“Fucking North Dakota,” Eagle bitched, stomping snow and mud from his boots.
They’d found a relative of Eddie Chambers who might know his location.
“Snow, yippie,” Spencer cackled.
“Come in from the west and we’ll box him in,” Link ordered.
When Eagle glanced at him, Isaac gave a nod. Fury had recently upgraded to a four-man team with the addition of Beckett, but Beckett wasn’t there. He’d injured his ankle during the altercation with Lance and Brewster.
Still, though, he felt unnecessary, like Fury was fine without him being there to fuck up their groove.
“Don’t worry about fitting in,” Eagle murmured when he brought it up. “Spencer is new too.”
“Shut up,” Spencer groused. “I’m not new, Beckett is.”
“But Beckett’s not here,” Eagle smugly smirked.
“Maybe not, but there was a third before me,” Spencer said.
“Oh yeah?” Isaac glanced at Eagle. “Who was it?”
“Shut the fuck up,” Link snapped. “And get into position.”
“I’m in position, asshat, so what’s the fucking call?” Spencer snapped back.
“I’m going in,” Link said.
“Shit,” Eagle mumbled and broke the lock on the garage door. The job was to get in and apprehend Carl Chambers. He was a piece of the puzzle they hoped would lead them to Eddie.
“Why didn’t Infinity take this mission?” he mused aloud.
“Their unit is too big,” Eagle responded.
“Damn straight,” Link growled. “You don’t need a unit of twelve when only a few will do.”
Isaac couldn’t argue with that, but he was used to working with a bigger team and it felt weird that they didn’t have a dispatch.
Eagle took point and entered the structure and Isaac brought up the man’s rear and pulled the door closed to keep out the light, but also to alert him if anyone came in behind them. The scent of sweat and grease permeated the room.
“So, I hear you got into trouble with my man,” Spencer’s whisper came over the mic.
“That’s an understatement,” he said, still feeling the sting of Liam’s verbal thrashing.
“Heard Zane got put on leave,” Eagle said.
“Yeah. Two whole fucking weeks.”
“Why was he in the gym then?” Link asked.
Looking for me, he smiled into the dark. Zane had come looking for him for a last goodbye before Oregon.
He ached to check his phone, but it was in the vehicle. Had Zane left him another message? Was it as sexy sounding as the other messages? His body still ached in places it hadn’t for a long time. He’d put off having full blown sex with Royce, other than a few jerk offs before he’d ended it with the guy after his party.
With Zane, he’d gladly taken the bottom to help him feel more comfortable. It was fucking cute the way Zane had fumbled his way around his body, eager but unsure. Isaac wouldn’t trade that for anything in the fucking world.
“I don’t know,” he finally responded.
“And you were sent to the dog house,” Spencer cackled.
“Fury is not the dog house, motherfucker,” Link snapped.
“It’s better than what happened to Zane,” Isaac muttered over Spencer’s laughter.
“Yeah, that bites,” Eagle replied.
“Quiet down,” Link grumbled.
Sudden voices drifted through the warehouse. Running in a crouch, he and Eagle worked their way toward the suspects.
“Federal officials!” Link shouted.
Eagle charged toward Link and Isaac followed, lunging around the side of a car. A big guy was hunched over a car engine and he pointed the barrel of his weapon to the back of the guy’s head. The suspect lifted his hands away from the sawed off shot gun resting on the engine of the car and lifted his arms.
Eagle got in a scuffle with one of the perps, but Isaac concentrated on the man he had.
“On your knees,” he snarled and zip-tied the suspect’s hands when he complied. Lifting the shotgun from the engine, he kicked it beneath the car and out of reach.
Eagle had the one guy flat on the floor with a knee to the back, zip-tying the guy’s hands.
Link went through the office door at the end of the room.
“Big mistake, buddy,” Spencer snapped and ducked when a perp swung at him. The soldier took the man down with one punch to the face.
