had an effect on her as well. She sighed, knowing none of that mattered now. Any reconciliation, if one could even happen between them, would have to wait until after the mission.
Stifling a yawn, she sat down on her knees. Her calves complained at supporting her weight on the hard, pebbly asphalt beneath her, but it wasn't as if she were there to relax. She needed to be ready to spring to her feet the moment something happened.
Her eyes scanned the horizon, looking westward. Junjie was covering that position, and he hadn't responded when she checked in.
That's when she saw it.
A single, red beam of light, flashing only for a fraction of a second.
It was the signal she'd been waiting for. Someone, or something, was approaching from the west.
She waited.
A blue beam flashed next, four quick times in succession. Then, it was extinguished just as quickly as it had appeared. If she hadn't been watching for it, she might have missed it.
Engaging her communicator again, she made a report.
“Agent Yu has signaled that four perps are approaching on the west side of the terminal. Get that field up quickly, Agent Spirelli.”
“Yes ma'am,” Marcelo answered.
A brief glance up allowed her to see the purplish tinge overhead. The crescent moon above turned an eerie shade of lavender, and she knew the sorcerer was at work.
“Everyone hold your positions. If you get a visual, signal.” She kept her voice low and even.
Cautiously, she raised herself about a half an inch up, just enough to see through a hole in the large shipping container she was posted behind.
And she saw him.
About seventy yards away, beneath the eaves of the warehouse, stood a lone figure. His stance gave him away as a man---his jeans clad legs were splayed almost defiantly. In the dim light, her tigress vision kicked in, and she could see him as if it were daytime. He wore an oversized black hooded sweatshirt, with the hood pulled up. His hands were shoved into his pockets, and with every inch of exposed skin covered, it was impossible to determine his ethnicity. Since she was seeing him in profile, she couldn't make out his face.
She didn't know how long the mysterious figure had been standing there, but if he'd heard her whispering, he didn't let on. His head tilted down, as if he were inspecting his black sneakers.
Tension gathered in her neck and shoulders, her muscles seizing up like five o'clock traffic on I-40. She could feel beads of perspiration popping out on her forehead, and she swiped away the dampness with the back of her hand. She had to let the team know what she was seeing, but without drawing attention to herself.
Even as she wondered who the hooded man was, and what role he played in this unfolding drama, she aimed her PHOENIX issued pen beam west, toward Junjie's position, and activated one brief red flash, followed by one blue flash.
Junjie's voice came through her communicator almost immediately. “I'm headed your way, Lieutenant.”
She wanted to tell him to stay low, but didn't. With a perp so close by, she couldn't risk speaking.
Wanting dearly to stretch, she shifted onto her bottom as quietly as possible and extended her legs in front of her. Looking east, she could see Junjie low crawling in her direction. With her superior night vision, it was easy to make out his face in the dark.
When he stopped near her feet, staying low behind the haphazard grouping of shipping crates, he peered between them.
She guessed he could see the guy, because he turned questioning eyes on her. Shrugging, she shook her head to let him know she had no clue to the man's identity.
Junjie donned night vision goggles to get a clearer look at the man. Then, without a word, he produced a special tranquilizer gun, equipped with night vision sight. She recognized the weapon, since she'd used it before. It was a high powered piece of equipment. The gun
Stifling a yawn, she sat down on her knees. Her calves complained at supporting her weight on the hard, pebbly asphalt beneath her, but it wasn't as if she were there to relax. She needed to be ready to spring to her feet the moment something happened.
Her eyes scanned the horizon, looking westward. Junjie was covering that position, and he hadn't responded when she checked in.
That's when she saw it.
A single, red beam of light, flashing only for a fraction of a second.
It was the signal she'd been waiting for. Someone, or something, was approaching from the west.
She waited.
A blue beam flashed next, four quick times in succession. Then, it was extinguished just as quickly as it had appeared. If she hadn't been watching for it, she might have missed it.
Engaging her communicator again, she made a report.
“Agent Yu has signaled that four perps are approaching on the west side of the terminal. Get that field up quickly, Agent Spirelli.”
“Yes ma'am,” Marcelo answered.
A brief glance up allowed her to see the purplish tinge overhead. The crescent moon above turned an eerie shade of lavender, and she knew the sorcerer was at work.
“Everyone hold your positions. If you get a visual, signal.” She kept her voice low and even.
Cautiously, she raised herself about a half an inch up, just enough to see through a hole in the large shipping container she was posted behind.
And she saw him.
About seventy yards away, beneath the eaves of the warehouse, stood a lone figure. His stance gave him away as a man---his jeans clad legs were splayed almost defiantly. In the dim light, her tigress vision kicked in, and she could see him as if it were daytime. He wore an oversized black hooded sweatshirt, with the hood pulled up. His hands were shoved into his pockets, and with every inch of exposed skin covered, it was impossible to determine his ethnicity. Since she was seeing him in profile, she couldn't make out his face.
She didn't know how long the mysterious figure had been standing there, but if he'd heard her whispering, he didn't let on. His head tilted down, as if he were inspecting his black sneakers.
Tension gathered in her neck and shoulders, her muscles seizing up like five o'clock traffic on I-40. She could feel beads of perspiration popping out on her forehead, and she swiped away the dampness with the back of her hand. She had to let the team know what she was seeing, but without drawing attention to herself.
Even as she wondered who the hooded man was, and what role he played in this unfolding drama, she aimed her PHOENIX issued pen beam west, toward Junjie's position, and activated one brief red flash, followed by one blue flash.
Junjie's voice came through her communicator almost immediately. “I'm headed your way, Lieutenant.”
She wanted to tell him to stay low, but didn't. With a perp so close by, she couldn't risk speaking.
Wanting dearly to stretch, she shifted onto her bottom as quietly as possible and extended her legs in front of her. Looking east, she could see Junjie low crawling in her direction. With her superior night vision, it was easy to make out his face in the dark.
When he stopped near her feet, staying low behind the haphazard grouping of shipping crates, he peered between them.
She guessed he could see the guy, because he turned questioning eyes on her. Shrugging, she shook her head to let him know she had no clue to the man's identity.
Junjie donned night vision goggles to get a clearer look at the man. Then, without a word, he produced a special tranquilizer gun, equipped with night vision sight. She recognized the weapon, since she'd used it before. It was a high powered piece of equipment. The gun
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