by Jayne Rylon
James started riffling through the documents, straightening them, sorting them into the nearby folders by topic while trying not to really absorb what they said, then sticking them back into the unit in alphabetical order. Still, no one was speaking, certainly not in the heated debate they’d been having when he arrived. Without turning to face them, James urged, “Go ahead, have your assessment. Just ignore me. I’ll be over here fixing this mess, definitely not eavesdropping on your plans. By the way… If you don’t call it a murder meeting, does that keep whatever you do from being premeditated?”
He clapped his hand over his mouth then grinned as if swearing it wouldn’t happen again. “You know what. I’m going. I’ll be out in the living room waiting. Sorry.”
Jordan blinked a few times as if unsure how to handle him.
He rose, prepared to go, and started talking faster as a nervous reflex. “I mean, not that I’m gonna tell anyone about what you’re planning, of course. I was just wondering.”
For himself, mostly. How much trouble would he be getting himself or the rest of the crew into if he followed the wild hare tromping through his better sense and offered to assist Jordan’s team for more than a couple minutes?
“We’re running out of time, Jordan. If we need to call in JRad or any of the specialists from the Men in Blue or our other partners, we need to get on this,” the big, good-hair guy interrupted James’s rambling.
Jordan mashed his temples with two fingers on each side then stabbed a finger toward James. “You. Sit down. Stop rambling. File. Don’t touch anything else. Anything you hear doesn’t leave this room. Not even to be shared with the rest of the Powertools. I want to ask you some more questions about the vandalism on Devon’s site, but you’re going to have to wait a damn minute.”
Like a very obedient dog, James dropped into the seat and did as he was told.
Good-hair guy waited until Jordan hunched over the maps and disorganized papers and who knew what else on the command table before winking at James over his boss’s shoulder. To his surprise, Sola was grinning in his direction too.
James flashed them a thumbs up then dug in, truly wanting to help if he could, careful to stay as quiet as he could so that he didn’t distract them or remind Jordan that he was still in the room. He shouldn’t have worried.
Jordan centered his attention on whatever was so critical in front of them. “Aarav, you’re going to be in charge of covering our agents on the entrances and exits. I think the best vantage point would be this bluff, if it’s not too far for you to feel confident.”
“Come on.” Aarav’s gorgeous golden eyes scrunched a bit at the corners. James was glad to have another chance to hear his accent. “I could make that shot in my sleep.”
“Good. Then, Sola, I need you to take care of transporting any victims we can free, then managing the safe house. And don’t give me any shit about wanting to be the one to destroy…ahem…targets. Because that’s a job anybody can do and protecting the women we pull out of this hellhole is the top priority. I’m trusting you with that.”
Oh shit. What horrors were being inflicted on these people? James was pretty sure he didn’t want to know the details about that. But he hoped like hell that these real-life superheroes, who operated on an entirely different plane from the everyday life he knew and took for granted, could put an end to it.
“So we’re the anybodies, yeah?” Ransom cracked his knuckles.
“Yeah.” Jordan nodded to him and Levi. “It’s not going to be a fair fight, just two of you and at least seven of them.”
“We’ve got this.” Levi bumped fists with Ransom. “They’ll be half drunk and who knows what else. We’ll be in and out before they know we’re there. Give us a little bit of cover and we’ll be fine.”
James’s filing went way slower than it should have as his mouth hung agape, in awe of how well-oiled their operation was. Aarav, who was apparently a master sniper, was quiet but intense, whereas Sola practically vibrated with pent-up energy. Each person had their assignment and the others were relying on them to do it well in order to come out of whatever clusterfuck they were about to instigate alive.
“Sola, there’s one other victim I need you to be on the lookout for.”
“Aside from the women?” She whistled.
