Rise & Fall

by Charlie Cochet

  “In other words, go for someone close to Collins,” Cael said, nodding in agreement. “Who’s the target?”

  Austen stepped forward and held a tablet out in front of him displaying a high-definition image of a wolf Therian with dark hair and silver eyes. “This is Felipe Bautista, Collins’s boyfriend of ten years. Collins is crazy about the guy, but his loyalty to Hogan keeps him away a good deal of the time, and poor Felipe gets lonely. They argue a hell of a lot. Collins is never there, and Bautista resents being told to stay home and wait like some lapdog. I’m still unclear whether Bautista knows what his boyfriend is up to. If he does, he’s playing dumb. So while Collins is busy playing wanted terrorist, Bautista is at Candy Bar picking up cute boys.”

  “So what’s the plan?” Ash asked.

  “Send someone in undercover.” Austen removed a small transparent baggie from his jeans pocket and held it up. It contained some kind of white powder. “Then slip a little something in his mojito, get friendly with him, and let the pixie dust do its thing. You ask and he’ll answer.”

  “What is that?” Dex asked warily. He wasn’t sure about drugging Bautista. “Is it safe?”

  “It’s a special formula. Don’t worry, when he wakes up, he won’t remember a thing. The only side effect he’ll feel is the hangover from hell, which is why it’s important whoever goes in gets him nice and tipsy. He’ll think he had too much to drink and—”

  Dex snatched the bag from Austen. “What’s in this?”

  “Hey, man, take it easy.” Austen held his hands up. “You don’t want to drop that shit in here, or we’re all fucked.”

  A cold chill travelled up Dex’s spine. It couldn’t be. “Is this made with scopolamine?”

  Austen’s stunned expression said it all.

  “Fuck me.” Dex handed the bag back to Austen, his insides twisting. “Who gave it to you?”

  “What the fuck does it matter?” Ash growled.

  “It fucking matters!” Dex snapped, giving Ash a start. He turned his attention back to Austen who was studying him. “Did the THIRDS give it to you?” For the first time since Dex had known Austen, he saw the cheetah Therian’s expression turn grim and his dark eyes cloud over. Something told him there was a whole other side to the cheetah that wasn’t so cheeky.

  “It’s not relevant to this investigation.”

  “It’s not relevant? We’re about to put it in someone’s drink, and you’re telling me it’s not relevant? Pearce injected me with that shit and fucked me up, almost got me to kill someone, and you’re telling me it’s not relevant?”

  Cael got to his feet. “Hold on. It’s the same drug from the lab? The lab that technically never existed which has been decommissioned?”

  Austen casually returned the baggie to his pocket before folding his arms over his chest. His hard gaze moved from one Destructive Delta member to the next. “Are you G.I. Joes done pretending like fucked-up shit don’t happen on both sides of the law? If you want to back out, now’s the time to do it. You brought me into this, not the other way around. I have enough shit on my plate without putting my neck out on the line for an unauthorized mission.” His dark eyes landed on Dex. “Right now, your partner’s in Hogan’s sights. You gonna wait around for him to finish what he started, or are you going to put an end to this bullshit?”

  Dex gritted his teeth. He should have known the whole mess with the Therian Research Facility wasn’t behind them, but he had other worries right now. “Fine. Let’s do this.”

  With a wink and a smile, Austen patted Dex on the arm. “That’s more like it. Now, as I was saying. We get Bautista to talk. He’s a talker. He’s also a cuddler. If he really doesn’t know anything, we cut him free, put a tail on him, see if he leads us to Collins, though it’s unlikely. I’ve been tailing the guy for days, and Collins is always the one who finds him, not the other way around.”

  “What kind of guys does Bautista go for?” Letty asked.

  “Cute guys.”

  Letty rolled her eyes at Austen. “Thanks for narrowing it down.”

  “Ash is out of the question. You’ll just scare the shit out of him.” Austen moved on to Hobbs. “You’re cute, darling, but too big.” He gave Hobbs’s bicep a squeeze and a wink. He turned to Cael and gave his cheek a pinch. “Sorry, my friend, but you and I are too adorable. Bautista has a type. And it’s not just willing and able.” Austen spun on his heels and jutted his fingers at Dex and Calvin. “The guy’s a sucker for the classics. Blond and blue-eyed.”

