by L. P. Dover
“You’re not nervous, are you? You seem distracted,” Sawyer says as we get out of my Jeep.
I shut my door and look over at him. He’s changed so much in the two months we’ve been training together. Not just physically, but mentally. I’ve noticed a change in my body and in the way I think too. Reed had given us some case files to solve, and it felt terrific to figure them out. When all the clues were laid out in front of us, I knew exactly how to put them together and figure out who did what and how they did it. I was born to do this. I feel faster and stronger, ready to take on the world.
“I’m not nervous about this,” I reply, nodding toward where Chris and Anthony are waiting for us by the training building. “There’s something else on my mind.”
Sawyer knows mine and Colin’s relationship is complicated and that Colin’s giving me space to think. I’ve liked having him to talk to and to have a guy’s opinion on the matter. I’ve grown close to him during our time together, especially now that he and Tia are dating. Things have gotten pretty serious with them. What turned into staying just a couple of nights with Amelie and me turned into staying permanently once Tia met Sawyer. He stayed with us last night like he’s done a few times over the two months. I’m happy for him and Tia. I knew there was something between them the first day they met. It’s hard not to be envious of what they have; they get along perfectly. However, there are a lot of things he doesn’t know about her. And, of course, he doesn’t know anything about me. I’m sure humans out there know the truth about witches, shifters, and every other supernatural being in the world, but we try to keep it hidden as much as possible.
Sawyer and I walk toward Chris and Anthony, and he drapes an arm over my shoulder. “Why don’t you just talk to him? You said you wanted space, right?” I nod, and he laughs. “He’s giving you what you asked for. You can’t be mad at him for that.”
I sigh. “I know. It’s just been a long two months.” I talk to Faith regularly, and she’s the one who voluntarily gives me news on Colin. If I had asked, she’d no doubt tell him I was curious about him. He’s been working and traveling a lot to meet new clients. Who knows what else he’s been doing—or who, for that matter. Thoughts of him with other women plague my thoughts from time to time, and I’ve projected the anger from that into my training. Chris and Anthony felt the wrath of that which resulted in a few black eyes over the past weeks.
Chris and Anthony see us walking toward them, and Chris holds his arms up in the air. “Damn, Briggs, you lucky son of a bitch. I thought you had a girlfriend. You need to leave Grayson alone.”
Sawyer chuckles and squeezes my shoulder before letting go. “I think you know very well Kami can kick my ass if she didn’t want me touching her.”
Chris shrugs and nods. “Yeah, you’re right. We already know she can kick mine.”
He winks at me, and I smile. “Hey, I can’t help it you boys don’t know how to fight.”
Anthony shakes his head. “Not against you, hellcat. My ass is still bruised from the other day.”
Chris pats him on the shoulder. “You done whining yet?”
The bantering back and forth is what I’ll miss. I used to use my witty comebacks on Colin, but I’ve had to use them on the guys instead.
Anthony pushes Chris away. “Hey, all I’m saying is that these two months have been brutal. I’m glad we made it.”
Training was brutal, but when it came to hand-to-hand combat, I enjoyed it the most. I held back a lot of my strength, but I made sure to beat the hell out of all three of them. Chris and Anthony both learned to respect me after that, and we’ve been friends ever since. In a way, I feel protective of them. I know once we leave Wyoming, I might never see them again. We’ve been told the secret branch of government we’ll be working for—if we accept—is one of the most dangerous positions out there.
Everything about our training was intense. We had to build up our endurance, fight, and use our mental fortitude to solve various problems. The only part of the training I had issues with was the guns. I started off rocky, but it’s only because I’ve been trained to fight with my hands, not with weapons. The first day handling them was hard, but once I got the hang of it, I could hit the center of any target. Sawyer had the best stats out of us all, though.
“Do you know why Reed decided to end our training two days early?” Sawyer asks, looking at Chris and Anthony.
They both shrug, and Chris is the one who speaks. “Don’t know. It looks like he thinks we’re ready for the next stage.”
