****
Even in the cover of night, she didn’t miss when one of the twins winked at her and jolted into the thick brush. Brody. He was a ticking time bomb. His cockiness was bound to get them caught if they hadn’t already. Rick nodded and tilted his head toward the targeted building. She knew what she was supposed to do. A quick take-down of the security covering the place would guarantee the team made it in without being seen. She’d already killed the security cameras around the perimeter. One last task and they were home free.
Lydia steeled her nerves and took a breath before she nodded. “Let’s do this,” she said.
Her heart threatened to beat out of her chest as sweat beaded on her forehead. The breeze from earlier had died. The muddy ground she was kneeling on had soaked through her jeans. It was the only cool relief she’d get tonight. She’d never tried to be sneaky; she’d never had to. She didn’t normally go out looking for trouble. It usually found her without her having to look very far. Rick took her by the elbow and pulled her to stand. They inched through the tall trees and shrubs, ignoring the mosquito’s that were doing a number on her bare skin. Rick’s grip on her elbow helped to guide her so she didn’t fall in the unfamiliar surroundings.
Once they were in position fifty feet away, they squatted down behind a thick cluster of rocks. “Are you ready, Red?”
Lydia glanced down at the hand still holding her elbow and raised her brow. “Whenever you are.”
Rick leaned into her and pressed his lips to hers before he whispered, “You’ve got this.”
Her nerves ratcheted up a notch; her heart pounding in a rhythm she couldn’t control. The change wasn’t so much as his hand on her as the fact that she didn’t want him to get hurt. Rick’s quick kiss and trust in her abilities left her speechless. Lydia was still unsure that she’d mastered her gift enough to direct her thoughts to get the job done.
The com clicked on in her ear, and Brody’s voice filled the silence. “We’re in position and ready whenever you are, sugar lips.”
Lydia rolled her eyes and drew in a breath. Their hiding space, as good as she’d thought it was, must not have been as good as she thought if they’d seen Rick’s kiss. The aroma of greenery mixed with a hint of male musk hit her nose. She shook her head and closed her eyes, envisioning the electrical box in her head. It was like the one she’d seen in her vision and had practiced on with Brody. Cords and wires ran through it. There were levers and warning labels planted strategically around it. In her mind’s eye, she used her gift to pull the lever down until it clicked into place. Lydia opened her eyes to check her handiwork. The lights to the compound flickered not once but twice, before a loud booming sound of alarms pierced her ears and floodlights cast their glare into the cover of the thick forest, making her hiding place not so unseen.
“Oh crap.” Her eyes widened in disbelief. She’s screwed it up. There hadn’t been an alarm in her vision. She hadn’t known to dismantle that as well. Her heart beat like a raging drum, threatening to jump out of her chest. She jerked her gaze toward Rick. “We’ve got to get out of here,” she said hastily. She jumped to her feet, almost knocking him over. Strong steely hands encased her shoulders, stopping her retreat.
“That isn’t necessary, Lydia. It seems you still need a bit more practice,” a strong gruff voice said from behind them. It was a voice that she’d heard and gotten to know all too well recently... the general.
“Kill the alarm, gentleman. It seems we’ve still got some work to do.”
Lydia swiveled around on her heel and narrowed her eyes at the overbearing man, trying to find another outlet to steer her anger toward instead of inward where she knew it belonged. She crossed her arms over her chest, her anger rising with every breath she took. “Are you kidding me? This was a test?” Lydia demanded. Her voice was threaded with the anger she felt bubbling inside like a volcano threatening to explode.
The floodlights that had once given away her precious hiding position cracked and blew, sending shards of glass to their bases. The alarm made an awful fizzing-out sound before it threw them into silence. She didn’t need to look to know that sparks were flying from the metal electrical box. It would be charred black before she was done.
Her temper, the one thing that was hardest for her to control, would fry the whole damn system.
“Oh shit. Everyone take cover,” she heard one of the twins say through the earpiece.
The general raised a brow and watched the pyrotechnics dance around them but stood his ground. Lydia could do more. She could take down the whole damn building if she’d tried, and she still might.