White called the meeting to order by telling the men to find seats, “Ms. Grey will lay out the plan and we can make suggestions when she’s finished.”
I didn’t let my nervousness show as I explained how I thought this mission should proceed. I met with surprisingly little resistance to every thing I suggested. Blue came up to me after some small changes were finalized.
“I’ve got our equipment in the chopper. We should be going.”
“Already?” I didn’t expect to be leaving immediately. I hadn’t even been to my apartment since returning from my job at Gigi’s. I’d been gone a long time and wanted to spend some time at home.
“Yeah. We’ll get set up and start scouting the area before the other teams arrive. We’ll give a detailed report before they move in. Then any last minute changes can be made if needed.”
I followed him and Brown to the roof and after several refueling stops I finally found myself repelling from the chopper a safe distance from my designated roost. Despite the dark, I made good time and caught sight of lights from the compound in less than thirty minutes.
Settling in and getting as comfortable as possible I started making mental notes. I’d studied all the compounds and knew this one had two gates, but I only had a clear sight of one. The compound’s Headquarters blocked my view of the second gate. Otherwise, I had an excellent view of the compound. There were two guards posted at this gate and I knew I’d have to keep track of when they changed out. I noticed six other posts around the compound and several roving guards. I made note of all movement patterns, isolated and congested areas and other things such as lighting placement. At least I wouldn’t have to wait till dark to get the full effect of lighting. In no time I knew every nook where a number of men could stand and be under the cover of darkness.
When a few hours had passed and I hadn’t heard anything from Blue I changed my focus of interest. I scanned the area where he should be for several minutes before I found him with my night vision. The tiniest little movement caught my eye and I reasoned it was Blue.
He was well disguised. I only became sure of my discovery when a voice crackled in my ear.
“Watch the compound.” Though it startled me I didn’t make any sudden movements. Slowly I returned my attentions to my proper target.
It was still dark when the gate guards finally switched out for fresh eyes. I reasoned they were on four-hour shifts but would wait until the next change out to consider that as fact. I could tell the new faces were relaxed in their routine by watching the way they habitually performed their duties. They wouldn’t be looking for any outside interference. Again, the voice in my ear startled me when it demanded a report.
I quickly rattled off my observations and was rewarded with Blue’s report of the other side of the compound. It was obvious we had overlapping views, which was what I’d hoped for.
When he completed his report I was tempted to ask him how long we’d wait until the other teams arrived but I assumed the less radio contact the better.
Every four hours I heard the familiar voice in my ear, demanding a report. This went on for three days. Monotony set in and I’d resigned myself to only hearing Blue’s voice in my ear from now until the end of time when White’s familiar voice touched my consciousness. I felt giddy.
His voice always gave me a warm apprehensive feeling but it was intensified being so close in my ear. The mind-numbing surveillance had come to an end and that fact probably helped heighten my senses a little.
“Report, Blue.”
Blue included my reports as well and when he finished White asked, “Anything to add, Grey?”
“No, sir,” was my only response.
“We are in position and will move in at twenty-two hundred hours. Resume your watch.”
“Yes, sir,” Blue and I answered in unison.
The reports back and forth continued until I caught sight of a troop of men moving in from the west. I knew the plan was to take out all the stationary guard posts first so I scouted until I saw the other groups of men surrounding the compound. They’d have to all strike at once to make this work. If any of the compound guards got off a distress signal it would have to be called off. We wouldn’t use deadly force but the troops we were attacking would.
Team Grey was split into six teams of five men to be led by each of the available partners. Their first task was to take out the stationary perimeter guards. There were six posts with two men defending them. As soon as those positions were in our control the teams would converge and take out the gate guards. It was mine and Blue’s duty to make sure the men could see around all corners at all times. Then they would systematically take control of each building until the compound was under our command.
The six teams moved together and had the perimeter in their control within seconds. It was a beautiful sight to watch them move. They almost reminded me of a flock of birds or a school of fish. Yet, a flock or school moved in a flowing motion and my teams all moved simultaneously.
With the perimeter and gates under control, the six teams converged again. The men now had sixteen captives they had to control. I watched as they were bound and gagged and left near the outer fence with one team of our men to guard them.
My eyes darted over the entire compound as the teams split again. Each had a designated building they would take over.
Green and White’s teams made their way to Headquarters while the rest of the teams went to take positions near their assigned buildings. I continued to scour the darkness and caught sight of two men exiting the bar. They were moving directly toward Red’s team who were on their way to take command of the bar.
“Red, two men straight ahead,” I warned. I watched Red’s team stop dead in their tracks and slowly shift into deeper shadows. As the two men approached I worried one or both of them would spot my men standing just out of reach but they didn’t. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the scene. The two men developed more substantial shadows that slowly closed the distance. Within seconds they were under our control and being shuffled toward the rest of our captives.