“Ouch,” Eagle grimaced when the perp’s nose cracked loudly in the room. “That’s gonna leave a mark.”
Isaac swallowed his snicker. In a way, they reminded him of Infinity minus the number of soldiers.
Spencer jerked a groaning suspect up from the floor, cuffed him, and pushed him toward the others just as Link stepped out of the office with a gun on Carl Chambers.
“Where’s Eddie?”
“You’ll never fucking find him!” Carl growled, hocking a loogie at them.
Link stepped back, avoiding the flying spit, and then put the barrel of his weapon against Carl’s forehead. “You have two seconds to tell me where he is or I’ll shoot you and my report will say you were killed during the raid.”
“He’s hold up at Jed Sawyer’s place.”
“And where does Sawyer live?” Link pressed the gun harder, creating a crater in Carl’s head.
“North Carolina.” Carl’s voice shook.
“Well, that went reasonably well,” Eagle chuckled and shoved Carl toward the door.
Spencer slapped the garage door opener on the wall and with a crackle of metal and a slight bang, the door slid upward.
Outside waiting was a barrage of local PD and SWAT.
“Thanks, Captain,” the SWAT commander said coming to take Carl Chambers off Link’s hands.
“Anytime,” Link replied, unsnapping his vest.
“So, you guys help with local. I thought that was only us and Phoenix,” he said as they walked to the Hummer.
“No, we help wherever Dave wants us,” Eagle said.
“Did you just call the Secretary of Defense by his first name?” Isaac blurted on a laugh.
“Eagle and Dave go way back,” Link informed him with a grin.
Zane
He left another message on Isaac’s phone.
Fury must still be out of state. He wasn’t privy to where the missions took place. Sometimes, these teams thrown together were so top secret that nobody fucking talked about them, ever. He only hoped to get one call back, but it wasn’t in the cards this time.
Taking care of something he’d been meaning to for a few days now, he took a chance she’d be home and drove to Jo’s apartment.
Rapping his knuckles against the door, he knocked insistently until she finally opened it.
She’d done her makeup as if ready for the day, but seeing him, her smiled died and lips trembled.
“What?”
“I believe you,” he said and after a moment’s hesitation, she launched herself into his arms. “Get your coat, let’s go for coffee.”
She grabbed her coat and followed him out the door.
“I need to take my car, I have to run by my parents later.”
He pulled up and parked next to her car at the local coffee shop the unit frequented.
“Why this place?” The coffee house was close to Isaac’s place.
“You guys like this one,” she said and entered when he held the door open.
Once they had their drinks, they sat at a table next to the window. It was gray outside, like the weather couldn’t decide to keep the gloom overhead or dump a shit load of rain on them. Just as that thought ended, the first drop of rain hit the window.
“Are you okay?” she whispered.
“I should be asking you that. Are you?”
“Yeah. It just hurt, you know? I don’t want our friendship to be over.”
“I’m sorry, I won’t let that happen,” he assured her and she reached for his hand and squeezed it before tucking her cold fingers back
around the coffee cup.
“So?”
“Hm?” He blinked.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m…” He swallowed and took a deep breath.
“What’s the matter?”
This was the happiest he’d ever been in his life, but he didn’t want to be insensitive and hurt Jo.
“Tell me.” She reached across the table again and placed her hand over his.
“I have feelings for Isaac,” he whispered.
“So, you’re gay?”
“No.”
“So, it’s just Isaac?”
“Yeah. No, it’s not only Isaac.” He rubbed a hand over his face. “I mean, it is him, just didn’t start out with him.”
“So, you like guys and girls?”
“Yes.”
“I’m not going to blow smoke up your ass and tell you it’ll be easy, because it won’t. But I will tell you that you have a ton of people around you, including me, who love you and won’t turn their back on you.”
He huffed under his breath and then smiled at her. “You amaze me sometimes.”
“Hey, just because I hide behind my airhead façade, it doesn’t mean I don’t care about people.”
