Chapter 396: The Poison Attempt

POV: DIMITRI

The West Village was still dark, that pre-dawn darkness that made the city look like it belonged to someone else entirely.

Marco stood in the command center, a nondescript van parked two blocks from the yoga studio with surveillance equipment that cost more than most people’s houses. Banks of monitors showed feeds from four different angles: the studio entrance, the interior main room, the reception area, and the water bottle/personal items zone.

On his earpiece, he heard the confirmations coming through from his operatives.

"North position set," came the first voice.

"East position set," came the second.

"Café interior secured," came the third.

"Delivery van staged," came the fourth.

Six operatives total, positioned in a net around the yoga studio. Two more inside, already there before Angela and Eve arrived...positioned as early morning yogis.

"All units are green," Marco reported to Dimitri, who was sitting in a separate car three blocks away, monitoring the same feeds on his tablet.

"Understood," Dimitri said. "Stand by."

Mike was positioned in a third location, coordinating communications between all three command centers and ready to relay information to the broader security team if needed.

Everything was in place.

Everything was ready.

Now they just had to wait for the trap to spring.

***

In the penthouse, Eve woke up naturally at 5:15 AM.

She got out of bed, went through her morning routine, and dressed in her yoga clothes....black leggings, a soft gray tank top, her hair pulled back in a neat ponytail.

At 5:37 AM, she texted Angela: "See you soon! I’m so excited for this."

Angela responded within seconds: "Me too! See you at 5:55!"

Eve checked her gym bag...mat, water bottle, towel, phone. Everything she needed.

At 5:43 AM, she left the penthouse and got into the waiting car. Her security detail, two men who had being briefed what was about to happen, drove her toward the West Village.

***

Marco’s eyes moved across the monitors, checking every position one final time.

The operative...the Covenant’s assassin, was already on his way. Marco had intercepted the communication where The Covenant had confirmed final positioning. The man would arrive at approximately 5:55 AM, carrying a yoga mat and a poison vial in his gym bag.

He would check in at the front desk.

He would enter the studio.

He would position himself near the water bottle area.

And then, at the exact moment before class started, he would uncap Eve’s water bottle and pour in the poison.

Except he wouldn’t get that far.

Marco’s hand hovered over the communications switch.

"All units," Marco said quietly. "Operative arrival imminent. Stay sharp. Stay focused. No one moves until I give the signal. Understood?"

Five confirmations came back in rapid succession.

***

*5:53 AM — EVE ARRIVES*

The car pulled up to the curb in front of the yoga studio.

Eve gathered her gym bag and mat, said goodbye to her security detail, and got out of the car.

The sun wasn’t up yet. The street was quiet. The studio windows were dark except for a single light inside where the staff was preparing.

Eve walked toward the entrance, completely unaware that six trained operatives with earpieces and weapons were watching her every movement.

She pushed open the glass door and entered the studio.

The receptionist...a young woman in her twenties who’d worked at the studio for three years, greeted her with a bright smile.

"Good morning! Welcome! We haven’t seen you before, have we?"

"First time," Eve said. "My friend Angela recommended this class. She should be arriving in just a few minutes."

"Wonderful! You can put your things in a locker, or leave them up front here. The class starts in about eight minutes. The instructor is already getting ready."

Eve set down her gym bag and water bottle near the front, in the area where personal items were typically stored during class.

She moved toward the main studio space, stretching slightly, preparing mentally for the class.

***

Angela’s car pulled up exactly one minute later.

She looked like any other young woman arriving for an early morning yoga class, athletic wear, yoga mat under her arm, gym bag in hand.

But her hands were shaking slightly as she got out of the car.

She walked into the studio and immediately saw Eve.

"Hey!" Angela said, her voice upbeat despite the turmoil underneath. "You’re here! I’m so glad you actually came."

Eve turned and lit up when she saw her.

"Of course I came," Eve said. "I told you I would. Come on, let me show you where to put your stuff."

They walked to the front together, and Angela set down her mat and gym bag next to Eve’s.

***

The man entered the studio at exactly 5:55 AM.

He was in his mid-forties, dressed in expensive athletic wear. He carried a yoga mat and a gym bag. He looked exactly like he belonged, a successful professional getting his early morning workout before heading to the office.

He approached the front desk with casual confidence.

"First time here," he said to the receptionist. "I have an account already set up...Nathaniel."

The receptionist pulled up the account...it was real, created three weeks ago. The Covenant’s preparation had been thorough.

"Welcome, Nathaniel," the receptionist said. "Go ahead and set up in the studio. The instructor will start in about five minutes."

Nathaniel smiled and thanked her.

He moved toward the personal items area where Eve’s water bottle was sitting.

He set down his mat and gym bag, positioning himself perfectly to have clear access to the water bottles.

On Marco’s monitors, everything was proceeding exactly as predicted.

"Operative has entered," Marco reported quietly. "Positioning now at the water bottle station."

"Copy that," Dimitri said.

***

The operative appeared to be adjusting his yoga mat, but his hands were actually opening his gym bag.

Inside, carefully wrapped in a small cloth, was the poison vial.

It was odorless. Colorless. Undetectable. One ounce in a water bottle would kill Eve within thirty minutes of consumption.

The operative’s hand moved toward the vial.

He reached into his bag and wrapped his fingers around the vial.

On Marco’s monitors, the movement was crystal clear.

"He’s going for it," Marco said into his earpiece. "Prepare to move on my signal."