  “I’ll do it,” Dex said. It wasn’t fair for him to expect Calvin to take such a risk when it was his idea to go after Hogan.

  Ash’s protest descended swiftly. “Hell no.”

  “You don’t agree?” Dex gasped. “What a fucking surprise.”

  “For one, I don’t like the fact we’re lying to Sloane. It’s bound to blow up in our faces. But more importantly, if anyone from Hogan’s gang shows up, including Collins, we’re screwed because they’ve seen your face. They saw you at the exchange. In fact they’ve seen all our faces.”

  “No they haven’t.” Calvin held a hand up. “I wasn’t at the exchange. Well, technically I was, but I was up on one of the containers. No one in the group saw me. I’ll do it.”

  “Do you even remember how to pick someone up? When was the last time you had a date?”

  “Screw you, Ash.” Calvin turned to Dex, his expression unwavering. “I can do this.”

  “Are you sure about this, Cal?”

  Calvin gave him a stern nod, and Austen rubbed his hands together gleefully. The guy really enjoyed his job way too much. “All right. We’ll meet up a block away from Candy Bar at ten o’clock.” He checked his watch before winking at Calvin. “You have three hours to make yourself look pretty. Wear something nice.” He turned to Cael and threw an arm around his neck. “You’ve got two and half hours to turn this van into something James Bond would be proud of.” Austen waved at them and slipped out of the van. Dex braced himself.

  “Are you fucking kidding me?” Cael rounded on him. “You want me to turn a catering van into a surveillance van in two and a half hours? Are you out of your mind?”

  “Come on, Cael. You can do it. You’re awesome at that stuff.”

  “That stuff isn’t like hooking up your home theater system, Dex! Especially without access to my equipment locker at work.”

  “Your brother’s right, Cael. You can do it,” Ash said gently, bringing Cael’s tirade to a screeching halt. Cael’s cheeks went pink, and he frowned down at his sneakers while Ash continued. “If anyone can pull this off, you can. You’re the smartest, most capable guy we know. We have faith in you.”

  Dex noticed how Calvin and Letty exchanged glances. They weren’t stupid. It was only a matter of time before the rest of the team figured something was going on between his brother and Ash, even if technically nothing was going on.

  “Fine. But you need to drop the van off at my apartment, like, yesterday.” He stormed to the end of the van and slipped out. Calvin soon followed, leaving a confused-looking Hobbs behind. Dex threw him the keys.

  “You mind driving?” Keeping Hobbs busy would probably be a good idea. He had a feeling this mission wasn’t going to be as straightforward as Austen made it out to be. Aside from the fact Calvin was taking a risk going undercover, there was the question of how far he was willing to go to get any useful information. There was no telling how Hobbs would react.

  “What do you need me to do?” Letty asked.

  “I need you to get some equipment ready. Tranq guns, vests, whatever you can get together under the radar, but I want to keep the real firepower minimal. The last thing we need is to start a shootout and draw attention to ourselves. I’ll fill Rosa in, and if she agrees, I’ll ask her to have her medical kit ready. Ash will call you and keep you informed. We’ll let you know the moment we locate Collins. No sense in having everyone here tonight.”

  “Got it.” Letty headed for the door when Ash followed
her.

  “I need a ride.”

  “Well let’s go, then, partner. What happened to your face?” Letty inspected Ash’s jaw on the way out, and Dex heard him grumble about how he cut himself shaving or something, which made no sense considering his jaw was full of stubble. With only Hobbs left, Dex motioned toward the front of the van.

  “We can drop it off and catch some dinner. What do you say?”

  Hobbs gave him a nod as he slipped in behind the wheel and buckled up. Dex took a seat beside him and did the same. He turned the radio to his favorite station, though he kept the volume low.

  “I’ll call you after it’s over and let you know what information we get. I can take care of the surveillance with Austen tomorrow.”

  “No.”

