Now that she was wearing the outfit, complete with elbow-length black gloves to protect her hands from the ABS, it made our suits look like sweatpants.

She said to me, “You sure Retro’s stopped the real escort? It’s going to be embarrassing if we both show up.”

Knuckles said, “Yeah, he confirmed while you were in the bathroom. He spoofed Panda’s IP and canceled the appointment. Taskforce had to pay the cancellation fee, which I’m sure will cause some issues after we get back when the bean counters see what it’s for. I told him he was the one claiming the receipt on his travel voucher.”

She smiled and said, “Okay, then. Let’s get it done.”

I said, “Final backbrief. We get to the door and do what?”

Brett said, “I knock and talk to the head of security, telling him we have to be in the suite while she’s there.”

“And when he says no?”

“I insist.”

“But not too hard. Act like you’re doing your job, but don’t turn it off. Jennifer?”

“When it gets heated, I say I’m good going in alone.”

“Knuckles?”

“I interject that we’re staying right outside. Then hand her a phone, telling her to call if there’s trouble.”

Before I could ask, Jennifer said, “I go in and place the phone on the nearest available desk or table.”

I wanted the phone in her hand when she entered, so she could set it down with the small clutch she held, without having to pull it out, which would look awkward. The “phone” itself was a digital camera with multiple fish-eye lenses that would give us a view of what was going on inside.

I said, “Then, you do your siren dance and go into the bedroom. Wait until he closes the door, which he will, then wipe him with the ABS. When it takes effect, slave the computer. I promise it’ll be sitting somewhere close to where he sleeps.”

She nodded and said, “If there’s trouble?”

I held up a keycard. “We’re coming in, courtesy of Retro. Keep on comms with your earpiece. You call, and we’re in. Backup, just start shouting. Retro’s got the security laptop slaved, so he’ll hear it even if we don’t.”

She held up the thumb drive with the software Retro had built. “How long will this thing take?”

“Retro says five minutes. It’s got a search algorithm imbedded in it, so it won’t be imaging a bunch of porn, but depending on how much data he has, it might be longer. It’ll flash green when it’s done.”

“What if it takes a lot longer?”

“He’ll be shitting for hours. You’ll be fine.”

She squinted at me and I smiled. “Hey, we don’t pay you just to be eye candy.”

She said nothing, but I was sure I’d hear about that comment later. I went around the team and said, “Any more questions? We good?”

Nobody said anything, and I looked at Jennifer. “On your command.”

A devious little grin slipped out, and she said, “Showtime.”

7

Brett pulled the car into the drop-off lane at the InterContinental Hotel, and Jennifer saw the doorman looking quizzically inside the town car, then gawking full-on at her. Brett jumped out from the driver’s seat and engaged him.

She felt Pike nudge her and heard, “You good? Ready?”

She smiled, and it wasn’t false confidence. “You just be ready to get in if this goes sideways.”

He gave her a reassuring grin and said, “I hear buffalo, and I’m breaking the door down.”

Buffalo was the code word Jennifer would use if she needed help, chosen because the likelihood of it being used accidentally was nonexistent, but she could slip it into a conversation without the other party knowing. It would be completely her call, and they would do nothing unless they heard it.

Knuckles said, “Time to act the part.”

They passed through the lobby and reached the elevator, Brett pressing the penthouse level. The car began to move and Jennifer leaned back. Behind her, Knuckles practically knocked her into the wall, exclaiming, “Watch what you’re doing!”

She stutter-stepped in her Jimmy Choos, slapping her hand into the rail, glaring at him. He said, “You’ve got the damn ABS on your zipper. No way do I want that on me again.”

They’d created a layered approach to applying the compound, starting with the zipper on her dress. If he didn’t use that, she had condoms laced with the stuff and a final chance with a lipstick tube holding a piece of red plastic that looked exactly like it should, but was coated with the chemical like poison from a dart frog.

Pike said, “Okay, okay. Knuckles is a little sensitive to the effects. Shitting your pants will do that. Break out the camera for test.”

Brett pulled out what looked like a Samsung Galaxy S5 and turned it on. Pike said, “Retro, you getting feed?”

“Yep. Seeing all like intended. Jennifer, where’d all your hair go?”

She was wearing a black wig with a bob cut that ended just below her ears. Pike said, “Truthfully, I was wondering the same thing.”

Jennifer said, “Female secret.”

The elevator stopped and Pike said, “Game on. No mistakes. We get in and out clean.”

Knuckles said, “All you, babe.”

Pike said, “Six on security. Two outside and four in. We go hot, remember the numbers. Take them all out.”

Jennifer took a breath. He saw it and said, “Hey, it won’t come to that. Just making sure for worst case.”

She said, “You guys had better be there if I call.”

Brett said, “You know it.”

She looked at him, saw the determination on his face, and became calm. They might make fun of her, and even have qualms about a female being on the team, but she knew that all such issues were gone now. On the X, all that mattered was the team. And she was one of them.

Worst case, she also had an ace in her back pocket.

Pike.

An inhuman wrecking machine that would break open the earth itself to protect her.

The elevator’s doors opened, and they saw two security goons outside Panda’s suite. They got within five feet of the entrance before both men held up their hands. One was Caucasian, and when he spoke, they heard a strong Eastern European accent.

“Please stop.”

They did.

“I must search her.”

Pike said, “Yes. We understand. We’ve done this before.”

He did so, working professionally, patting the length of her body and massaging her breasts and groin, but taking no pleasure from it. He turned and nodded to his partner, who swiped the door.

As planned, Brett took the lead. The European stopped him and said, “Only her.”

Brett said, “No way. That’s not how it works. We go in with her.”

“Not here. You stay outside.”

“We can’t do that. She’s our commodity. We protect that. It’s why we’re paid.”

The European repeated, “Not here. Your company knows that. No harm will come to her. It’s why I’m here as well.”

Jennifer said, “It’s okay. I’m willing to go in alone. He’s a repeat customer.”

Brett looked disgusted, then Knuckles said, “Take this. If there’s a problem.”

And the phone was passed.

Pike said, “We stay out here. Right here.”

The European said, “If you want to do that, I must search you.”

She entered the suite, hearing Pike say, “Fine. We don’t have any weapons.”

The room was large, even by penthouse standards, with a full-length dining table, a sectional sofa, and a gigantic wide-screen TV tuned to an American sitcom. To the left was a bedroom, and deeper in she could see a small hallway leading to what was presumably the master suite. And her target.

Three men were on the couch, and a fourth met her at the door. She recognized him as the chief of security from the night before, a large Arab with a neatly groomed beard wearing a suit.

He said, “Leave your things out here.”

That was easy. She put the phone down but kept her small clutch. He said, “Remove your jewelry.”