“He’s not ready—”
“—to be on his own,” Jackson finished. “Give the kid a shot at shadowing someone who is.”
Did he just pay Jason a compliment? Before she had the chance to ask, he walked out. She turned and addressed those still in the room. “You heard the SAC. Jason, Jake will shadow you in the field. Ryan, make sure he’s memorized every word of that briefing. I’ll be back.”
“Where are you going?” Jake and Ryan asked in unison.
“To find Jason a suit.”
13
[Jake]
I’ve never been so humiliated. Why couldn’t I remember a stupid name? The assistant director must think I’m such a tool. He’s probably working on getting me kicked out of the program. So long any chance at ever becoming a TREX agent.
Ryan’s sitting at the table, scrolling through the intel. He wrote it, so I’m not sure why he needs to study it. Probably showing off. Jason clearly likes him and clearly hates me. Bailey is a brain like Ryan, so he’s got her on his side, too.
Then there’s me. I’m not a computer geek, so that puts me out of the intel line of work. I’ve already demonstrated how to tank as a field agent. Where’s that leave me?
I think about calling Kayla. She has a way of cheering me up, of making me feel better with nothing more than the sound of her voice. Then again, how we left things last night, with her practically bolting from my room before her orgasm ebbed, then sneaking out for work this morning before I got up, I don’t know if she’d even take my call.
“What’s your name?” Ryan’s question pulls me back into focus.
I push everything else out of my head. That’s my problem—I have too much on my mind. I always have too much on my mind. Graduation. Making it onto the Bainbridge Island Fire Department. Making it as a TREX agent. Making it as more than a booty call with Kayla.
Damn it. I can’t even go thirty seconds without her barging in on my thoughts.
“Dude, your silence isn’t convincing me you’re ready to be in the field, even as a shadow.” Jason combs his hair with his fingers while studying himself in the mirror. His suit fits him perfectly. His attitude fits his role. Cocky. Entitled. He looks the part of a billionaire philanthropist’s nephew. I, well, don’t.
I hate this. I shouldn’t be this unsure of myself. I blow out a breath and do my best to recall the highlights from the briefing. “My name is Jake Greene, the nephew of billionaire philanthropist Vic Greene. Uncle Vic was pulled away on business at the last minute, so he sent me in his place.”
“Why can you recite what Bailey told you verbatim but not what I have in the briefing?” Ryan holds up the iPad.
“When I hear something, it’s easier to remember.”
Jason takes the tablet from Ryan and scrolls through the screen before looking at me. “The target’s name is?”
“Gerald Murphy.” I’ll never forget the name again.
“Your primary objective is?”
“To get close enough to clone his phone. We do not engage.”
“What’s that called?”
“A quick in and out,” I answer, recalling Jason’s words. “It’s always best to go in undetected so you can slip back out without any questions.”
He hands the iPad back to Ryan, who points out, “That last part wasn’t in the briefing.”
“It’s what he said.” Not everything has to be written down.
“It’s called auditory learning.” Jason goes back to combing his hair with his fingers. “He’ll pick it up if he reads it out loud or you read it to him. I’m a tactile learner, which means I pick shit up by doing it. My brother is more of a visual learner. That dude picks up on everything he sees. It’s really annoying.”
Ryan stands and joins us at the large wall mirror. “Are you saying I have to read the briefing to him?”
“If you want him to remember it, yeah.”
“That’s bullshit.”
Jason shrugs. “So is struggling to pass a class, all because the instructor doesn’t understand your learning style.” He playfully slaps at Ryan’s cheek. “Not all of us can have brains like yours, dude. That doesn’t make us any less of an agent. Everyone has different learning styles. Swanson here needs to hear the words for them to sink in.” He regards me. “Am I right?”
I nod, never realizing that until now. “I’ve always been better at remembering what I’ve heard over what I’ve read.”
“That’s auditory learning, dude. Trust me, when you have a total brain for a bro, you end up learning shit whether you want to or not. Now—” he pauses and faces me. “Clear your head. From the minute we walk out of this room, Jake Swanson no longer exists. You are Jake Greene, and I’m your security detail.”