  Dex blinked at Hobbs. “I’m sorry?”

  “I’m going to be here.”

  “Hobbs, why are you torturing yourself, man? You know he’s going to have to… get close to Bautista.” Dex studied his teammate. It was hard to tell what Hobbs was thinking. Despite his inability to speak most of the time, Hobbs was one of the most expressive guys Dex knew, but it only applied when Hobbs wanted you to know something; otherwise his poker face had those Easter Island dudes beat. His stern expression gave away nothing, but his white-knuckle grip on the steering wheel as he drove told another story.

  “I know.”

  “So why torture yourself?”

  “He’s my partner,” Hobbs said solemnly. “I need to make sure he’s safe.”

  “We’ve got his back.”

  They stopped at a red light, and Hobbs sat quietly. Seconds ticked past before Hobbs spoke up. “I’ve had his back longer. And I always will.”

  There was no point in arguing. Felid Therians were some of the most stubborn around. Dex gave in, telling himself he needed to be on alert. Every time he was around Calvin and Hobbs, it felt like a storm was brewing. One of these days, one of them was going to snap, and Dex had no idea what kind of fallout it would lead to. He hoped the two would find a way to work it out before it started hurting their friendship. As they headed for Cael’s apartment, he realized he wasn’t the only one whose relationship this mission was risking. By the end, it would either strengthen their bonds or destroy it.

  IT WAS time.

  After they’d dropped off the van and left Cael to do his thing—which meant staying far away since his little brother had his fur all bristled—Dex and Hobbs had gone out for some dinner. It wasn’t any more pleasant, with Hobbs spending most of the time brooding. Dex did his best to cheer Hobbs up and distract him, but the tiger Therian always ended up lost in thought. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what—or rather whom—he was thinking about.

  A couple of hours later, they all sat in the back of the van while Hobbs drove. Everyone was dressed in dark colors except for Calvin who was looking all smooth and ready for a night on the town in his trendy jeans, white shirt, and preppy gray vest.

  The surveillance console Cael had installed was impressive, complete with two flat-screen monitors, digital drives, keyboard, earpieces, a wireless digital printer, a carbon monoxide and oxygen level alarm, and a joystick for controlling the periscope in the roof. Speaking of roof….

  “Holy shit!” Dex’s hand flew to his head. Oh my God, Lou was going to kill him. “Bro, you cut a hole in the roof of Lou’s van!”

  Cael blinked at him. “Yeah, but it’s retractable. From the outside it looks like a small fan.”

  “You cut a hole in the roof of Lou’s van!”

  “You wanted a surveillance van,” Cael grumbled, “you got one. Give me your phone?”

  “Why?” Dex reached into his pocket and took out his phone only to have his brother snatch it away from him.

  “Because I forgot something.” He tapped away at Dex’s phone, not bothering to ask Dex for his secret code to get past the main screen. Damn computer nerds. Several speedy taps later, and he was shoving Dex’s phone back at him.

  Calvin looked the console over and whistled. “Damn, Cael. You had all this in your apartment?”

  “Well, yeah. Where else would I have it?”

  Hobbs parked the van a few doors down from Candy Bar, then came to join Dex, where Cael proceeded to go through all the equipment with them before testing it out. His little brother had “borrowed” several camera feeds from local businesses using encrypted coding, so every time Dex or Hobbs moved one, it would seem like it was part of the camera’s regular rotation.

  “Okay, we’ve got eyes and ears,” Cael said and handed them each an earpiece. They were exactly like the ones they used while on the job.

  “These aren’t THIRDS issued, are they?” Dex asked.

  Cael gave him an uninspired look. “Yes, Dex. I’m using standard THIRDS issued earpieces to do surveillance for an unsanctioned mission.” Well, someone got up on the snarky side of the bed this morning. Speaking of snarky, Ash had barely said a word since they’d picked him up.

