Page 81 of Dark Gambit: The Play

"We need to knock the men out and search them for listening devices and embedded trackers," Leon said. "We will need strong tranq darts."

"Give me a couple of days to work on a plan," Turner said. "In any case, Monday, the Guardian team is leaving for Karelia, and their first order of business should be to scope the dirt road leading to the first tunnel, check what kind of surveillance equipment they are using, and watch the guards to find out their schedule."

"Are we going to drive the cat around first?" Marcel asked.

"I'll get back to you on that," Turner said.

64

SOFIA

Long after Marcel and Leon had gone to talk with the boss, and Eleanor and Emmett had said their goodbyes, Sofia was still buzzing with excitement.

Pacing the bunker's long hallway, she replayed the ideas they had come up with and the hope they offered.

Jade was a powerful female, and if she had the earpieces to protect her from Igor's compulsion, maybe she would be able to overcome the many years of it and kill the guy.

Would his inner circle have to be taken down with him?

Would that mean that her grandfather had to be killed as well?

Did she care?

There had been moments during the weeks leading to her assignment when she'd felt closer to him, moments when she'd believed that he cared, that he was proud of her, but those hopes had been shattered when she had realized that he'd sent her to be captured so she could lead him to Safe Haven’s real leader.

To Kian.

Who was that guy?

Marcel sounded fond of him, respectful and appreciative, and if Kian had to answer to a council, then he wasn't a dictator like Igor. She needed to meet him in person and see for herself to believe it, though.

When the door at the top of the stairs opened, she stopped her pacing, walked over to the foot of the stairs, and looked up.

"How did it go?" she asked.

Marcel came down with boxes from the kitchen. "It went well, I think. Turner is working on a plan."

"Is Turner Kian's right-hand man?" She followed Marcel to the dining table.

"Not officially." Marcel put the boxes down. "He runs an independent hostage rescue operation, but when Kian needs help with a difficult situation, he asks for his advice." He pulled a chair out for her.

"What kinds of difficult situations does a community of paranormally talented people run into?"

She had a strong feeling that Marcel and the others hadn't been telling her the truth about that. Listening to Leon and Marcel discuss ways of infiltrating the compound and using all kinds of sophisticated spy gear made it obvious that at least part of their organization was military in nature. There was no reason for a bunch of paranormally talented people to have commando teams and know about miniature drones and spy spiders.

Maybe they were a spy organization?

Many of the paranormal talents Eleanor had talked about in her lectures could be used for spying, and it made sense for them to use those special abilities for profit. It would explain how their organization had so much money.

Marcel sighed. "That's just a cover we use. It's not really what we are about."

"I knew it. What are you about?"

He walked to the wine cabinet and pulled out a bottle and two glasses. "You'll need a drink to hear that story."

She tensed. "Are you a spy organization?"

He laughed. "No."