“What’s your name?”
“Jason. No last name. In your position, you never bother to learn last names. You go through personal protection like a quarterback goes through the playbook. The less you know about them, the better.”
“The less I know about them, the better,” I repeat. That means the less I have to remember. He hands me an earwig, the in-ear radio receiver the team will use to communicate. I work it into my ear and walk through what Jackson taught us when he first introduced us to the devices. “Sound check. 1, 2.”
“Coming in loud and clear.”
“Too loud,” Ryan added and adjusted his. “Say again.”
“Better?” I ask.
“No. I can still hear you.” He grins when I flip him off.
Just then Bailey walks in and holds the door. “Your car is here, Mr. Greene.”
It takes me a second to realize she’s talking to me. As we walk to the car, my heart races. This isn’t a drill. This is the real thing. If shit goes south, there won’t be a do over. If Gerald Murphy is dangerous enough to warrant TREX’s attention, no doubt he’s packing heat. Suddenly, I realize I don’t have a weapon. “Shouldn’t I be armed?”
“That’s why you have me,” Jason responds, his voice barely above a whisper, yet with the mic it picks up his comment like he’s an inch from my ear. “I’m your bodyguard, remember? I’m there so you won’t need a weapon.”
I’d sure as hell feel better with a gun, nonetheless.
“You also have me.” Ryan falls into step beside me.
“Thanks.” I bite my tongue to stop myself from saying something about him not being able to do a damn thing from the safety of the van. He’s got to be as nervous and I am. This is his first field assignment, too. “Why is TREX interested in this guy anyway?”
“That was in the briefing,” Ryan whines. When I give him a look, he sets his jaw and groans. “Do I seriously have to read it for you?”
“Not for me,” I correct. “To me. I’m not happy about it, either. It makes me feel like a moron that I can’t retain shit without hearing it. You think that’s normal?”
“Normal is a just a setting on the dishwasher.” Bailey thins her lips as she practically grounds out her response. When the rest of the team regards her, she continues. “It’s what my mom used to say to my sister. Kaylee grew up hearing how she wasn’t normal. She was picked on for being different, for not being what everyone else considered normal. I hate that word.”
We all exchange glances and fall into an awkward silence. It’s Jason who saves us from kicking off the find on the wrong foot. “Kaylee is the biggest badass of any of the McKoys, present company excluded.”
Bailey smiles and nods in agreement. “That includes all my brothers. Let me tell you, there’s a lot of them. Kaylee and I are twins, the youngest of seven kids.”
And I thought my mom had it rough raising me, her only child. I can’t imagine what it would have been like with six siblings, my mom struggling to feed us all. “You’re a twin?”
“Identical. So is Jason.”
I glance at him. “You two are both identical twins? And you’re together?”
Jason grins as his answer.
“Are your twins together, too?” I’ve seen
TV shows about that, even twin couples having kids on the same day.
“No,” Jackson’s growl comes over the com link. Okay. Memo to self: don’t mention twins to Jackson Banks. “Kaylee McKoy belongs to no one. Now, how about we can the bullshit and focus on our mission. Ryan, you’re the intel on this. Answer the question.”
Ryan clears his throat and holds up the iPad. “Gerald Murphy is the brother to ex-senator Patrick Murphy, who’s currently serving twenty-five to life for a laundry list of charges. Gerald’s been gaining power in all the right circles while his brother slowly rots away behind bars. There’s no way he’s getting there on his own. Someone is bankrolling him. He has several properties scattered across the Pacific Northwest, some of them in big cities like Seattle. Tacoma. Spokane. Others very remote. Isolated.”
“Perfect breeding ground for training cells hell bent on destroying our country.”
That stops me in my tracks. I press the receiver deeper into my ear at Jackson’s comment. “Are you saying this guy is training terrorists?”
“That’s what we need to find out. We need to ID the anonymous donor.”
