Kate’s giant F-you to her ex-boss, Agent Lamar Franks, when he’d told her he’d never allow her to be promoted, no matter how many extra hours she put in had been the first time she’d lost control since she’d flipped her car going down I-30 as a teenager, and what she’d said had done as much damage to her career as she’d done to her little Malibu.
Holden spoke, drawing her back to the office in Team Omega’s Florida headquarters, “I spoke with your previous employer. He stated that he consistently had an issue with your work ethic and with you having inappropriate relations with coworkers.”
Kate’s heart ski sloped down into her belly, hit the bottom and bounced back up, sending a rush of hot blood to her cheeks. Frank’s wasn’t happy just by driving her out of a job she’d held for nearly a decade, his intent was to leave a permanent scar on her career. She should have expected this after her parting gift to the jerk. “I’m sure Franks told you all kinds of stories. Just like I’m sure he forgot to leave out the part about his constant sexual harassment of me at work.”
Holden’s eyes flared and Kate bit her lip, soundly cursing herself and her big fat mouth. It was like quitting her job had ripped off the tight lid of control she kept on every aspect of her life.
Kate opened her mouth to apologize, but Holden held up his hand. “You know, I kind of got that vibe, that’s why I went ahead and spoke with your coworkers. The majority of whom seem to have a definite chip on their shoulder about Agent Franks and his treatment of you.”
Surprise filtered through her. She’d been the only female in her unit, working quietly among a group of men who’d stood by in silence as Franks constantly harassed her. “They did?”
“After more digging, I found out there were three separate sexual harassment suits filed against him that had been quietly swept under the rug.”
“Those were sealed documents. How did you get them?” They were also highly classified. The CIA had witnessed the media’s field day with the military when the law suits accusing superior officers of sexual harassment and assault hit the courts and they’d done everything in their power to sweep their own little problem under the rug.
Holden offered his own tight smile, “That is what I do, Agent Richards. That is why Team Omega is so successful. That is also how I came across a hint of evidence that Franks was somehow linked to a traitor.”
Mr. J, the most notorious traitor in the history of the CIA. He’d ran his own crew for years, and during that time, he’d been secretly collaborating with the deadliest terrorist in the world. Every operative associated with Mr. J was now either dead, or simply disappeared into the darkness of a giant government cover up. Everyone but Agent Franks, whose absolute desperate dance to cover his tracks had actually worked and he’d been allowed to stay on in the same position of power. A feat Kate couldn’t figure out exactly how he’d pulled off.
Kate sat back in her chair, her thumb immediately going to the simple silver ring she wore on her right hand and spinning it around her ring finger. She’d have to reprise her original assessment that Team Omega were a group of mercenaries for hire.
For the first time in the interview Athena cracked a smile. “Is it true you kneed him in the nuts when you quit?”
Kate spun the ring faster as she frantically reached for the appropriate response. If she glossed over that very true fact, they might take her as dishonest. If she agreed and told the truth, they might think she was some sort of rogue agent unable to work with others. Neither of those options were shining letters of recommendation.
Then again, she wasn’t a liar, and she couldn’t start being one now, even if it meant losing this opportunity. Kate uncrossed her ankles and sat straight. “Yes, I did, after he tried to feel me up.”
Athena turned to Holden. “I like her.”
Holden didn’t answer his partner, instead he continued to pin Kate to the spot. “You’ve been a CIA analyst for nearly seven years. How much experience have you had in the field?”
“I’ve had minimal field experience, sir. However, I am trained in hand to hand combat, evasion and weapons qualified. I’m also the best code breaker within the whole CIA.”
Holden frowned and Athena gave him a slight head shake. A trickle of worry formed between Kate’s shoulders. “If you need references for my certification and qualifications in field training, I can provide them.”
“I’m sure you can, it’s not your qualifications that I’m worried about, it’s the fact that you haven’t actually been in the field since you first started with the CIA,” Holden said.
