The flight to Timisoara, Romania, would be a short one. Ten minutes after takeoff, Ash stood at the front of the plane’s cabin to brief his people. Five OZ operatives had traveled to Budapest with him. The sixth, his newest hire, sat in the second row of seats. Judging by the slight stiffness of her shoulders, he discerned that Jules Stone was feeling a little out of her element.
This op in Romania had been planned long before Humphrey’s meeting with Omar Schrader had been scheduled. He hadn’t mentioned it to Jules last night. One of the requirements of an OZ operative was to be ready for anything at a moment’s notice. There were still things she needed to do to prove herself, but this would be a good starter test.
Despite her seeming uncertainty, Ash had every confidence that Jules was a good fit for OZ. Not only did she have the required skills and drive, she had the leadership qualities needed to head up a mission. That she didn’t like rules, as she’d confessed, wasn’t an issue. He could work around any problems on that front. His biggest concern, admittedly a large one, was that she still wasn’t being entirely truthful. Even though the stories she’d told him yesterday had checked out, his gut told him she was hiding things. Until he was completely certain of her, he and Jazz would be keeping a close eye on her.
“Okay, listen up. This is a brief flight, so we’ll need to be ready to hit the ground running when we land. We’ll do a quick run-through now to make sure we’re still on the same page and one last review once we’re on the ground. Before we get started, though, let me introduce you to OZ’s newest team member, Jules Stone. She can get you up to date on her background later. Till then, be assured she is well trained and ready for action.” He glanced around at the other operatives. “Any questions?”
When there was no response, Ash went on. “Jazz, I need you running point on communications. Stone will be with you.”
He didn’t expect any argument. Jazz didn’t think he was aware of how weak she still was. He had been there when she was injured, and he knew full well she wasn’t physically healthy enough to be on the job. He also knew that she needed to work. Downtime for Jazz was a dangerous thing. If she didn’t work, she went places in her mind that she needed to avoid. Her assignment on this op, while important, could have been done by one of the others, but this would keep her busy and involved without any undue stress on her body. Besides, he knew how it felt to need something to concentrate on other than your own tortured thoughts.
“Stone, I’ll skim the basics of the op. Jazz can fill in the blanks.” Ash didn’t wait for her response but continued on, “Andrei Dalca has been on our radar for years. He’s involved in a multitude of crimes, including human trafficking, illegal arms, drug running, and money laundering. The Romanian government has spent millions of dollars and thousands of man-hours trying to catch him in the act. So far, he’s been untouchable. But we’ve found a way into his inner circle.”
Ash clicked the remote in his hand, and the photo of a beautiful, dark-haired woman with unfathomable light blue eyes appeared. “Eve Wells, OZ operative. She infiltrated the man’s inner circle through Dalca’s wife’s brother, Darius Vasile.
“Darius thinks himself a lady’s man and has fallen for Kimberly Lowe, Eve’s undercover name, quite hard. She’s been his exclusive girlfriend for over five months. Not only has she been inside Dalca’s primary residence multiple times, last week she infiltrated his private office. She found the evidence we’ve been searching for. We now have enough to make something stick.”
Ash didn’t allow himself to speculate on how Eve was holding up. He knew this op had been a difficult one for her, and he hoped it wasn’t destroying the sometimes tenuous lid she kept on her fury. Even as much as he knew she was the one person who would do whatever it took to get what was needed on Dalca, he knew the price she might have to pay. He worried that it might take all she had to give, but that would be a problem for another day.
Ash clicked the remote again, revealing their destination. “Dalca is at his main residence this weekend. He’s having a small gathering to celebrate a new venture. We’re not sure what that new venture entails. Doesn’t really matter, because thanks to Eve, we now have a way inside his compound and the intel to destroy him.
“Each of you has the blueprints of the residence, as well as the layout of the grounds, on your tablets. Once we’ve secured Dalca, we’ll transport him a mile from the compound, where Romanian authorities will receive him.
“Let’s review our roles.” He nodded at Xavier Quinn, his second-in-command for this op, to take over the briefing. Xavier knew the mission as well as Ash did. Allowing him to go over the rest of the op with the team would give Ash a chance to observe them. They worked flawlessly together, but throwing a new part into a finely tuned machine could disrupt the performance. He not only wanted to assess how they responded to their new team member, but he needed to watch Jules’s demeanor as well. He’d told her she was on probation, and he meant every word. Her experience and Kate’s recommendation could go only so far. How she behaved on her first mission would be the key to moving forward or letting her go before trouble could start.
* * *
Jules had an unfettered view of everyone. She and Jazz, who had finally shared her name, had arrived at the small airstrip ahead of the other OZ team members. Being the first ones here had given her an advantage as Jazz had murmured each person’s name when they stepped onto the plane.
Since no one seemed surprised to see her, she figured they’d been forewarned, most likely by the OZ leader.
Jules noted that each operative appeared to be serious, focused, and in excellent physical condition. Collectively, they were tough-looking professionals and as intimidating as hell.
What Jazz hadn’t said about Xavier Quinn had been telling. She’d said his name like she had the others’, but the tenseness of her body and the longing Jules had glimpsed in the other woman’s eyes, albeit briefly, told her more than words ever could.
Asher Drake might discourage romantic relationships within OZ, but that didn’t mean they didn’t occur.
When Serena and Sean Donavan arrived, that proved her point. Jazz told her they’d just returned from their honeymoon a few days ago and were so much in love that everyone else wanted to gag. Her soft, affectionate tone belied the words. Jules suspected that beneath Jasmine McAlister’s tough exterior lay a tender, romantic heart.
She had watched in rapt attention as Asher Drake had joined them. Though nothing was said, the demeanor of the group shifted from semi-relaxed to alert attention. Just in those few seconds, it was easy to surmise that these people respected their leader.
The case involving the head of a crime family was no big surprise, other than the knowledge that OZ was working for the Romanian government.
Kate had told her that OZ’s connections and influence reached all corners of the earth. What wasn’t clear was how Asher Drake had created such a network in a relatively short period of time.
She was drawn from her musings when Xavier Quinn unfolded his large frame and stood. Facing the group, he pinpointed Jazz with his gaze before sweeping it over the rest of the group. She felt the woman beside her stiffen. Xavier’s harsh features were both alarming and mesmerizing. The fierceness of his expression was set off by startling silver eyes the color of old pewter. With thick, short hair the color of deepest night, broad shoulders, and a mouth that looked like it hadn’t moved from flat-line grim in years, he was easily the most intimidating of the group.
Xavier stood to the left of his boss. The screen revealed an aerial view of a multibuilding compound surrounded by a high brick wall. Sidewalks, pathways, verdant green lawns, and colorful flowerbeds separated the buildings. The estate reminded Jules of a large, luxurious apartment complex.
“As you can see, the place is huge and a fortress. There are five buildings, and the one in the back is the main house. The two on the left are guesthouses. The smaller one in the back on the right is the pool house, and the one beside it is where Dalca keeps his cars and other toys.
“The party will be in the main house. We anticipate a dozen or so guests. Three of them are known associates of Dalca. The others are family and close friends. We’re not after anyone but Dalca, and we’ll do our best to maintain Eve’s cover.”
“Our best? Exactly what does that mean?”
Jules glanced to her right, where a tall blond man sat. He’d been introduced to her as Gideon Wright, and though he’d seemed pleasant at the time, the expression on his face indicated he was a wolf in sheep’s clothing. What had set him off?
“Just like what I said, Gideon. If this doesn’t fly, Eve may need to stay inside.”