“I know. There’s going to be a lot for you to do in the little time that Ransom and Levi will be cleaning the floor. I told you it was a tough one. But…it’s a kid. We can’t leave him behind.” Jordan cleared his throat as if the possibility was especially painful for him to consider. “He’s the one who gave us the tips to make the bust possible. Talked to Tom down at the youth center and finally pinpointed their location for us.”
“Okay, right.” Sola tapped her phone, adding notes for herself. “What’s his name?”
“Mark.”
James stood up then, dumping the entire sheaf of papers in his lap onto the floor. “What’s he look like?”
“I thought you were forgetting everything you’ve heard.” Jordan glared at him.
His first instinct was to apologize, but the stronger one was to take action if it meant saving someone’s life instead of taking it. “I am. I am. But, I worked down at the center yesterday with a kid named Mark.”
“Ah, fuck.” Jordan groaned. “Why does shit like this always happen?”
He took an image, from the security camera in the youth center’s hallway, and flipped it toward James. A shock of mousy brown hair fell just so over eyes he had so recently looked directly into and promised to help.
A fist of dread and urgency punched James in the gut. He staggered forward and gripped the table. “Yeah. This is him. I know him.”
“If the kid is familiar with James—” Sola began.
Jordan sliced his hand through the air. “Absolutely not.”
“I know you hate it, but she’s right.” Nolan shifted his gaze toward James, his hair still perfect despite him shaking his head. “Ransom and Levi are going in the back. They’re already outnumbered. If there are a lot of people we want Sola to protect, and remove, we need a distraction. It’s got to be someone they won’t recognize. Someone their systems won’t pick up as an operative on a scan.”
James had no idea what he’d gotten himself into but he was sure it was worse than the puppy poop Mike had stepped in the other night. And he was sure Devon and Neil would hate the idea even more than Jordan did.
That didn’t mean they wouldn’t understand, if he explained what was at stake.
Mark! He’d obviously had a lot more going on than James had realized. No wonder he wanted to run away. And James had encouraged him to go back instead of escaping. Shit, he had to make this right,
“What would a distraction entail exactly? I pulled a few mean ding-dong-dashes when I was in high school. All Neil’s idea, of course. Is that the sort of thing you’re talking about?”
“What? No!” Jordan pivoted on his heel and glared at James. “Were you ever in the military?”
“Nope.”
“Have any combat training?”
“Uh, not exactly. But I have taken several self-defense courses. A guy my size and…uh…as not-straight as me needed them a few times back in the day.” He shrugged. “I don’t like fighting, but I can take care of myself in a pinch. It only took a few black eyes for word to get around and people to leave me alone. Well, having the rest of the crew at my back once we hit trade school probably didn’t hurt either.”
“He’ll be fine. He’s smart and quick. And he can talk.” Ransom surprised him by taking James’s side. “He’s not going to have to scrap with anyone. We just need him to pretend to be a delivery guy who’s dropping off a pizza to the wrong house or something. A few minutes and he’ll be clear. Plus, that kid knows him. He’ll be more willing to go with Sola and convince the others to do so quickly if he realizes right away that they’re the good guys. If he’s willing to do this, let him. His diversion will be the insurance we need to pull this off without
things getting messier than they already are.”
Jordan groaned as if Ransom was making sense, even if he didn’t like it.
James stood three inches taller at least. Yeah, he could do that. He would just channel Neil, who could bullshit anyone. No biggie, right? Right?
Jordan propped his hands on his hips. “For the record, this is a stupid fucking idea. But we need the help. We’re short-staffed with the rest of our team out on another assignment. And Mark recognizing you could be what tips the scale in our favor. So I’m not going to say no if you’re intent on stepping up. Be sure.”
He was. But…
“I am. I’ve been looking for something to do that really matters. Something that I have the skills for and could make a difference in the world. What bigger impact could I make than saving someone’s—Mark’s—life? Oh crap, that reminds me.” James couldn’t believe he’d almost forgotten. “I have the papers Tom was supposed to bring up here today.”