“I train daily and hit the range at least once a week. I promise you, I can handle any physical task you assign me, and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to meet your standards.”
“Of that I have no doubt, Ms. Richards. It’s your gut instincts, your immediate reactions to threats – that’s what is the unknown here. And I’m looking for a specific type of person, a female, for the next mission we’ve accepted. I have no doubt your brain capacity functions at a much higher level than mine – but do your reactions happen as quickly?”
As if his last word was some signal, Athena bolted from her chair and rounded the desk in three strides, ripping her pistol from behind her as she came at Kate full force.
Kate’s lungs locked down tight and she rolled from the chair. She hit the ground and scissored her legs, tossing Athena to the ground. Her pistol flew over her head and scraped across the floor, banging into the back wall of the office. Kate was on her hands and knees, heart thundering as she scrambled after the weapon, Athena clawing her way right behind her.
What the hell was going on? Was this some kind of set up by Franks? She shouldn’t have threatened to expose the recording she had of Franks making a deal with Mr. J, the most famous traitor to the CIA in a century.
Kate stretched her arm overhead and reached for the gun. Her fingers closed around the butt of the pistol and Kate rolled to her back and raised the gun. Athena paused up on her knees, fist lifted ready to strike. Her chest rose and fell with the force of her exertion, but she didn’t attack. “I think your instincts are just fine.”
Kate’s mind blanked as Athena got to her feet and held out her hand. This was part of the interview? Her hand trembled and she gripped the gun harder, keeping it trained on her attacker. “You’re damn right my instincts are fine. Now, get back.”
Kate kept her pistol leveled at Athena and got to her feet, anger helping her steady her aim.
Athena lifted her hands in surrender and smiled, seeming totally unphased by the fact that she could die if Kate’s finger so much as twitched. “That was a test, Kate, to see if you could handle a surprise attack.”
“A test? I could have killed you.” An evil part of her was tempted to fire the gun and see just how high Athena would jump.
“You wouldn’t have done much harm with a fake gun,’ Athena lowered her hands and nodded toward the weapon.
Kate followed her gaze and zeroed in on the plastic mold of a pistol. “Crap.”
She’d completely failed to notice that minor detail. Kate dropped the gun to her side and sighed. So much for her shining reputation as the best analyst ever produced by the CIA.
As if reading her mind, Athena said, “I didn’t expect you to realize it was fake. I wanted to see if you could handle the situation the way we expect and need from our Team members, and you did. You did exactly what I hoped.”
“I think you’re rusty, but with a little bit of training, you’ll be perfect.” Holden strode around the table and held out his hand, “I’d like to offer you a position on Team Omega.”
“You’re both crazy, you know that right?”
“A small dose of crazy is good sometimes.” Holden kept his hand out, waiting on Kate to accept.
She sighed and shook his hand. “When do you need me to start?”
“Right now. Follow me and I’ll introduce you to your new coworkers.”
HOLDEN sauntered down a short hallway and Kat
e took the moment to quickly straighten her jacket and check for wrinkles. She was about to meet her new coworkers and looking like a slob just wouldn’t do.
“You’re fine, most of these guys haven’t worn a suit a day in their life.”
Kate jumped and spun, having forgotten about Athena bringing up the rear of their little group.
“Sorry, habit.” Kate forced her arms down to her sides and instead rubbed her ring. New people and a new job. She didn’t like new. She wanted consistency and clarity.
Holden pulled open a door on the right and gestured Kate to precede him. She made it through the door and nearly gasped. The room was filled with men. Big men with beards and black shirts and wicked looking tattoos.
Kate licked her suddenly dry lips and forced one foot in front of the other, quickly searching every possible exit in case they all decided to turn on her. But thankfully, no one seemed to notice she’d entered. There were five men and one woman in all, four of whom were studying a blown up topographic map on the wall. The sixth, a lone wolf with shaggy black hair and a look of utter boredom, leaned against the opposite wall with his massive arms crossed. She swallowed, her stomach rolling with awareness. She’d never seen a chest that wide. Or hips that lean.
