Into the Fire (Flame in the Shadows Trilogy #1)

30. Mel

CHAPTER THIRTY

MEL

I roll my shoulders and lean back into one of the squashy armchairs in the lounge. Vik and Hunter are sitting on an adjacent sofa, Sam perched on the cushioned arm.

Lisa and I didn’t have time to truly strategize like we were supposed to, but while we waited for Bill, we mapped out exactly what we’d include in the video, Cait a silent and awkward third wheel at my side. Lisa told me to let her know when we need her technical help to break into Levett Tech, but said she has to focus on Tommy and how to hack the social media platforms until then.

In other words, keeping Tommy’s knowledge of the Resistance and our plans out of the Organization’s clutches is the priority. She won’t be available to help us strategize, though she agreed we need to work as quickly as possible in light of Tommy’s desertion.

“As you can see, it’s not clear how we should proceed,” I say, wrapping up the short summary I’ve just given the team. “Lisa already has some digital evidence. For example, she has footage of the Organization’s attack on me and Tommy in the records room, thanks to the CCTV. But it doesn’t prove anything except that we trespassed at Levett Tech. I told her I want to break in again and find concrete evidence of their illegal weapons trade. There must be some way to prove their inventory numbers don’t line up. Math doesn’t lie, right?”

I smile at Sam, ignoring the pang of guilt in my chest when he grins back as if Tommy’s life isn’t currently in danger. Either his acting is superb, or he’s able to compartmentalize his worry. Like I’m desperately trying to.

“I can help with that,” he says lightly. “Just get me into the admin building.”

“Great. Thank you. And then we’ll need to find out where and when Levett employees might meet to engage in something illegal, so we can capture damning footage of them. I’m not sure the best way to go about that.”

I peek at Vik and Hunter. Vik’s mouth quirks to the side. Hunter visibly seethes.

“Any ideas?”

“Yeah,” Hunter spits. “You and Sam go scrub a toilet and get Accetta and Williams back in here.”

My heart falters at Tommy’s name. I glance at Sam, who looks both guilty and hurt, then I scowl at Hunter. Jerk. “If you don’t have anything constructive to say, shut it.”

“Or what?”

“Hunter,” Sam chides softly. He quails under Hunter’s withering glare.

“Vik?” I ask. “Any ideas?”

They shrug. “You’re team lead. You tell us what to do, not the other way around.”

Apprehension swirls in my stomach, but I square my shoulders. “Yes, well, I’m not experienced like you are. We should brainstorm together.”

“We take our orders from Cait, not you,” Hunter snaps. “She always has a plan. You’re blowing it.”

Too bad she’s banned from missions, not to mention she’s got her hands full hunting down an arrogant dumbass.

“Cait is no longer your team lead,” I remind him.

“She may have gone too far, yeah, but I understand why,” he retorts. “She was trying to protect us. I follow her.”

“Hunter,” Sam says, stronger this time. “Stop. Give Mel a chance.”

The glower Hunter levels at Sam could incinerate hot coals. I throw my hands up, palms forward. “Enough. I know I’m not your first choice as team lead, or even on your list, but I’m the only one willing to put myself on the line for this. You’re here, which tells me you care about the people the Organization will kill if we don’t succeed. So let’s cooperate, okay?”

Silence falls, buzzing with tension. I swallow.

Vik tilts their head, lips pursed. “Well, we know a few key things. We know Mara Levett will be in Texas inspecting the Austin plant this week, and we know on the second Tuesday of every month Mr. Edwards meets with his top buyers. That’s tomorrow.”

“It’s useless, Taylor,” Hunter snipes. “Can’t you see she doesn’t understand a word?”

I bristle. “I’m not an idiot, Zhang. The only thing I’m not sure about is who Mr. Edwards is. I saw his name in those classified documents, but…”

Vik gapes, sending embarrassment prickling over my skin. “You don’t know who he is?”

They glance at Hunter, who rolls his eyes.

I bite back my reaction. Hunter’s trying to undermine me. I won’t let him.

“I know he’s important, just not who he actually is. I want to make sure I have the pertinent facts, that’s all.”

“Mr. Edwards is the leader of the Organization,” Sam cuts in, and I throw him a grateful smile. “I’m not surprised you don’t know that. We don’t have much reason to discuss him on the maintenance team. And to be fair, no one knows who he really is. His identity is well hidden.”

