Takedown (An Alexandra Poe Thriller) by Brett Battles, Robert Gregory Browne Page B

inspected them as if they were a precious heirloom, then turned to Cooper. “This slag is mental. You expect me to work with her?”
    “If you want to get paid, I do.”
    Deuce smirked and sank into a nearby chair, crossing his ankles as he leaned back. “Have we got any popcorn in this joint? I think I’m gonna enjoy this show.”
    “He keeps talking to me like that,” Alex said, “I guarantee you will.”
    “Talking to you like what?” Warlock slipped the glasses back on and pressed a button on the frame. “I don’t know if you realize it, but I was trying to give you a compliment.”
    “If that’s what passes for a compliment in your world, then…” She paused as she noticed his eyes widening slightly, his gaze now fixed on the upper right corner of the glasses, as if he saw something moving there.  
    Cooper noticed it, too. “What’s wrong?”
    Warlock gestured to the cart. “Seems our boy Freddy is on the move.”
    They all looked at the computer screens, each showing close-circuit shots of the hallway they had just traveled through, the center camera facing the right corner door. A slightly overweight man in chinos and a navy blue polo shirt stepped into the hall, checked the DO NOT DISTURB sign on the knob, and started the trek toward the elevator.
    Frederic Favreau.
    Cooper and Warlock moved to the rolling cart, Cooper snatching up a black plastic packet and tossing it to Deuce.
    Deuce nearly fumbled it as he got to his feet. “What’s this?”
    “Comm set. We’re running the surveillance.”
    “Where’s mine?” Alex asked.
    He scooped up another packet and tossed it to her. “You’re on comm, but you’re staying here. You can help Warlock.”
    “You’re leaving me with him? ”
    “You want this ruse to work, don’t you? We can’t risk Favreau seeing you yet.”
    She understood his reasoning, but that didn’t mean she had to like it. She nodded, reluctantly, and threw a look at Shaggy’s evil British twin, who was busy pulling a metal case from the bin at the bottom of the cart.
    Cooper checked the monitors, then handed Deuce a holstered SIG Sauer and gestured. “He’s nearing the elevator. We’d better get moving.”
    Deuce tucked the rig into his waistband at the small of his back and popped in a miniature earbud. The earbud was so tiny it could only be retrieved by the short piece of nylon thread attached, and was invisible to the naked eye.
    He grinned at Alex and Warlock. “Keep it civil until I get back, kids. I don’t want to miss anything.”
    Alex showed him a middle finger and he laughed as he followed Cooper out of the room.
    She turned to Warlock, who was laying the case on the sofa she had pinned him to.  
    “Okay, genius, so what’s our plan?”
    “I take it we’re calling a truce?”
    “If you can keep your so-called compliments to yourself, we’ll be just fine. What’s the plan?”
    As if all were forgiven, he grinned at her and threw the metal case open to reveal a stockpile of miniature cameras and microphones and other surveillance goodies Alex wasn’t familiar with.  
    “I don’t know about you, but I’ve got a very serious desire to invade Freddy boy’s privacy.”

CHAPTER 11

    W HEN C OOPER AND Deuce emerged from the stairwell on the main floor, they found that the elevator had come and gone and Favreau was nowhere to be found.
    “He moved faster than I expected,” Cooper said and scanned the crowded lobby, seeing no sign of the guy. He touched the transmitter in his pocket and spoke into his mic. “Hey, Warlock, you still in the room?”
    “Not for long.”
    “Check the security cams for Target One. I don’t have a visual on him.”
    “Give me a mo,” Warlock said. Then, a few seconds later: “Front entrance, left side of the tarmac. He’s queued up for a cab.”
    “Thanks.”
    Cooper and Deuce hustled to the hotel entrance, where a large stone fountain bubbled in the middle of a circular drive, and saw a roped-off area to their