I went back to my surveillance of the entire compound and caught movement near Headquarters in my night vision. White and Green’s teams were standing by in ready positions so I assumed what I’d seen was a member of their team. I counted heads and discovered they were one short. I looked again for a glimpse of some more activity but there was none until the compound went completely dark. There was a flurry of activity by our men. They all moved in and took their buildings in a synchronized manner. I caught sight of that same movement and watched more carefully. It was Green. He’d been standing near the building all the while. Somehow he’d blended in even though I had the benefit of night vision and knowing the plan. He’d been standing by an electrical box and I knew he’d cut all the appropriate wires to shut down the compound.
After the power and communications were shut down the take over was almost instantaneous. I felt badly for the men stationed here because this made them all look bad. However, I knew it needed to be done to keep them on their toes. Plus, I reminded myself, the attacking teams were composed of the best we had.
I watched them herd the POW’s toward the mess hall in small groups. I’m glad I’m not one of them, I thought, with my hands tied up and duct tape over my mouth. Then I heard White’s voice, instructing Blue and I to join them at the compound. This halted any further thoughts of the mission. I’d always been fond of his voice but because of the earpiece I could almost feel his breath on my neck. These thoughts led to other thoughts and pushed out all other topics while I made the trek down the hill.
I didn’t pull myself from my daydreaming until I was at the entrance to the mess hall. I took a deep breath and pulled on the door so it was just wide enough for me to pass through. Quietly I made my way to White’s side. A few men noticed my approach but White didn’t see me until I was next to him.
“Did you run,” he asked me.
“No,” I thought he was refe
rring to my prompt appearance.
“You’re flushed. Are you okay?” He looked at me deliberately.
His concern was enchanting and I fought to keep my sigh inaudible. The deep breath didn’t help to calm me and I was unable to speak. Even if I had the ability, I wouldn’t know what to say. I quickly shrugged my shoulders and turned away hoping he wouldn’t ask any more questions. I turned my attention to the men grouped along the north wall. This helped me reclaim my sanity.
“That didn’t take long,” I motioned to the men still with their hands tied and mouths taped. I turned back to White to get his reaction. He didn’t look satisfied but followed my change of subject.
“As soon as Blue joins us we’ll let these guys know what’s going on.” Just then the lights came back on and soft humming of electrical appliances resumed.
“Good. Green should be back any minute now.” He said this to himself as he looked around the room.
The mess hall was full of men who were either standing at ease, milling around or tied up. I felt out of place so I found a corner and stood quietly until Blue and Green each made their appearance. I would have stood in my corner watching the scene if I hadn’t noticed White looking around for me.
My partners were fully assembled and stood at attention as White introduced me to my team. I was surprised he chose to introduce me before finishing up the mission.
However, it was quite impressive to see thirty men, standing at attention suddenly salute me. The pride was almost overwhelming.
“Nice to finally meet all of you,” I began. Sam had led the one team not led by a partner but only his and Stevens faces were familiar. Every other face was new to me. “I appreciate the great job you did here.” I looked at White to signal I had nothing more to say.
Everyone returned their attention to the captives as if an afterthought. With a flourish of his arms indicating their situation White explained to them this was why they couldn’t become too comfortable with their positions. He went on for some time before he allowed them to be released and return to their duties. Team Grey was told to help restore the base to normal and the C.O. was held back for a meeting with Team White.
I expected White to chew him out and possibly fire him but the meeting was very civilized and didn’t include any ramifications. The C.O. was shamefaced and apologetic as White reminded him of the lecture he’d given the entire group just minutes before.
“You seemed to be pretty easy on him,” I commented after everyone had disbursed.
“He’s been keeping up on their training and we haven’t done a test like this for over a year. It’s my fault the men have become lax. Now that we’ve shaken up the Alaskan compound and this one, word will get around and none of the compounds will be easy targets for several months.” He took a deep breath and looked at me like he just remembered something.
“What?” His gaze made me self-conscious.
“You aren’t flushed anymore. Are you sure you feel okay? You’ve been working for more than a month without a break.”
I gave a nervous laugh and assured him I was just fine. I knew White worried about me from time to time but he’d never shown it so openly before for such a small matter. I was reminded of the glance he’d stolen in the car while I was bent over searching for plane tickets. This was another of those moments. If any other man had shown such concern I would have immediately become defensive, telling him I could take care of myself. However, the fact that he was White seemed to give him a pass. I knew why but I still wasn’t ready to admit it. At least not out loud.
Daylight came soon and the C.O. arranged for a van to take my partners and me to the nearest military airport. I asked where the rest of the men would go from here and White said most would stay behind to train and some would move onto other compounds. It was time to rearrange.
I’d been sitting in the sun for three days and was strongly aware of my lack of personal hygiene. This made me reluctant to sit near anyone on the flight back. Unfortunately I was paired up with Brown who smelled as bad as I did. Though I was eager to get back to my apartment and my shower, I was unable to stay awake during the flight. I only woke up because Brown elbowed me a good one after we landed.