  “A simple ‘no’ would have sufficed,” Dex muttered at his brother while discreetly glancing over at his gruff teammate. Ash was sitting on the bench lost in thought. He sure as hell wished Ash was ready for this. The guy was providing Calvin backup along with Austen in case something went wrong. He turned back to the console’s screens showing the perimeter around the van, as well as Candy Bar. Being a Friday night, it was already getting packed. Using one of the sleek joysticks, he could switch between cameras, move them around, zoom in, and out. One of the cameras was directly across the street, allowing him to zoom right in through Candy Bar’s large front window to the bar and a portion of the seating area.

  Austen clapped his hands together. “Okay, guys, let’s get this porno started.”

  Dex heard Hobbs growl beside him. Let the fun begin.

  “What do you think?” Calvin asked, holding his arms out at his sides.

  “Sexy, but a little too neat. We need to scruff you up a bit. And you gotta lose the jacket.”

  Calvin looked down at his jacket with a frown. “What’s wrong with it?”

  “Too boy-next-door. Daley, give him your jacket.”

  Dex removed his belongings from his leather jacket before handing it over to Calvin. It was a little longer on Calvin since Dex was taller but still looked good. Austen fussed with Calvin’s shirt collar, opening the top button and wriggling his brows.

  “Seriously man, you need to get laid,” Calvin grumbled, slapping Austen’s hand away from his collar. Austen puckered his lips and blew him a kiss.

  “You offering, Cal? Maybe a little dessert after dinner?”

  “Can we get on with this?”

  “I’m trying, man, but your hair’s like…. How the fuck do you get it to stay down?”

  Hobbs let out a huff and nudged Austen aside. Well, it was a nudge for Hobbs. It all but sent Austen hurtling across the van. Austen didn’t seem bothered. He brushed himself off and took a seat behind the makeshift console while Hobbs straightened out Calvin’s clothes and ran his fingers through his bud’s spiky hair, giving it the right tousled look.

  “Sexy and a stylist,” Austen teased Hobbs, “Is there nothing you boys can’t do?”

  “For fuck’s sake, Hobbs. You gonna braid his hair next? Get on with it.” Ash got to his feet, ignoring Calvin and Hobbs’s glares while Cael leaned against the van’s wall next to the bench, pretending he wasn’t watching Ash, at least until he seemed to notice Ash’s face. He walked around the bench and stepped up to Ash, who stood stock still when Cael reached out to stroke his thumb over the small nick.

  “What happened to your face?”

  Ash touched his jaw, his hand partially covering Cael’s. “It’s nothing,” he replied quietly. “Just a scrape. Don’t worry, okay?”

  A buzzer sounded in Dex’s head. Wrong answer. Obviously Cael was getting tired of Ash’s refusal to let him in. Dex could see it in his brother’s eyes, the way they turned from sparkling gray to steel. He pulled his hand back, swiped his messenger bag off the
floor, and headed for the back doors.

  “Fine. I’ve gotta go. I’ve got plans.”

  “With Seb?” Dex asked.

  “Yeah.”

  “Seriously?” Dex motioned toward the console. “We’re in the middle of an undercover op, and you’re going to leave it to go on a date?”

  “It’s not a date. Besides, he called this afternoon. What was I supposed to do? Call him up and say, ‘Hey, Seb, sorry I can’t make it. I’m with my brother helping him shake down a guy who’s part of your investigation, the same one we’re supposed to stay away from?’ I’ll call you tomorrow, Dex.” He grumbled a quick good-bye to the rest of the team before slipping out of the van. Refusing to let his brother walk away like this, Dex followed, catching up with him before he could disappear down the street. “Hey, hold on a minute.”

  Cael stopped and turned, his cheeks flushed from anger. “What, Dex?”

  “When did you stop talking to me? We used to tell each other everything.” His brother was always so cheerful, always smiling and sweet. Dex hated seeing him like this.

  “We’re not little kids anymore. I’m not a little kid anymore.”

  “But we’re still brothers. That hasn’t changed.” Dex pulled him to one side, closer to the doorway of a closed business so they weren’t out in the open. No sense taking any chances. There was plenty of foot traffic with pedestrians on their way to one of the many restaurants and bars lining the street opposite them. “What’s going on?”

  Cael leaned against the brick façade and shrugged. “It’s just….”