Hidden Impact (Safeguard #1)(18)

If someone was actively listening in, Maylin guessed they’d be able to monitor multiple frequencies, maybe including whatever channel Gabe’s team was using. So it made sense for them to pass the verbal messages on this way, in low murmurs behind the music. It still felt like playing the telephone game or some other school time thing.

As she reached Gabe again, he kept her with him, his tall frame always between her and the windows and well away from them. He had her look carefully at all of her knickknacks and keepsakes, picture frames, and even her pillows. She stared at each item hard. Conflicted. On one hand she wanted to find something to help them. On the other hand, she was seriously hoping there weren’t video cameras in her room or bathroom. Please, please not her bathroom.

Too creepy for words.

She rubbed her upper arms as a chill went through her. A moment later, Gabe draped one of her jackets from her closet around her shoulders. She smiled up at him in thanks and he gave her a solemn nod. His eyes were warm and, she thought, maybe held a bit of sympathy.

Minutes later, it was Gabe who found the first one. It was tucked into the corner edge of her headboard, not much bigger than a long grain of rice, and clear. She wouldn’t have spotted it unless she’d gone into one of her insane spring-cleaning modes, and then she’d only have caught it with a cleaning cloth as opposed to actually seeing it.

He motioned for her not to touch it, marked it with a small colored sticky flag and resumed the search. As they stepped away from the device, he leaned close again. “We’ll let Marc handle taking it. He’s our communications expert.”

Her throat had gone dry, so she only nodded. When he stepped into the bathroom, he turned on the shower. Presumably to create similar noise interference as the music in the kitchen.

It was a small space, so she stood back and watched him check the clear light bulbs and light fixtures. He also checked the fire alarm. When he placed a sticky at the corner of the bathroom mirror, she shuddered, hoping it was an audio device and not video.

Please no video.

It was a violation. Her home wasn’t hers anymore. Someone had snuck in and made it theirs to use against her. She’d have never known without Gabe.

When he was done, he handed her an empty duffel bag—not one of her own. “Grab some more clothes for yourself. A few things for any situation. Give them to me to check over before packing them. Once you’ve taken what you need out of the closet, I’ll do a sweep of it.”

She nodded in agreement. This process was painstakingly slow. Her nerves were wound taut and she had to deliberately stretch her jaw because she’d been clenching it without realizing. Finally, she was packed and Gabe was motioning for her to head back out to the kitchen and living areas.

Gabe led her to the foyer, tucked into the small space next to the door to her apartment. He then moved to Marc and Victoria, taking up a watchful stance as the other man headed to the bedroom. Presumably, he was going to get the two devices Gabe had located.

Moments later, Gabe caught Maylin’s attention and pointed to his watch, then held up five fingers.

Five minutes. Maylin nodded.

He gave her a brief smile and her spirits lifted somewhat. Then his gaze moved past her to the kitchen where the floor-to-ceiling windows looked out over Elliott Bay.

“Lizzy, up and over. Now!”

Lizzy responded immediately, planting her hands on the kitchen counter and hopping up onto the surface. Her left shin was bloody. Shocked, Maylin looked around wildly.

Something had torn through the lower part of the curtains in two, maybe three places. Tiny shards of broken glass glittered on the kitchen floor. Lizzy came the rest of the way over the tiny breakfast bar, grabbing Maylin’s phone off the speaker stand as she did.

“Shots fired. Shots fired. Alpha team, out now.” Even as Gabe was issuing terse commands, Lizzy was rushing to plaster Maylin against the wall. Gabe motioned for Victoria to precede him. “Marc, I’ll provide cover as you come past the kitchen.”

Lizzy grabbed Maylin. “Let me go first, but stay right behind me, you hear me?”

“Yes.” Maylin choked out the agreement as Victoria caught up to them, grabbing up the duffel bag of Maylin’s clothes.

Lizzy led the way, a small handgun out and ready as she checked the hallway. Once she motioned clear, Victoria hustled Maylin out and down to the far end of the hallway where the three of them hustled through the fire door to crouch in the stairwell. Victoria took a guarding stance as Lizzy holstered her gun and pulled a few lengths of bandage from a pouch on her utility belt. “Shit. Gabe saw it happen before I even felt it.”

“Bad?” Victoria asked.

“Nah. Minor graze. Stings is all. I’m fine.” Lizzy finished tying off the quick bandage.

“Is there something I can do to help?” Maylin asked belatedly. Everything was happening fast and she was not keeping up.

“Keep doing what you’re doing.” Lizzy took out her gun again. “Do as we say, no hesitation. You’re doing fine.”

There was a sharp rapping at the door to the stairwell in a broken staccato pattern, then Marc came through, followed by Gabe.

Even in her panic, Maylin realized Gabe had been waiting to be sure all of them had gotten out first. All of them.

Victoria gripped Maylin’s upper arm. “We’re going now. That wasn’t a lot of noise, but if any of your neighbors got concerned, someone’s going to check your apartment and find the broken glass. Best for everyone if we’re away from here so no one else gets caught up in this.”