Betrayal in Plain Sight

The lead agent stepped toward the desk lamp, phone buzzing with a low static hum.

His instincts kicked in instantly — the place was wired to hell with surveillance. But he kept it cool.

No tells. No sudden moves. With no clue who the mole was, his best play was

to stay acting normal and test everyone in the room one by one. So he played drunk,

leaned into the girl beside him, tried to throw her off balance. But she was stone-cold

— no slip-ups, no hesitation. Then her phone rang. “Hello? No… sorry.

There’s no Rose.” That one word froze him. Rose — the militants’ code signal.

In a flash he grabbed her and dropped her before she could react. As he turned his