ll be shot down. I know. I’ve tried. I’ve tested it. It’s gotta be old school, boots on the ground, Bruno.”

“I have a lot of drones. Some will get through.”

“No, they won’t. Trust me, you have to come at them on the ground. Bring in your best men. I’d suggest two small groups—any more than that, they’ll be spotted, and you’ll have the US Army down your back. You’ll be blown to bits. Come in small, silent, sleek, and they’ll never see it coming.”

“I do like that, but you’re saying the place is surrounded by mountains. Will they not have the advantage by knowing the area? My drones are the best. What advantage am I going to have with only men?” Bruno complained, clearly irritated that he couldn’t just toss in his expensive high-tech weaponry.

“As I told you, they’ll be shot down, then you’ll have nothing. This way, you’ll have the element of surprise. They have no idea that you know where their safehouse is. Their families are there. Their children are there. They’ll be caught so far off guard they’ll panic, and you can easily take them out.”

“So come in hot, strike hot, and leave hot.” Bruno was excited. I shook my head in disbelief as I listened to the conversation, and John chuckled beside me.

“How he’s still alive with that level of thinking is shocking.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” I said quietly, then I focused on Paul again as he rubbed his face.

“No, come in quietly, Bruno. This is America. The land of the world’s biggest army. If you come in guns blazing, you’ll attract every friggin’ soldier in the state, and if you haven’t noticed, this is a carry state.”

“Now.” John pushed a phone with the connected call into my hand, and I held it to my ear.

“Shit.” Paul, AKA Eric, held the cigar between his teeth as he fished around in his shirt pocket for his cell phone. “Hang on, Bruno.” He pulled it free and answered it. “Yeah?”

“Hey, it’s me,” I said quietly in case Bruno could pick up my voice through the speaker. Paul’s gaze casually moved to the window, and when he saw me, I could tell by the way his jaw locked that he was uncomfortable with me seeing him as Eric, but he smoothly slipped into what was happening. “Can you repeat something for me so Bruno can hear it?” I asked him.

“Yeah,” he answered casually.

“Say this. ‘You sure it’s them?’”

“You sure it’s them?” he repeated for Bruno to hear then flicked the tip of his cigar.

“Good, now simply nod and listen. I can tell Bruno is second-guessing your plan, but I can promise you’ll get him there if you use his obsession with me. I’ve emailed you footage of us together. I want you to show it to him in a moment. It will fuel his fire and get him where you want him. Trust me, Paul, he runs off emotion, and if he thinks he can kill the man who is screwing the one person he wants most in this world, I promise he won’t back down from this fight. He’s hot-tempered, and that’s when he makes mistakes.”

“I’ll look at it now,” he said for Bruno to hear again then hung up with me, and I looked at John, who sported a wicked smirk.

“Well played, Nicole.”

“I learned from the master himself.” I snickered, referring to Bruno and his years of playing the dirtiest cards out there.

“Hold on, Bruno, I may have something you might want to see.” John and I watched as Paul continued with Bruno. He tapped on his keyboard and made a rather intriguing face. “Well, fuck, would you look at that.”