Or a scorpion tattoo that wrapped his arm from his wrist to disappear up his shirt sleeve.
Of course, it probably licked up that big bicep and around his shoulder. Her skin tingled and she glanced up, freezing on the spot. His Nordic ice blue eyes bored holes straight to her soul.
She’d never felt a look like that, like he was stripping her raw in the crowded room.
“Men, I want you to meet our female bodyguard.”
Blue-eyes gave her a once over and then his lip curled and he glanced away, summarily dismissing her on the spot. Heat lit up her cheeks and Kate forced herself to focus on the other men in the room.
A burly brown haired guy broke from the group and extended a hand. “I’m Rowdy.”
Kate accepted the shake, surprised at the warmth in his expression. “Kate Richards.”
Rowdy tugged her over to the group. “This is Kris Rowell, our resident helicopter pilot and her husband Mason.”
“Nice to meet you.”
“And then Owen Cormier, he’s in charge of planning.”
Owen nodded and offered a smile. He had dark almost mahogany hair and equally dark eyes.
“This guy here,” Rowdy gestured to another brown haired guy with a thick beard, “This is Aaron, he’s not usually with Team Omega, but agreed to help out on this mission.”
“That guy pouting over there is Ethan, he’s a newbie too.”
Kate avoided glancing back at Ethan, even though she felt it the minute his gaze fell on her again. She didn’t have time to waste on men, especially on a man who was so obviously disgusted by her presence.
“Glad to know I’m not the only new member.”
“Rowdy, I’ll let you catch Kate up to speed on our mission. Aaron, have you got the other female lined up?” Holden and Athena stood just outside the group.
Aaron answered, “Yeah, she’s good to go. She’ll meet us when we get there.”
Kate’s curiosity took over and she studied the blown up topographic map on the back wall. Not mountainous. In fact, the area appeared very flat with a large river running north to south up the west side.
Next to the map was a satellite image of the same area, this one showing roads and houses.
“You don’t have to dress business casual anymore, T-shirt and shorts is fine by us.” Rowdy’s deep rumbling voice filled the room and Kate found herself relaxing.
“I’ve put on a suit every day for the last seven years, wearing a T-shirt to work just seems wrong.”
Rowdy chuckled, “But it can be so right.”
Kate didn’t think so but she bit her lip. Everyone has their own quirks, she liked her life nice and neat and orderly. “Is that a plantation there on the river?”
“Yep, that’s where the wedding will take place.”
“Wedding?”
“Senator Tom Cotter’s daughter, Caroline, is getting married there. We’ve been hired to transport her from the airport here,” Rowdy pointed to an area at the top of the photo, “to the plantation.” He traced a path down to the white house. “We will also provide security and protection during the whole event.”
Kris stepped forward, “I’ll be in the air, providing surveillance for the wedding and surrounding area. We don’t want any surprises.”
Kate turned her attention back to the map and the route from the airport to the plantation. The area was remote, with only a few other houses scattered amongst the trees. “Are you also providing transport for Caroline from the airport?”
The yard surrounding the plantation had a flat spot big enough to land a helicopter.
“No, unfortunately, that option has been ruled out,” Kris said.
Kate traced the road on the map from the small airport to Cotter plantation. “Over seventy percent of the road is flanked by thick trees and foliage. Your team will be too vulnerable to ambush.” She considered thirty percent too high a risk, but seventy – that made her blood pressure rise.
“I don’t like it any more than you, but Caroline has put her foot down and her father is bending over backwards. She doesn’t want a big fuss, she wants to make a quiet entrance,” Rowdy said.
“And the onslaught of stretch limousines arriving, along with professional caterers and I’m assuming, Washington DC’s finest, isn’t going to draw attention?” Ethan’s deep throaty voice pierced the room.
