Page 69 of The ARC Unit: Breach

Wolf looked at Raven. “Comms.”

“All sectors clean.” Raven tapped the tablet, then glanced at me. “Say something.”

“Something.”

The audio bar jumped.

“Beautiful.”

“That’s the nicest thing anyone has said to me all day.”

Wolf’s attention snapped back to me.

I smiled. “Present company included.”

Wolf did not take the bait. “Review your boundaries.”

I exhaled through my nose and repeated. “Public areas. No upper floor, no private interior rooms. I stay above the lower hedge line unless Raven has clean audio and Hawk still has enough visual to track me. If comms degrade, I move back into open space.”

“Good.”

“You really enjoy that word.”

“I enjoy people following instructions before I have to come get them.”

There was enough contempt in his voice to make me snap.

“You haven’t had to come get me from anything.”

Wolf leaned forward, forearms braced on his knees. “You argued for this job. Do it correctly.”

“I remember the briefing.”

“Then stop acting like every instruction is a personal attack.”

“You make them sound personal.”

“That’s because you need simple language.”

What an absolute asshole.

I folded my arms. “You know, if the goal was confidence before I walk into a suspected Cerberus event in a bikini, you’re doing a fantastic job.”

“I don’t care whether you’re confident. I care whether you’re competent.”

“Charming.”

“I’m not the one you’re supposed to charm.”

Raven cleared his throat. “Drop is forty seconds.”

Wolf sat back.

The Mercedes slowed, and whatever remained of the argument shut down with it as everyone shifted into the operation.

Raven gave me one last look at the estate map on his screen. “Gate here. Main terrace wraps around the west side. Bellandi’s invitation group is registered through the host’s finance contacts, so you have a reason to drift toward him if you need it, but don’t make a straight line across the party the second you arrive.”

“I know.”