CHAPTER FOUR HUNDRED AND SIXTY NINE – ONE STEP CLOSER

Hours passed, and the desert night grew cold. Jasmine had just relieved Rachel for her shift when movement caught her eye. A lone figure emerged from a side entrance, moving with purpose towards the perimeter where Jasmine was hidden. Her heart hammered in her chest as she realized it was one of Mateo's men, likely on a routine patrol. She pressed herself against the rough brick of the alley, willing herself to become invisible in the shadows. The man's footsteps grew closer, and Jasmine held her breath. He paused at the alley's entrance, his hand resting on his holstered weapon. For a heart-stopping moment, Jasmine was certain she'd been discovered. But then, with a grunt, the man turned and continued his patrol. Jasmine let out a shaky breath, her hands trembling as she reached for her phone to text Rachel. This close call had driven home the true danger of their mission. "We need backup," Rachel insisted when they rendezvoused later. "This is getting too risky for just the two o