“Why do you hide like that?”
“It’s easier.” She crossed her arms. “It keeps me from getting hurt.”
He took a sip of his coffee.
“Just like you. You hide your softer side behind a gruff attitude,” she continued. “Like a lone wolf. You’ve been so afraid to label yourself gay all these years because you think people will see you as weak.”
“That’s not true.”
“It’s not?” Both of her eyebrows lifted.
“Maybe, but if you have to label me, I’m bisexual,” he said with a smug smile.
“Whatever. I call dibs on being your BFF.” She smiled at him.
“Agreed.” He laughed and reached for her hand.
When he walked her to her car, she leaned up on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. He opened her door with a flourish.
“Fast food and a movie soon?” she asked. “You can even bring Isaac.”
“I have to talk to him first,” he said with a grin. “But yeah.”
He stood watching her car pull out of the parking lot when he caught sight of Lacy. She glared at him before marching to her car and slipping behind the wheel.
Lacy gunned it past him and out of the parking lot. Good, he had no desire to talk to her.
He pulled out his phone, still no messages from Isaac.
Isaac
“Come in!”
He took a deep breath and opened Colonel Cobalt’s office door.
“Sergeant.”
“Colonel, got a moment?”
“A few minutes before a meeting.”
“I want to be back on Infinity and I want Zane to be off his two week leave early.”
Liam squinted at him. “Oh, you do, do you?”
“Yes.” He stepped inside and closed the door. “See, that mission where we argued? Nobody was injured. When we got to the upper level, we took down the suspects.”
“You were late getting to the upper level.”
“True, but when we got there, we took them down.”
Liam stared at him. “Why should I?”
“Because we’re the best of the best and you know it. Infinity has got to be hurting without us.”
“So?”
“It won’t happen again.”
“Why should I believe you?”
“Because we’re figuring our shit out.” He hoped they were more than that, but he didn’t think Liam wanted to hear that right now.
“I hope you aren’t figuring your shit out on my time.”
“No sir.” He stayed strong.
“You went on one mission with Fury,” Liam said flatly.
“Right, and we didn’t find Chambers.”
“No. We received a threat from him late last night.”
“We did?”
“Come with me. Where is Master Sergeant Gannon?”
“I don’t know, but I’ll get ahold of him.” At Liam’s squint, he hustled out the door.
With his cell to his ear, he waited for Zane to pick up the phone.
“Hey you, I was just thinking about you.”
“Oh yeah?” His smiled grew. “Where are you?”
“Pulling onto the base. Why, where are you?”
He jogged down the hall and slammed out the doors and into the bright sun. He shaded his eyes and gazed toward the front gate.
“Here.” He waved.
Zane parked his jeep and stepped out of the vehicle. Isaac stepped up close and personal. Zane fisted his shirt and tugged him close.
He pressed against Zane and slipped his arms tightly around his waist. Zane dipped his head and Isaac met his lips.
“I missed you,” he breathed against soft, biting kisses.
“Are you free?” Zane asked huskily, lifting his head.
“No, and neither are you.” His smile widened at the pout on Zane’s mouth. “Liam wants us both in a meeting.”
“Seriously?” Zane’s expression turned surprised.
“Seriously.” He pulled Zane toward the building.
They entered the meeting room, closed the door, and sank into seats near the back.
As soon as they entered and closed the door, the lights went off.
Liam pointed the clicker at the wall and a widescreen lit up. Eddie Chambers’ face filled the screen.
“You encroached on my home and took my brother,” Eddie snarled into the camera. “You think what I did with those bombings was bad? You haven’t seen nothin’ like the storm that’s coming,” he said through his tobacco-stained teeth.
The video went black.
Holden hit the lights.
“This video was delivered to the press last night.”
“Is there a gag order in place?” Maddox asked.
“No. It went viral.” Liam rubbed at his jaw.
Forest Taylor walked to the front of the small meeting room. “We have reason to believe we may have an ally within their organization. Before a recent bombing, 911 received a tip. We were able to disarm it before any casualties.”
