Polar Opposites (In Aeternum Book 4) by Aliyah Burke Page A

one who’d left with him didn’t converse. She ran her gaze over the muscle. He packed some heat. She’d say two in shoulder holsters. SIGs or Glocks. And he also had a backup on his right ankle. A revolver of some sort. Perhaps a .38 special.
    The one thing Theodore did every other day was go into a small door and vanish for a good hour. This was what she was looking at. Not even the one man was allowed in with him. While she didn’t know what went on in there, she had a pretty good idea, having seen the women that came out in the evenings.
    Perhaps her best bet would be there. Damn it. Why can’t I just sight down my scope and do my job? I hate all this damn planning for this kind of thing. I much prefer my kind of planning. Or waiting.
    Sure enough, he vanished in and came out one hour and ten minutes later. Just like clockwork. Bailey let them go, deciding instead to figure out a bit more about that little place. She went to the alley that led to the back of that row of buildings and sought the entrance. When she found it, she looked at the lock then continued on her way without slowing. She would come back tonight.
    She wore black and made her way through the shadows to the door. A minor wait and she’d picked it, allowing herself entrance. When the smell hit her nose, she scowled but continued on. Nothing like the smell of old sex and sweat to get the juices flowing. Avoiding the ones who worked there, she familiarized herself with the layout. It was actually the office that held the most promise in her mind. From the closet in there, she could make it to the laundry next door and get him out that way.
    Bailey counted the steps from the room closest to the front door to the office and figured out how long that would take. Any of the other rooms, it would be less. There was always the chance of running into someone but from what she observed here, it was more about keeping out of the way of those there to utilize the service. All points that worked in her favor. If she did run into people in the halls, they would just seem like another drugged, happy couple. She could dispatch the one person in the office if necessary.
    The laundry was closed but this establishment remained open all day. No surprise really. It was, after all, a brothel and men came when they could. She snuck into the closet and did some calculating. It would all be ready in two days.
    As cautiously as she had snuck in, she left, just not through the same door. She made her exit via the roof. Five streets over, she caught a taxi back to her hotel.
    Taking a seat in the lobby, she withdrew her phone then placed a call.
    “How are things?” Kevin McNeal’s greeting was gruff.
    “You know how I feel about doing this. It’s not my area but I’ve got it figured out. Will be going down in two days. I may or may not be out of touch for twenty-four with him before we call for pickup. It all depends on how swiftly they learn he’s gone.”
    “They?”
    “He’s got seven that I’ve seen around him. Ex-spec ops. American and Unit 777.”
    Kevin muttered under his breath and Bailey waited. It was her policy not to ask questions. She went in and did her job but she had to be honest with herself. This was making her wonder a bit more about who this Theodore Ramsey was.
    “As soon as you can make it possible, Bailey. One day would be better than two.”
    While it was rare for her, it wasn’t unheard of—a flash of annoyance spurted through her. “You wanted it done faster then perhaps you should have sent someone here who did retrievals. Not me. I’m not upping my timetable because you want it done faster. I am checking and double-checking my exit routes. Again, this isn’t just me I have to get but this man as well. This isn’t my area of superiority. You know this—why are you acting like I do these all the time?”
    “You did this with Dr Vinokourov.”
    “I rescued him. This man doesn’t look like he wants to be rescued. I’m assuming