Kate spun to see him lift a jet black brow, his expression bored.
Holden stepped forward, his mouth tight, “We don’t have a choice. The Senators paying us to guard his baby. I’ve been informed not to step on her toes or offend her in any way.”
“And how do you plan on doing that? You’re going to have a team of armed guards on her at all times.”
“That’s where you come in,” Holden said.
Kate glanced around the empty room a trickle of unease starting up at the base of her neck. “How?”
She’d assumed she’d continue working for Holden in the same fashion as at the CIA. As an analyst, a planner.
“The bride is refusing to be surrounded by armed men. I argued and we came up with a compromise. You and the second female we have coming on board will pose as Caroline’s stylists, but will act as her personal bodyguards.”
Kate scrambled, trying to compute the new intel. “I’m an analyst not an operative.”
“Yeah, but you said yourself you’ve been trained and we’ve got two weeks to refresh your memory,” Holden said.
Everyone stared at her and she could practically hear their doubts. “Sir, I’m trained but surely you’ve got someone more qualified.”
She swallowed, her throat working in overdrive to get past the lump forming there. Ten minutes ago she’d sworn to him she could handle anything - but she hadn’t thought…
“I’m out of time, Richards, either you can do it or not. I need to know now if I’ve got to find someone else.” Holden crossed his arms, seeming to grow taller.
Dammit, she needed this job more than she could admit. She had bills to pay and a shredded reputation thanks to Agent Franks. What choice did she have?
You could always go home to live with mommy and daddy.
“I’ll do it.”
Holden allowed his shoulders to relax. “Good. And don’t worry, I’ve got someone to train you and get you ready. After what I saw in the interview, you don’t have anything to worry about.”
Worry? Oh she’d worry plenty, not that she’d tell anyone else. She’d bluffed her way in and now she didn’t have a choice. At least most of her new Team seemed pretty easy going. She glanced at Rowdy, pretty sure he’d be the one training her. “So when do we start?”
“Not we, honey, him.” Rowdy gestured to the man still leaned against the wall.
Kate’s legs turned t
o limp noodles as she slowly spun to stare at Ethan. “Him?”
Ethan pushed off the wall, the first real movement she’d seen him do all day, and approached with lethal steps, forcing Kate to crane her head back.
“That’s right, princess. Me.”
CHAPTER THREE
Ethan put the kickstand down on his motorcycle, pulled off his helmet, and wiped the sweat from his face before grabbing his saddlebags and walking up the grass-lined gravel driveway to the two-story white house in front of him. Not exactly what he’d envisioned for a private security firm’s headquarters, but maybe that was the point.
He climbed the steps up to the porch and slung his bag over his shoulder. Before he could knock on the door, Aaron pulled it open. “You made it just in time. We got a big pot of soup almost ready.”
“Great.” Ethan ground out and followed Aaron inside. Immediately the delicious smell hit him. “Didn’t know you were such a chef.”
“I’m not. Stash your saddlebags over there for now.” Aaron gestured to the floor right next to a blue flowery couch. “After we eat I’ll show you where you’re bunking down.”
Ethan put his bag down, uneasy about the location. The small living room looked exactly what a grandmother’s house would look like, complete with lace curtains and a hundred different pictures hanging on the walls. Most of the photographs were of children in some state of play: fishing, swimming, birthday parties. As he followed the pictures, the kids grew older: graduation caps, basic training, girls in pantsuits and guys in military dress blues. Ethan paused at the next to last one, surprise tinging his voice. “Hey, this is you.”
Aaron came and stood beside him, “Damn, I look like a baby. Can’t believe I’ve been in the military for ten years now.”
“Who are these two?” Ethan gestured to the pictures flanking Aaron proudly on the wall.
“The one on the left is my dad after he got back from Vietnam. The one on the right is my grandpa. He was a World War II fighter pilot.”
The Omega Team: Ethan's Promise (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Men of Mercy Book 7) Page 2