No wonder TREX is interested in the guy. I steal a glance at Ryan, whose cheeks have turned an interesting shade of deep crimson. “You okay?”
He shakes his head. “He’s taken his brother’s place in the Order.”
“What order?”
“The Order. It’s a secret society that will stop at nothing to gain enough power to take over everything.” He narrows his gaze as his expression solidifies. If I didn’t already know what a nerd he is, I’d back away from that look. It’s hard, full of hatred, as his eyes darken. “It’s why I’m here.”
“On this find?”
“In TREX.”
Oh wow. Despite knowing what a wimp he is on the sparring mat, I’m genuinely intimidated by this side of my partner. I thought his over-the-top protective nature for Emma Rae was scary. This buries that in comparison. “How’s either Murphy involved?”
“When you succeed in your first find, I’ll buy you a beer and explain everything.” Jackson closes the subject with his offer. “I’m out front.”
“We’re a minute out.” Jason walks ahead of me. Bailey grabs his hand, turning him to face her. He holds her gaze as she walks into his space and leans in, kissing him soundly. He grins and adds a spring to his step.
“Was that what it sounded like?” Jackson doesn’t sound happy with the smack of the kiss echoing over the airwaves.
“It sure wasn’t me kissing your ass,” Jason fires back.
“Bowman, when this is over, you and me are gonna have words.”
Four-letter words, I’m sure. Seeing these two fight over stupid shit, each trying to one-up the other, gets old fast. I steal a glance at Ryan. Do we sound like that? Petty and infantile? He catches me watching him and something passes between us, like an understanding. It’s like he’s agreeing with my thoughts. We will never be like those two. I agree 100%. I’ll do whatever it takes to find that common ground between us, as Bailey suggested. I have a feeling Ryan will do the same.
“Good luck, guys.” Ryan spends an extra few seconds holding my gaze. I nod, knowing he’s telling me good luck more than Jason. Not that a seasoned agent like Jason Bowman needs luck. Ryan then disappears with Bailey down the hall that leads out back where the surveillance van is parked.
At that moment, I have a newfound trust for my partner, for whatever reason. I hope he’s just had the same revelation.
Jason puts up his hand to stop me before opening the door leading to the outside. Once he checks all angles, he nods for me to step out of the building. I take my time inching out, suddenly realizing the danger I’m putting myself in. Now my nerves are raw, my muscles tight in anticipation of something going wrong—like me getting dead.
“Let’s not dally, Mr. Greene.” He escorts me to the car. Jackson opens the door just in time for Jason to shove me in, jumping in behind me. “What was that? Dude, you need to walk into this thing like you own the place. You’re the nephew of a billionaire. Part of a powerful family. You deserve to be there. Say it.”
“I deserve to be there.” I draw in a deep breath and slowly let it out. I can do this. I race into burning buildings for a living. I got this.
Jackson climbs behind the wheel and we’re off. He catches my gaze in the rearview mirror. “You ready for this?”
“As I’ll ever be.” I’m lying. I’m not even a little ready.
“Think of it like fighting a fire.” Jason pulls out his sidearm and checks it.
I laugh nervously, wishing I had one of those. “This is nothing like fighting a fire. I’m in a monkey suit, unarmed, and about to seek out some guy who just might try to kill me.”
“Another day at the office.” Jackson chuckles at his own joke. I’m not laughing. Neither is Jason. He glares at Jackson and mutters a few select words.
Ryan’s voice sounds in my ear. “Actually, Jason’s right. It’s no different than responding to a fire. When duty calls, you suit up, hurry to the scene, and do whatever you can to stop the threat from consuming the structure.”
He’s not wrong, and for some reason, that brings me comfort. “Go on.”
“What’s the first thing you do when you arrive on scene?”
“Size-up the situation.”
“This is no different. Assessment is key.”
Jason jumps in. “Good call, Ryan. Memorize all the exits, dude. Take note of those hanging around them, wearing dark shades indoors, not talking to anyone, not even smiling. They’re constantly sweeping the perimeter, either visually or pairing off with a partner to perform a physical check.”