“You snore,” he grumbled.
“Only because you smell bad,” I defended myself.
He laughed and told me he was only kidding, to which I replied, “I wasn’t, you really do smell bad.”
The chopper that normally resided on the top of White and Associates’ office building was fueled and ready to go. We were all impatient to get home so we were in our seats before Brown was ready to lift off. I remained awake for the short flight home.
“We need to take our rifles back to the office,” Blue told me as we exited the chopper.
It was a small side journey but I wished I could go straight to my apartment. I hadn’t been home since I left to take the job at Gigi’s.
Blue and I watched as the rest of the men got off the elevator one by one. Finally I heard one final ding signaling our arrival on the seventh floor. I followed Blue to the locked closet where we stored our prized possessions.
“I wanted to clean my rifle before putting her back into storage,” I reluctantly handed him my case.
“Oh, I planned on cleaning them both tomorrow, if you don’t mind.”
“Sure. But, shouldn’t I clean my own rifle?” His offer startled me.
“Yes, you should. But, I thought I’d help out,” he shrugged his shoulders. “You’ve been working steadily for more than a month. Besides, we all got a check for the job you did for Colin.”
“Okay. It’ll be nice to have a day to myself, I guess.” I appreciated the gesture. I knew he was trying to be nice so I wouldn’t object, but it was awkward and a little personal to let him take care of my equipment.
“I promise I’ll be careful,” he gave me a knowing smile.
Blue and I made our way back to the elevator after he locked up our beauties. My mood lifted as we climbed ever closer to home. Blue exited before I did and I caught myself humming as the elevator opened up to my floor. I didn’t even try to control the smile on my face as I walked toward my door.
I reached for my keys and realized I didn’t have any. I’d given them to White the day Evans showed up to take me to Gigi’s. Suddenly I was extremely self-conscious about my hygiene again. White had shown some interest for the first time in months and I didn’t want to give him any reason to think I was repulsive.
I paced around outside my door for a few minutes before I decided to try Phil, the head of security for the building. He should have keys, I thought. Then I won’t have to see White again until I’m cleaned up.
I rode the elevator back down to the lobby and found Phil at the main desk.
“Hi,” I greeted him. He and I had a rocky past but after we both realized we were on the same team we’d become friends.
“Ms. Grey,” he smiled. “How’s it going?”
“Not too good, Phil. I don’t have keys to my apartment and I was hoping you’d get me in.”
“I’m sorry. I don’t have keys for anything but the first floor here,” he gestured with his hand. “Commander White is the only one with extra keys.”
“Of course,” I sighed. “Well, thanks anyway. I guess I’ll talk to you later then.”
He nodded his good-bye and I sulked back to the elevator. I pushed the button for White’s floor but when the doors opened I stood motionless until they closed. I rode up to my apartment instead and double-checked, but my door was still locked and I still didn’t have any keys.
What am I doing? I asked myself. This is stupid. It’s not like he hasn’t already seen me like this. I smoothed my hair. Why am I acting like this? I’ve known for years that I have a thing for White. Maybe I was finally ready to make that leap and accept his attentions. Maybe I’d make the first move. I giggled out loud and stepped back onto the elevator for the fourth time. I didn’t know if I’d have the courage, but I decided when he
handed me my keys I’d thank him with a kiss on the cheek. I started to sweat as I thought about his reaction and visibly jumped when the doors opened up to his apartment floor again.
Taking a deep breath I stepped out of the elevator and strode toward his door. My heart raced and I reminded myself I was just going to ask for my keys, unless he stood close enough. I suppressed the giggle wanting to escape.
I smoothed myself out again and knocked. The seconds seemed like years and he wasn’t answering. I started to walk back to the elevator when I heard the door open. Turning toward the sound with a smile on my face I saw Judy Lacewell framing the doorway. We’d been involved in a few jobs for her, the most recent being the K&G job. K&G were contracted by the NSA for some jobs and had an embezzlement problem. I was sent in to search their computers to find the source. We all got in much deeper than expected.
My smile was instantly replaced with a grimace when I saw her. I didn’t expect this at all. She had a past military history with my partners and made it very clear, by her attitude toward me, that I would never hold her respect.
“Can I help you,” she asked, looking me up and down with disgust on her face.
“Uh,” I stammered. “Is White available?” Her attitude annoyed me and made me even more self-conscious.
“He’s in the shower,” she hiked her head toward the bathroom. “I’ll tell him you stopped by.” The door shut and my stomach lurched.
I stood in shock, staring at the closed door. I thought Special Agent Lacewell and Red had a thing. However, I’d heard some stories about her. She didn’t hide the fact that she liked men, all men. Any man. The word whore came to mind and then bitch. I considered knocking again and cracking her right in the mouth when she answered. I took a moment to think and decided against it because I didn’t know why she was here.
Reflections of Grey: Book Three of the Alexis Stanton Chronicles Page 14