“Huh?” Jordan cocked his head. “I wasn’t expecting Tom. In fact, he wouldn’t have interrupted us this afternoon. He knew we were in a pinch and prepping for a—”
James and Jordan hummed at the same time, their stares colliding.
James handed Jordan the envelope and the other guy tore it open. He took one look at the papers inside, snorted, and then showed them to James. “It’s his goddamned electric bill.”
Figured. Tom always knew what was best for them. James’s presence there was a reflection of Tom’s vote of confidence. It made him sure he was making the right choice.
Now James just had to make Jordan and the rest of these everyday heroes see that the Hot Rods’ father figure had it right. Because suddenly he was certain. This was what he wanted to do with his life—stop assholes who thought they could get away with evil shenanigans for one vile reason or another.
For every bully he’d ever stood up to and whoever had hurt his sister without paying the price, he was so in, whether Jordan wanted him to be involved or not. James finally felt like he’d found his reason. Something that meant more than swinging a hammer or bringing home a paycheck. While those things had been fine when he’d also been surrounded by friends, and lovers, it didn’t hold the same appeal now. This though… This could be something he could put his heart into.
“When are we doing this and what do I need to know before then?”
“Your husband and wife are going to kill me.” Jordan scrubbed his hands over his face.
“It’s okay, boss. You’ve got plenty of people to protect your fine ass.” James grinned at Sola, Nolan, Aarav, Ransom, and Levi before giving them a proper toodle-loo finger wave and strutting over to join them at the table.
Or at least he would have, if his phone hadn’t chosen right then to buzz in his pants, making him yelp and jump higher than a startled cat. Nolan nearly died laughing, until Jordan whacked him to get his attention back on the mission planning.
14
James checked the screen of his phone. When he saw it was Neil, he cursed softly. “Shit. What time is it? I didn’t tell the crew I was coming out here.”
“That’s probably for the best,” Jordan responded. “It’d be wisest for you to leave and forget everything you heard today.”
“But you’re not going to force me go?” He held his breath.
“You’re old enough to make your own decisions. Even if they’re as awful as choosing to eat gum you find stuck to the bottom of a park bench.” Jordan sighed and closed his eyes for a moment as if he couldn’t believe what he was about to say. “I’m not going to lie, we could use some fresh meat as bait for this assignment and someone like you to help us get our shit together at headquarters, manage surveillance installs, handle communications during ops, and maybe a few other things in the long run. If Tom thinks you’re right for the team…”
“I won’t let you down.” James flung himself at Jordan and wrapped around him like a boa constrictor.
Just then Kason came into the room with Wren holding his hand, and barked out a laugh. “Good thing I’m not the jealous type.”
“I might be.” Wren hip-checked him. “And I bet Devon could kick all of our asses. Just so you know, she’s going to be here any minute. Your spouses followed me up from Hot Rides after Tom let it slip where he’d sent you, and I’m guessing the rest of your crew, like usual, isn’t far behind.”
“Is this Grand Central Station or a covert operation?” Jordan threw his hands up or would have if James hadn’t been suffocating him. He peeled James from him, then said, “We need to get back to strategizing. I’ll tell you when I know exactly what your role will be. You’re responsible for breaking the news—minus a lot of details, for their own safety—to your family when they arrive. Hell, now that half of Middletown is on their way, you might as well stay for dinner and…whatever.”
James narrowed his eyes at Jordan. “Does that mean you’re going to interrogate them about me joining your firm?”
“Without a doubt,” Kason said even as Wren nodded for Jordan. “Yep.”
“They’re going to be fine with it. Probably. I mean, they said they support whatever I want to do going forward.” But suddenly James wasn’t so sure.
“I’m sure they told you that before they realized your dream job was going to involve dangerous shit that could get you all entangled in a whole lot of trouble. Not to mention killed. That’s not very likely, granted, but it’s not something you should take lightly, and neither should they.” Jordan grimaced. Pain flashed in his eyes even years after he’d lost his partner—whom he’d shared Wren with—to a mission gone sour.