All Reed told us was that we had things to discuss and for us to drive ourselves to the ranch. Afterward, we’ll be free. I assume we excelled at everything, or at least it’s what I’m hoping. I’m curious to see what happens.
Reed walks out the back door of the main house, carrying a basket. I can smell the homemade biscuits from where I stand, and I know they’re for me. Reed’s wife, Kennedy, said she’d make me some in exchange for my famous blueberry muffins. I dropped hers off yesterday, and today, I get mine.
Reed gets closer and holds the basket out to me. “As promised.”
The biscuits smell like heaven. “Thank you. Please tell Kennedy my friends and I are going to enjoy them tonight.”
“Where are my biscuits?” Chris jokes. “Looks like I’ll be heading home with Grayson.”
Laughing, I peer at him over my shoulder. “Think again.”
Reed shakes his head and smiles. “I’m going to miss having you four here. You’ve been the best group I’ve had so far.”
“Is that why you cut our training short two days?” I ask.
His expression turns serious. “I think you’re all ready to know why you’re here.” He nods toward the training building. “Let’s go inside. I’ll tell you everything.”
We follow him into the computer room where there’s a black briefcase at each of our seats. I walk over to mine and set my basket down while the guys go over to their desks. Inside my case is a Glock, a brand-new laptop, cell phone, smartwatch, and a file filled with documents. Also, underneath the file is my FBI badge; it’s official. I trace my fingers over the words Special Agent and smile. What piques my interest is the folder of papers. When I open it up, there’s a birth certificate, passport, driver’s license, and a credit card, all with the name Kami Parker on them. We were told a couple of weeks into training that we’d be undercover for all of our missions. It looks like Kami Parker will be my new name.
Reed shuts the door and walks to the front of the room, his eyes moving from one person to the next. “Over the past eight weeks, I’ve pushed you to your breaking points, both mentally and physically. You’ve mastered all aspects of this special training, and that includes my hacking class.”
Chris chuckles. “It’s scary how much you know, Chandler.”
Sawyer leans in close to me and whispers, “That’s for damn sure.”
Reed smirks. “What can I say? I’m the best.”
He knows how to hack into anything. It’s one of the main things he does for the government. He showed us how to access bank accounts, business cameras, phone records, you name it. If I need to find someone, now I know how to do it.
Reed points at our briefcases. “Everything you have there is of the utmost importance. You were already told before that you’d need an alternate identity for undercover. I’ve supplied you with all the documents for that. The credit card is yours to use for hotels, food, flights, and anything else you’ll need when you travel.” He paces along the front of the room. “Your cell phones have five numbers programmed into it. It’s untraceable, and you’re strongly encouraged to use it on your missions. You four, are each other’s support group. If one needs help, you call the others. That’s why you’ll find everyone’s number on your phone. My number is in there, and so is one other important one. I’ll get to what that number is used for in just a moment.” He glances down at Anthony, who just secured his smartwatch onto his wrist. “The watches are used as tracking devices and for
if you need help.” He lifts Anthony’s arm and points to the emergency button on the side. “Sometimes we find ourselves in a situation we can’t get out of. If you hit this button, help will come. I’m hoping you’ll never have to use it.”
“How many agents have you lost?” I ask him.
Reed’s jaw clenches, and I can see the regret in his eyes. “Several. Luckily, none here recently.”
Clearing his throat, he reaches for Anthony’s gun out of his briefcase. “The Glock is yours to keep. You’ll also get your own Remington 700P if you decide to stay.” The Remington 700P is a sniper rifle. I look over at Sawyer, and he’s just as intrigued as me. Even Chris and Anthony stare at Reed with curiosity. Reed sets the gun down and pulls out the laptop. “Your laptops are equipped with the custom programs I designed. They’re the same ones you used here. You’ll also have access to all of our secret government files. Again, that’s if you decide to stay.” Once he sets the laptop down, he takes a deep breath and blows it out slowly. “I guess it’s finally time to tell you why you’re here. I’m going to warn you, it’s not for the faint of heart. With what I’ve seen from you all, I have no doubt you can handle it.” He pauses and looks at us. “You know how I made you hunt each other in the woods?” It was my all-time favorite part of our training. We had a role to play each time, either the villain or the agent. It didn’t matter which role I was, I hit my mark every time.