“Those are all bodyguards?”
“I hate that term. Call them security detail. Personal protection. Invisible friend, even. Anything but bodyguard.”
“What’s wrong with bodyguard?”
“A few guys with more muscles than sense screwed it up for everyone else. After too many lawsuits and not enough deep pockets to bail these assholes out of the shithole they dug themselves into, that term now sucks ass.”
I nod, itching to ask for detail but knowing better. There’s a time and place for everything. “Security detail, it is. Will you be at an exit?”
“Yep.”
“But I’m supposed to be shadowing you.” I don’t want to be on my own, not unarmed.
“Chill, dude. All you have to do is walk through the room.” He hands me a pair of glasses. “I’ll see what you see. Slip them on and tap the frame at your right temple.”
I do. When nothing happens, I look at him. “Now what?”
He then hands me a pair of dark sunglasses. I exchange the seeing glasses and put them on. “Holy shit. That’s cool.” There’s a mini-monitor inside the left lens. I wave my hand in front of my eyes and realize the camera must be in the other glasses. We swap again.
“You’ll be my eyes in the crowd while I work the security detail. It’s spectacularly stupid how much bodyguards will reveal if they think they have something in common with you. For example, they hate babysitting spoiled partiers living off someone else’s money.”
Great. I’ll be in a room full of guys with guns who all hate me. Well, who hate the nephew of Vic Greene. “Isn’t that their job? Why do it if you hate it?”
“A job’s a job. For most of them, there’s no sense of loyalty. Most security detail is only hired for an event. Parties are logistical nightmares. All those people. Never enough exits. Don’t believe me, ask one of our TREX agents planted inside the SBI. Max Edwards single-handedly busted through locked doors and got people to safety. She saved a lot of lives.” He looked at me. “TREX agents find a way to make it work in any situation. You feel me, bro?”
“I feel you.” Jason’s talk does nothing to soothe my nerves. If anything, my heart is racing even more now. I slide the glasses up the bridge of my nose and draw in another breath. I’m not a religious man, but at that moment I find myself saying a prayer.
>
14
[Jake]
Jackson pulls up in front of Bloedel Reserve. “If anyone asks you a question, be non-committal in your response. Answer without saying anything. Keep it superficial.”
“Oh, you mean like you?” Jason jumps out before Jackson can respond. After buttoning his jacket as he scans the crowd, he opens the door. Once I step out, he slams the door and Jackson speeds off. It’s now up to Jason and me to finish this out.
“Relax,” Bailey practically purrs over the com link. Her voice whispers across my skin, peppering it with the chills. No way will I be able to relax when it sounds like a phone-sex operator in my ear.
Jason clears his throat. “How can he relax when you talk like that? Save it for me, kitten.”
“Call me kitten again and I’ll scratch your eyes out.”
Geez. What’s with people’s reaction to this guy? It’s like everyone hates him. Instead of him taking offense, he chuckles, like it’s exactly what he wanted. “Yes, dear.”
“Jason Bowman, I will end you.”
“Mr. Jake Greene, here in place of Vic Greene.” He presents the invitation as he announces me, talking over Bailey.
The guy at the door checks the list, makes a note, and nods for us to enter. I follow Jason into the large greeting room where I expect to see dozens of wealthy patrons all wearing diamonds and drinking champagne like you see in the movies. Instead, there’s only a few couples, all with drinks in their hands, standing in awkward silence as they stare into their glasses.
“Hello.” An older woman approaches, offering me her hand. Out of instinct, I take it. “You must be Jake Greene, Vic’s nephew. I’m Olivia Blunt, the organizer of the event. Thank you so much for accepting the invitation. I didn’t even know he had a nephew until his assistant called to tell me you’d be attending in his place. How is Vic?”
Oh, shit. I’ve never met the man, let alone know how he is. Answer without saying anything. “You know my uncle.”
The Heat Is On (TREX Rookies Book 2) Page 12
