The Target

Chapter Nineteen

Devika

"So, bad news," Simon grumbled, entering the kitchen. Though he'd been up far earlier than everyone else, as usual, he was still unshaven and wearing a t-shirt and grey plaid pajama pants. Simon spent every day dressed like an unemployed hipster. "It's official; I can't find Yago's compound using the descriptions she gave us." He swung his head towards Devika, as if it were her fault.

Devika swirled her glass of orange juice absentmindedly, trying not to let the burning shame she felt take over her face. "I tried my best to draw it to scale, from what I knew," she mumbled. "All I know is it's northeast of the city."

"Very specific, I know," Simon said sarcastically. "Can you draw it again?"

Kas rolled his eyes as he bit into his toast. "She's already drawn and re-drawn it a hundred times," he quipped, mouth full. "She did her best. Most of the rooms in the compound she didn't see, or only saw briefly. She doesn't even know where the Core-D is kept. Or the... you know." He snuck a glance in Amy's direction, who peered at him over the top of her book with a knowing glance.

What's that about?

"It was a nice try, trying to find it from an aerial view using drones," Kas said. "But I think we might have to go with Plan B."

"What's Plan B?" Devika asked, dreading the answer.

"Basically, we use you as bait," Simon said crassly. "If we dangle you outside long enough, you'll be snapped up by one of Yago's people. All we have to do is put a small tracker on you somewhere so we can follow you to the location."

Devika's heart was thudding against her rib cage so hard it hurt. "That won't work," she said. "We're scanned for bugs when we come in. Especially since I've been away so long."

"We'll figure something out." Kas closed his hand over hers on the table. Her face heated up, knowing the others were watching. She could tell Simon was biting back a snide comment. "But, we have less time than we thought we did." The others at the table, Devika included, looked at him in surprise. "A contact of mine let me know someone is on the lookout for us. And someone gave that person a description." He looked Devika in the eyes and muttered, "Naoki told me. Don't worry, he's taking care of the rat for us. I don't know where the hell whoever it was got off leaking information like that, but...Naoki will make sure they don't do it again."

"Who is 'Naoki'? How were you spotted?" Simon asked, the edge of his voice sharp and cold as ice.

"We were out walking near the Arin district." Kas mumbled. Amy gave him a sympathetic look.

"Stupid," Simon spat. "That's so close to here. And you walked on foot? What the fuck were you thinking?"

"We'll lure them away from the safe house. It'll be fine." Amy's voice was placating, but Simon looked like he wanted to reach across the table and strangle Kas.

- - -

Later in the day, Amy invited her into the work space to practice using the lethal needles – minus the poison, of course. "We're going to do some preliminary tests first, then when Martin comes in later, you can practice hand-to-hand combat with the nails. Kas told me you described Yago as tall and broad, so we figured it would make sense for you to do some practice runs on someone with a similar build." She smiled at Devika, who tried to return the smile nervously.

Amy had Devika's hand in hers, lining up a fake nail over the needle. She had sealed the needle with a dab of hot glue, which would come off and release the poison once Devika got one solid scratch in. She adhered the fake nail over the needle, letting it jut out just a tiny bit – you couldn't see it unless you looked hard for it.