Chris scoffs. “Oh, I remember. I got shot in the middle of the forehead with a pink paintball. That shit hurt like a bitch.” I try my best to hold in my snicker and fail. I’m the one who shot him. It was pitch black outside, and I could see him perfectly, hiding up in a tree. Reed had us hunt each other numerous times, and none of them ever shot me. Chris lifts his brows and stares back at me but smiles in the end. “I still owe you for that.”
“Yeah, good luck.”
Reed chuckles. “It was kind of funny, but in the real world, it could’ve been an actual bullet. Sometimes the villains win. I’ve seen it happen way too many times.” I have too. I look around the room at the men I’ve trained with for the past two months. Even though they’re stronger than any humans I’ve met, none of them would survive against a shifter in a fight. It puts it in perspective how fragile humans are. Reed stops in the center of the room, his smile gone. There’s a darkness to his tone that sends chills up my spine. If he were a shifter, he’d be a lethal one. “The goal for this training camp was to make you hunters, invisible weapons for the greater good. The FBI branch I work for is called the Circle of Justice. As all of you know, some criminals walk free every day. I’m not talking about minor offenses. I’m talking rapists, child molesters, murderers. Sometimes the justice system doesn’t work in our favor. Our goal is to fix that. Do you know how?”
His question sparks something inside of me. I know exactly what he means. It’s the reason why he picked me after I killed Samantha’s murderer in the woods. I look over at Sawyer, and he nods at Reed. “We kill them,” he says.
Reed focuses on each one of us. “We do. My father was an assassin for the COJ before he retired, and all of my brothers still are.” He holds up his hands. “If this isn’t for you, I understand. I do other things for the FBI as well. Last year, I went undercover inside the mafia. And after that, I was brought in to help find a serial killer using my computer skills. So, you see, there are plenty of options for you.” He blows out a sigh and rests his hands on the desk, keeping his eyes on us. “This is your chance to protect. Do I like killing people? Of course not, but if it saves just one innocent life, it’s completely worth it to me. What do you say? Are you in?”
I don’t even think twice about it. This is what I’ve been waiting for. Standing, I can feel the fire rage in my body. Killing is something I’m good at; it’s in my blood. “I’m in.”
Reed smiles. “I had a feeling you would be.” Sawyer stands next, and so do Chris and Anthony, all pledging their acceptance. “All right,” Reed calls out. “It’s time to get down to business.”
The rest of the afternoon has been spent talking about our job as assassins. In our government files is a list of targets to kill. Each target has a file of their own with every tidbit of information we’d need, from where they live and work. Our goal is to find them and kill them quickly, but not in view of other people. If we have to wait days to find the right time, we have to do it. What surprised me the most was how long the list was. The names went on and on.
After a kill has been completed, we call the other most important number programmed on our phones besides Reed’s. It’s the clean-up crew and the ones who come up with a fabricated story for the public. It makes me wonder how many news stories I’ve watched over the years were made up by the FBI.
We get our annual salary, but we get more money when we kill someone on the list. Now that I think about it, all of our training makes sense now. Reed taught us how to hunt, even though it’s something I’m already skilled at. He also showed us how to find people through technology. The government has a unique satellite system that allows us to look at anything we want. A part of me wants to search for Colin, and I pray that when I’m alone with my government laptop, I don’t give in. I shut my briefcase and click the latches to secure it.
Reed finishes talking with Chris and Anthony, and they walk out of the meeting room while he comes toward Sawyer and me. “Do you have any questions for me?”
