Page 126 of Rescuing Mia
Mitzy arrives a few minutes later, her laptop already open as she takes a seat at the table. “What’s up, guys? Sounds like you need some technical magic.”
“We need something that’ll make it look like Mia has been shot.” Ethan briefs Mitzy on the plan, outlining the need for a vest with exploding blood packets and solutions for potential headshots. “A vest with exploding blood is a start, but we must also cover headshots. The assassin might aim for her head. Do you have anything that’ll protect Mia’s head from a sniper’s bullet?”
“Funny you should ask. We’ve been testing a new alloy for your tactical gear. Thinner and lighter than what we use now. I can get it fashioned into a hoodie. That’ll protect her head. As far as the forehead and temples? The only thing I can think of is a headband. Doable, but it’s a major fashion disaster.”
“I’ll take the disaster if it keeps me alive.” Mia fidgets in her seat and twists her fingers together.
“Well, it’ll keep you alive, ninety-nine percent probability, but you get hit—there’s going to be a concussion to deal with. It’s not perfect. I’m not that good.”
“I’ll take a concussion over death any day of the week.” Mia curls in her upper lip, not looking convinced.
Mitzy taps away on her laptop, her eyes focused. “Okay, I’ll get my team to work on a specialized helmet or hoodie with the built-in alloy. It won’t be perfect, but it should provide enough protection to keep you safe.”
Blake nods. “That sounds like a good start. We’ll also need to ensure the rest of the area is covered.”
“Oh, it will be. It’s the perfect setup for the Rufi. I’ll have them patrol the winery, and my dragonfly drones can provide aerial surveillance. They can detect heat signatures and movement, so we’ll be fully covered if anyone approaches the property.”
Gabe leans forward, his face serious. “What about contingencies? We need to plan for every possible scenario. If someone approaches, how do we respond? If they don’t show, what’s our next move?”
“You stay until they do.” Ethan nods. “We’ll set up surveillance around the perimeter. Monitor everything from a safe distance, ready to move in at a moment’s notice. We’ll bulletproof the windows, and Mia will stay indoors. If they send assassins, we’ll be ready.”
Mitzy speaks up again. “I’ll coordinate with the tech team to ensure we have real-time data on any movement. The dragonfly drones will give us eyes in the sky, and the Rufi will handle ground patrol. We’ll know if anyone even thinks about approaching the winery.”
She turns to Ethan. “As for Charlie team, I assume you’ll set up snipers outside and leave two inside with Rigel and Mia?”
“I’ll leave Blake with Rigel. They can cover if the interior is breached. The rest of us will take up sniper positions. With the Rufi patrolling and the dragonfly drones, we should be able to take out anyone who approaches.”
“If you take them out,” Mia asks, “then how am I supposed to take a bullet and die?”
“Good point.” Ethan rubs his chin. “Thoughts?”
Hank leans forward, considering the question. “We need tocreate a scenario where Mia has to go outside. Maybe we can stage an emergency that forces her out. A fire alarm, perhaps?”
Walt shakes his head. “Too predictable. They might see through it. What about a power outage? If we cut the power, she’d have to go outside to check the generator.”
Gabe nods. “That could work. It’s a plausible reason for her to be outside.”
“If there’s a power outage or a fire alarm, I would be the one to go outside, not Mia. Not to mention, my sister would kill me if I set her house on fire.” I interrupt, shaking my head. “We need a different reason.”
Walt taps his fingers on the table, thinking. “What about a delivery? Something arrives that she has to sign for personally. It could be something important that can’t wait.”
Gabe nods. “Maybe Stormy gets out, and Mia goes after her? It’s a believable reason and involves her directly.”
“Mia wouldn’t go out to sign for a delivery. It’s not her home.” Again, I butt in, rejecting the plan.
“What about a pizza delivery?” Mia pipes up. “What if you head outside to… I don’t know, check on something. Say we ordered pizza, and they deliver? I’d have to answer the door. Stormy could escape. I could go after her. That puts me in the open…”
“And that gets you dead.” There’s nothing about this I like. “Not happening.”
“Well, how about just the pizza guy and Stormy getting out? That shows I’m on the property, and if I don’t go outside, they know I’m inside.” She looks around the room, and to my dislike, there are far too many nods from my teammates.
Mitzy looks thoughtful. “We’ll know the moment anyone gets close. We can even use decoy heat signatures to mislead them.”
Ethan scans the room. “Alright, let’s combine these ideas. We’ll stage a pizza delivery where Mia has to answer the door. Stormy will escape and run outside. I assume she’ll run to you?” He looks directly at me.
“If that’s the command, then yes.”
“Good. If they think Mia’s alone inside, it’ll be an opportunitythey can’t waste. I’ll post Blake inside with you, leaving me, Hank, and Gabe outside with sniper rifles. We’ll assist as needed. Mitzy, make sure the drones are in place and ready to provide surveillance.”