Page 73 of Rescuing Rebel

“What concerns?”

I bite down the bile rising in my throat. “There are areas of Haven we have not seen. My team can’t secure your facility when you restrict our access. There are levels below us we haven’t been granted access to.”

Kaufman’s face tightens, the skin around his eyes stretching taut. “The lower levels are not your concern.”

I meet his stare evenly, but my face remains a calm mask. The silence between us grows heavy, but I’m not interested in engaging in a pissing match with Kaufman. I’m happy to blink first.

“My team can’t do our job without full knowledge of the grounds. You hamstring our ability, but I defer to your judgment. We can leave if you’re not serious about finding the breach in your system.”

Putting that out there is a risk, but Kaufman is the kind of man who only responds to strength.

Kaufman’s eyes hold mine in a taut silence, considering, weighing, judging. I can almost see the gears turning in his mind, the calculations and machinations churning behind his discerning gaze. Finally, he nods sharply, a quick jerk of his head, conceding and warning all at once.

“Focus on the task at hand.” His words are a dismissal, a closing of doors.

“My team will be packed within the hour and depart.” I’m all on board if he wants to play games with me.

“That is not—”

“Look, I don’t respond to threats and dislike my team being cut off at the knees. I’m not a dog you can snap your fingers at and order me to focus on thetask at hand.What you do here is none of our business. As I’ve mentioned time and time again, we’re discreet. I won’t jeopardize our reputation by working for a client who refuses to allow us to do our job. Open access to the entirety of your operation, or we leave within the hour. You’ve got a mole in your organization. I leave you with that much knowledge. Hire another outfit if that’s your wish, but if you want us to stay, I need full access.”

The air between us crackles with spoken and unspoken threats. Kaufman’s face goes rigid, his eyes narrowing into dangerous slits. The silence in the hallway becomes thick, charged with the tension of a gathering storm. The only sound is the distant hum of machinery and the muffled voices of guards.

It’s just him and me, two adversaries locked in a battle of wills.

Kaufman finally cuts through the tense silence, his voice icy and controlled, each word carefully measured. “You are playing a dangerous game.”

“I play to win and don’t gamble with my team’s integrity.” I hold his gaze, refusing to back down. My resolve is as solid as the concrete walls surrounding us. “You hired us to do a job. We’re wasting our time if you don’t allow us to accomplish that job.”

“And what makes you think you can speak to me like this?” He steps closer, and the heavy weight of his cologne slaps me in the face, a sharp, metallic scent that matches his personality. His eyes bore into mine, probing, searching for any crack in my armor.

“Because you called us. You know our reputation, our expertise. You have a problem, and we’re the best at solving it.” I let a small smile play on my lips, a challenge and a promise all at once.

His jaw tightens. He needs us and knows it, but his pride stands in his way. This isn’t a man who backs down, but this security threat is too important for him to ignore.

“You will have the access you need.” His voice grates like stone against stone. “But be warned. There are things here, things best left undisturbed. Your men have access. Your woman does not. Understood.”

“Understood.”

“Tread carefully.”

I nod, acknowledging his warning, but remain undeterred. “We’ll take it from here.”

Kaufman clicks his heels, executes a precise left face, and then retreats down the hall without another word.

There’s darkness in Haven, a web of secrets and lies that goes deeper than I feared. I return to my team, my mind racing, cataloging the new information and recalculating our strategy. We’ve gained access, but at what cost? As I return to my duties, cataloging the intricate web of surveillance and security systems, my thoughts circle back to Iris’s frightened eyes, Rebel’s hidden agenda, and Kaufman’s threat.

What am I missing?

TWENTY-SEVEN

Ethan

Hank,Walt, and I navigate the twisted labyrinth beneath Haven. Old fluorescent bulbs flicker and buzz, making our shadows dance on the walls. Today, we explore corridors once forbidden to us.

Walt’s voice breaks the silence, a whisper barely audible over the distant hum of machinery. “It’s like something out of a nightmare.”

“We know what Kaufman does within these walls.” I glance at Walt, whose heavy gaze takes in the grim surroundings. “Nightmare for sure.”