I could see his body tensing, but the smile remained on his face nonetheless. I knew he was angry, but he was fighting hard to control it. Why?
“I’m leaving in a few days on a sales’ trip, first to the UK and then to America. That was one of the reasons I’ve been calling. I’m offering to represent Valentini along with our winery.”
Interesting. I couldn’t be the only person in the region who’d come up with the idea to boost sales by increasing exports. However, I wouldn’t trust anyone to represent Valentini on my behalf—even Paolo.
“When are you leaving?”
“As I said, in a few days. Once the harvest has wound down.”
“Instead of representing Valentini, why don’t you take me with you? I can’t go to America, but I could go to the UK.”
I could tell by the look on his face, he was stunned.
“Of course…sure…that would be wonderful,” he stammered. When he reached out and hugged me, my body stiffened. “Pia?”
“I’m sorry, Paolo. As you said, I’ve been working so much. I’m just exhausted.”
He kissed my forehead and looked into my eyes. “We’ll have some time to relax during our travels. I’m so pleased you’re coming with me.”
“I said I could go to the UK, Paolo. I can’t afford to be away very long.”
After he left, I wondered if he’d heard me.
14
Grinder
Beijing, China
This was a standard extraction mission, in a country that was anything but. The Invincible team, as we’d begun calling ourselves, was brought in by Z Alexander to extract a missing MI6 agent, two CIA operatives, and a high-ranking British diplomat. The four were last seen in Hong Kong, but we’d received intel that they were now being held in China’s capital.
As part of a complex negotiation, a meeting was scheduled to take place at the Great Hall of the People, a state building located at the western edge of Tienanmen Square in Beijing.
During that meeting, the UK and US ambassadors to China would publicly announce the exchange of seven Chinese dissidents who had been given asylum in our respective countries, for the four men we were there to extract.
However, that would never happen. Instead, the minute the ambassadors and Chinese officials began their introductions, Edge and Rile would get word to extract the agents from where they were being held, while I intercepted and retrieved the diplomat.
There were four other agents responsible for ensuring the ambassadors’ safe transport once the Chinese realized what was happening.
My part of the mission went off without a hitch; I was escorting the man in my charge into the waiting armored transport when I heard Rile shout through the earpiece. “Got ’em.” It was followed a few seconds later by, “We’re out.”
The transmission should’ve ended then, but it didn’t. The diplomat had just gotten into the transport when I heard several rounds of gunfire.
“Man down!” shouted Rile. I slammed the door closed behind the diplomat and raced in the direction of the predetermined exit point, arriving just as Rile stormed out with Edge in his arms.
I heard the familiar sound of a helicopter landing—it had to be a cobra—and watched as my best friend’s body was handed off to a medic. Moments after Rile and I climbed in behind him, the chopper took off.
“Lynx,” I said through the mic. “If you can hear this, this is Grinder. Edge was hit, but he’s alive. The bullet penetrated his right arm. I’m with him, and we’re transporting your brother to Seoul.”
“Good, copy,” I heard Lynx respond.
“The others?” I asked Rile, who had his hand on his earpiece.
“Mission successful,” he reported. “Four subjects along with both ambassadors and additional agents are being transported by Chinook.”
“What about Lynx?”
“As soon as they’re able, they’ll get him to Seoul.”