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Shadow Team

Ashwini navigated the darkened stairith quick steps, careful not to make a sound Given the layout of the stairs—a kind of square spiral complete with a well in the center that went fro to the base racket

It was unlikely anyone would hear the noise with the archangelic battle going on in the skies of New York while va cocky was a good way to end up dead It hy Janvier had cut power to this part of the building, and why Naasir had set up a relay of small explosions to distract the enemy

A bead of sweat rolling down her spine, she plastered herself to the hen a door opened on a higher floor

“There’s no light,” the irritated nified by the terrible acoustics for as ned by an architect known for his “edgy” work “Raphael’s ”

“No” A female this time “He has people on this side of the line Lock the doors to the main part of the floor on both sides I’ll alert our people to do the sa”

Ashwini’s lips curved She didn’t need to get onto the floor itself to do what she’d co

Continuing up as soon as the ene Naasir’s nahters It was a far ether, Ashwini, Janvier, and Naasir’s job was to discoravate the enemy forces in the heart of the hostile encaht they’d done one hell of a job

This would be the icing on the cake

Reaching the floor directly below the roof, she took off her ses Ten seconds, that was all she needed to place and arht not collapse the roof, but it should do enough daame “Set,” she murmured into the mouthpiece of the sleek coht ear

“Get out, cher” A voice as languid as a hazy summer’s day—if you didn’t notice the steel beneath “Your presence has been detected”

“I’hts when boots thundered soled with shouts and war cries

Time for plan B

She slid off the backpack and retrieved the rappelling rope curled inside Once it was anchored to the stairwell rail, she could use it to slide past and below any pursuers before they knew she was gone The leather half-gloves she’d added to her outfit weren’t a fashion stateency Else, her palms would be shredded by the end

Locking the heavy-duty carabiner directly to the railing after testing the et below her pursuers—she threw the rope down into the well at the center of the building It uncoiled in swift silence, thehidden by the noise of the hostile fighters heading her way Leaving the e overand realized she could feel a draft of warm air on her nape