Sawyer and I look at each other and then turn to him and shake our heads. “I think you covered everything,” I say.
Reed nods. “Good. I wanted to talk to you together for a minute. I’m pairing you up as partners. You both work well together, and I know you’ve become good friends.”
I look over at Sawyer and wink. “Yeah, he’s okay sometimes.”
Reed shakes his head and smiles. “I’d like for you two to find targets together, at least for a little while until you get the hang of it.”
Crossing my arms over my chest, I narrow my gaze. “Is this because I’m a female?”
“No,” Reed replies, his expression serious. “If anything, you are one of the last agents I’m worried about. Chris and Anthony will be doing the same thing too. I want to make sure you have backup if you need it. My number is on your cell phone. You can call me anytime.” He holds a hand out to me. “Good luck, Grayson. I took a gamble on you, and I’m glad I did.”
I shake his hand. “Thanks, Reed. I won’t let you down.”
“Neither will I,” Sawyer says to him.
Sawyer shakes his hand, and we say our goodbyes. When we walk outside, Chris and Anthony wait for us by my Jeep. “Guess this is it,” Chris says, opening his arms wide with the biggest grin on his face. “I know you want to cry.”
I snort. “Please. You’re the one who looks heartbroken. I think someone’s going to miss me.” I set my briefcase and basket of biscuits down and hug him. In all honesty, I’m the one who’s going to miss him. The bantering back and forth with him and Anthony filled a hole I didn’t realize I had.
Chris clutches me tight. “Be safe out there, Grayson,” he whispers low. “Call me if you need me.”
“I will. You be safe too.” He passes me over to Anthony, and I hug him. “Be careful, Anthony.”
He lets me go and winks. “Always.”
“Are you two leaving town tonight?” I ask them.
They both nod, and Chris answers. “We’re ready to get started.” They shake Sawyer’s hand and get into Anthony’s silver truck, waving at us as they head out. I pick up my briefcase and basket and set them in the backseat of my Jeep.
“When we get to the cabin, we should figure out where we want to go,” Sawyer says, hopping into his seat.
I climb behind the wheel, and my thoughts drift to Colin. He said he was giving me the eight weeks, but that time doesn’t run up until two more days. That is if he was literal on waiting the exact time. I don’t even know if he’s in Wyoming or out traveling. The easy thing would be to call Faith and ask her where he i
s, but I told myself I wouldn’t do that.
“Yeah, I suppose we do,” I reply. I start up my car, and we head on our way back to Amelie’s cabin. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Sawyer sneak glances at me. “What’s on your mind? I can see you looking at me.”
Sawyer sighs. “I keep thinking about Tia. I know we have to use our judgment on telling our families and friends what we do for a living, but I’m worried she’ll see me differently. I don’t want to lose her.”
I look over at him and smile. Sawyer’s in love with her, and I can see the genuine worry on his face. If he only knew the kind of world she came from. “You have nothing to worry about. Tia’s going to love you no matter what. I know she’ll support this.”
The relief on his face is evident. “Okay. I believe you. Do you think she’ll travel with us?”
Once Tia finds out what we’ll be doing, I have a feeling she’ll want to be around so she can keep him safe. She knows the risks of being an undercover agent, and she’s already said she’s prepared to use her magic to protect him.
“I’m sure she will,” I say. “And I’m sure she’d like it better if you asked her.”
Sawyer grins and turns his attention to the road. “I think I will.”
They make it look so simple. Never once have Sawyer and Tia argued or gotten on each other’s nerves. The only problem with them is secrets. Tia has so many, and it makes me wonder if they’ll last.
“Do you want to see Colin before we head out of town?” Sawyer asks.
My wolf stirs restlessly inside of me, desperate to see her mate. I push her away as hard as I can; it’s the only way I can ignore the bond. Every day it grows more and more, and every day I find it more exhausting.
Keeping my focus on the road, I shake my head. “I don’t know where he is. If he doesn’t show up by the time we leave, then that’s on him.”