“So he’s top of the food chain. Got it.” I chew my lip. “Why do we care if he’s meeting with his buyers tomorrow? Do you think we could get footage of that?”

Sam shrugs. Beside him, Hunter snorts.

“You know, I really think we ought to get Cait involved,” Vik says. “She can help from the caves, at least in the planning stage. No offense, Mel, but you just don’t understand how this stuff works.”

Sam’s mouth tilts down. “Why don’t you help her understand? Come on, Vik. Give her a chance.”

Vik eyes me for a long moment. “All right. We can’t get footage of that meeting because we don’t know where or when it will take place, and we don’t know who Mr. Edwards really is, so we can’t tail him. What we do know is Mara will be in Austin tomorrow, and Mr. Edwards will be somewhere off-site, which means tomorrow would be the perfect time to break into Levett’s campus. No high-ranking authority figures connected to either the Organization or Levett Tech will be around.”

I wring my hands. Something feels off about this. It’s too convenient.

“Isn’t it weird Mara and Mr. Edwards will both be gone exactly when we need them to be? Wouldn’t you expect Mr. Edwards to make sure he’s around when Mara’s not?”

Sam’s eyebrows pull together, but Hunter heaves a long-suffering sigh and says, “Accetta never overanalyzes irrelevant details. You’re wasting our time.”

“It’s not unusual,” Vik says, fiddling with the end of their sleeve. “Mara is running a huge conglomerate with multiple locations across the country. She visits each one. They’re away at the same time plenty. Plus, both have lots of lower-level executives who will still be here.”

I push down a pang of unease. “Okay. So we break in tomorrow night, using the same plan as last night.”

Hunter shifts in his seat. “What about patrol patterns? You don’t think they’ve changed those up? Added security? We need to do some recon first. Tomorrow’s too soon.”

“We don’t have time to waste,” I counter. Not with Tommy out there doing God knows what. Sam nods emphatically.

“Oh yeah,” Hunter sneers. “I’m sure a couple novices know what’s best. Or maybe Mel’s hoping to lure us into a trap. They found us right away yesterday. I wonder why that was?”

Vik blinks, their full lips tugging down as they study me. My insides wilt under their scrutiny.

“All right, I think we’ve had enough for now,” I say, ignoring the heat washing up my neck. “It’s one thirty. Lunch break. Meet me in an hour, and please, let’s be ready to play nice and actually get something done.”

“I’m going to Lisa,” Hunter growls. “This is ridiculous.”

Without giving Sam so much as a glance, he stalks from the room. Vik avoids my eyes as they follow on his heels.

I slump back into my chair. “Well, that went great.”

Sam grimaces. “It could’ve gone worse. Vik will work with us, even if they’re unsure about you. It’s Hunter who’ll be a problem.” He pauses, his frown deepening. “I know he doesn’t trust you, but that was weird. He doesn’t normally act that way.”

My stomach turns as Sam goes on. “I mean, with me, he’s usually a little standoffish in public. I might not like it, but I’m used to it. I understand. This was different. He’s never been so mean.”

He sighs. “I wish you could know the Hunter I know. You must think I’m a total pushover to be with him after what you just saw.”

“Sam…”

“Yeah?”

“I know why Hunter’s being weird. I did something, uh, bad. By accident, but still.”

Sam’s gaze sharpens. “What?”

Here goes nothing.

“I sort of let it slip I know you two are together.” I wring my hands. “He was upset. I’m so sorry.”

Sam’s face drains of color, his eyes wide. “You what?”

Everything in me shrinks. “It was an accident. He was trying to get me to boot you off the team, and I?—”

“How could you do that? I told you no one could know. I trusted you!” Sam leaps to his feet. “Hunter is going to kill me.”

The warmth is gone from Sam’s eyes. I never imagined he could look so cold.

I put a hand on his arm, but he shakes it off. “I feel awful.”

“Whatever. I need to find Hunter.”

Without looking back, Sam storms out of the lounge.

A small whimper escapes my lips. I’ve lost Tommy, and now I’ve lost Sam too. After betraying his trust, I deserve his anger, I know. That doesn’t make it easier to deal with.

I drop my face into my hands. This team is one snide remark away from imploding.

Hunter’s right. I’m going to fail.

And innocent people will pay the price.