Fortunately, neither his husband nor his wife were about to let Jordan suffer those horrible memories alone.
“It’s so sexy when you save the world and try to protect the rest of us from horrible things we can’t even imagine.” Wren took up James’s place, plastering herself to Jordan while Kason nodded and did the same on his other side. On a more serious note, Wren added, “If you think I don’t worry about you, especially after what happened to Johnny, you’re sadly mistaken. But I know you wouldn’t be the man I love so desperately if you weren’t driven to take this on. I’m sure the Powertools will feel the same way once they’ve had time to digest everything. Plus, being afraid for your lover’s life makes welcoming them home after a rough day that much more intense.”
“Oh, this job comes with groupie sex too? I’m so in.” James smirked while Nolan let out a belly laugh. Even Aarav smirked behind his hand, which couldn’t quite conceal his amusement. Sola sighed wistfully, obviously jealous of her boss and his two soulmates even if she would be busting Jordan’s balls later for sure.
And in that moment, it all clicked into place. James felt like part of a team again. That didn’t mean he wasn’t a Powertool anymore, but it did mean he could be more than only that. He couldn’t wait to tell the crew.
By then Neil had hung up and called back, probably freaking out, so James swiped his finger over the screen of his phone to unlock it, put it on speaker, and sing-songed, “Hello, handsome. I have some good news. I heard you’re on your way here already. I can’t wait to tell you about it. Plus, Jordan says you should stay for an impromptu party.”
“Damn it!” Neil groaned. “I didn’t pack my swimsuit and you know I’ve been dying to try out their indoor pool.”
From nearby, Wren chuckled and said, “Darling, it’s a private oasis. Bathing suits are very optional.”
“Yes!” James could picture Neil’s fist pump and the bulge in his pants since they all knew swimming wasn’t high on the list of activities he had in mind anyway.
“See you soon. I’ll explain everything then, I promise.” James kissed his hand loudly then blew it toward the phone to Neil and Devon, whom he could hear asking what was going on in the background since she was probably driving.
It wasn’t ten minutes later before the familiar commotion of the Powertools—minus the kids, who were apparently having a sleepover with Tom, Ms. Brow
n, and their honorary Hot Rods and Hot Rides cousins—stormed Kason’s tranquil mountain estate.
“We’re over here,” James called toward the main living area.
Devon jogged down the hall and into the room. She didn’t slow until she’d engulfed him in a bear hug. “When you didn’t answer my calls earlier, I got nervous. You always pick up or call right back.”
“Oh shit.” James checked his phone more carefully and saw her attempts in the log. “I must not have had service while I was driving up here. I didn’t mean to scare you.” Maybe she really wouldn’t be keen on him joining Jordan’s team, even for boring office duty.
The rest of the crew wasn’t far behind her.
“So what did you have to tell us?” Mike asked as he narrowed his eyes, taking in what was obviously the hub of Jordan’s operations. Wren and Kason retreated a bit, as if trying to give them some space. Jordan and the rest of his team were still huddled over the conference table ignoring them as they had bigger shit to worry about.
“Hey, do you mind if we take over the oasis for a while?” James asked Wren and Kason.
“It’s all yours.” Wren grinned. “Come back when you’re tired out and in need of refreshments.”
James figured the crew would be less likely to argue with him in the serene and private space. Plus, if things went like he hoped, they’d be ready for phase two of his announcement.
Together they nearly trotted to the center of the mansion then down the gorgeous hand-carved staircase to the lower level and out to the rear of the house where the oasis took up a large portion of the back wall. It was made of privacy glass that provided a one-way panoramic view of the valley and lake at the bottom. But when James turned inward, he could have sworn he was on a deserted tropical island complete with a beach, palm trees, and even a waterfall. He knew from previous exploratory missions, that it concealed a secret cave containing a bar and a day bed among other things.