“Do you have a name?” Sergeant Greene rasped.
“We don’t have one at this time,” Forest said regretfully.
“Fucking outstanding.” Greene moved the toothpick in the corner of his mouth to the other side.
The FBI agent and Greene locked gazes, neither looking away.
“So, there you have it,” Liam broke the silent standoff and Forest spun, leaving the room. Liam shoved from his chair and faced them.
“I don’t know what he’s planning or how big, but I want every known spot that Chambers frequented fleshed out. I want to know where he eats, sleeps, and shits,” Liam growled.
A low murmur went through the room. “Captain Stone will organize you in groups and give you your assignments. Fury will assist.”
Isaac ran his eyes around the room, but didn’t see any of Fury in attendance.
“As of this moment, Staff Sergeant Thorne and Master Sergeant Gannon are reassigned to Infinity.”
Several “thank fucks” and a few lowly spoken “woohoos” went around the room.
“Captain,” Liam turned to Maddox.
Maddox approached the front and the wall lit up again, this time with locations.
“You’ll be assigned with your normal partners.” Maddox gave him and Zane a warning look.
Isaac couldn’t help it, he grinned a mile wide. Nothing would go wrong.
“This is the area around a house owned by an uncle.” Maddox assigned each a section of the grid. “Saddle up, we’re going to North Carolina. We leave in thirty. Dismissed.”
Isaac split out of the building and into the sunshine along with Zane. Before he took two steps, Zane was pulling him around the side of the building.
“How did you do it?”
He glanced up
into Zane’s face, running his fingers through the stubble along the man’s strong jaw. He focused on his lips and not the fact that he wanted to fuck him senseless.
“I asked. I told him we were a part of the best unit in the Army and they were crippled without us.”
“You’re gorgeous.”
He snorted out a laugh, but a warmth grew in his chest at the compliment.
“So…I jumped ahead of myself the other day. I mean my feelings haven’t changed, but I know we need more time,” he finished and cringed.
Zane chuckled. “I love when you get flustered.”
“I’m not fucking flustered,” he scowled.
“Yeah,” Zane murmured and brushed a kiss against his lips. “You are.”
Isaac rolled his eyes, but his lips clung to Zane’s mouth.
“Break it up,” Oliver called.
Isaac glanced over and his heart stopped. Not only Oliver, but Holden, Pia, and Blade were standing at the edge of the building.
“Oh shit!” he hissed at Zane. “I’m so sorry.”
“I’m not.” Zane sent the group the middle finger and then kissed his smiling lips before easing away.
He grinned up at Zane and pulled him further away from them.
“It’s my fault we weren’t more.”
“More?” His brow furrowed.
“More than friends, but I aim to fix that now,” Zane told him.
Everything he’d ever wanted was suddenly presented and he was at a loss for words.
“Now you go quiet on me,” Zane’s deep voice teased him.
“Now that I know you aim to fix things. I’m not shy, I’ll say it again. Love you.”
“Break it up you two,” Oliver yelled. “We’ve got work to do.”
“Cockblock much?” he yelled back at Oliver, but kept his eyes locked on Zane.
Snickers from the unit drifted from around the corner where the vehicle waited to take them to the chopper.
“We better go.” He stepped back, but was suddenly crushed close against Zane’s chest, the soldier’s lips near his ear.
“Me too,” Zane whispered the words that sent the blood rushing in his ear. It wasn’t exactly the ones he wanted, but it was the meaning behind them.
And right then, he’d take it.
Zane
Eddie Chambers played hard ball.
Crouching, Zane snipped the wire and Isaac disarmed the explosive. It was the fourth one in a matter of a half an hour. They alternated cutting the wire and disarming the explosives, but he tasted bitter fear every time Isaac fiddled with the dangerous device. And his skin crawled with dread until Isaac was back at his side.
Battle It Out Page 16