The Men of Elite Metal: Platinum, Zinc, & Francium

by Rebecca Royce

  He spit on the floor again. She’d never known him to do that and wasn’t entirely certain why he did then. “You know her. Desiree Garcia.”

  The woman with the fake painting. Lara stood before putting her hands on her hips. She had been forced to go to that woman’s house over and over for the last three summers. They were high up in Hampton society. She was haughty and stupid.

  Lara wanted to throw something. All that time, he’d been paying her because she was some kind of terrorist?

  “Lara.” She turned around at Francium’s voice. He leaned against the doorway, actually appearing bored. Well, that was what he wanted to portray. Her guy wasn’t at all at ease. If anything, he gave off so much tension, he could have filled the room with adrenaline.

  Turning once more to Remington, she took what she knew would be her last look at her ex-husband. Whatever else happened, from this moment on, she’d never see him again. She wasn’t even sorry.

  She walked slowly to Francium, keeping her steps even. When she passed him, he closed the door behind her before pushing her up against the outside of the pool house, blocking any escape she might want to make with his body. Only she didn’t want a way out. She imagined she’d always want to be close to him.

  “Are you okay?” His gaze scanned her face. Perhaps his intensity would frighten others. It would never intimidate her.

  “He’s tied to a chair. Of course I’m fine, sweetheart.”

  She let him keep her pinned where she was. He was a man who liked to be in control. Where she was, he’d put his body between her and danger. No one would get through.

  Platinum stood to the left of the door. He cleared his throat, and Francium held up a finger to indicate he wasn’t ready to speak.

  “You don’t want to talk right now, Plat. I’m fuming. You guys let her go in there while I took a nap.”

  She touched his chest. “I told them I wanted to. What they did was listen. Big difference. No one lets me do anything. It’s all about choice. All of it.”

  He closed his eyes like they pained him, and a muscle ticked in his jaw. “I have to be able to protect you.”

  She nodded. “Yes, you also have to be able to trust me. I’m not interested in getting killed.”

  “You went into his office. That’s why you almost got killed. If I had been late…”

  She hadn’t known that. A shudder rushed through her. There she’d been thinking she was helping, and she’d nearly made everything much, much worse. “That was dumb.”

  This was seriously hard to listen to. “It was untrained. Big difference. Okay. This moment is over. Desiree Garcia. The idiot with the fake painting is the other half of this problem. Good work.”

  At least she had finally done something right.

  6

  Zinc, now up from his headache recovery, stood in front of Francium as they studied the specs of Desiree Garcia’s house Plat called up on the computer. Between the three of them, they should be able to plan a home invasion. Only the woman seemed to have designed the house for the purpose of stopping anyone from doing what they wanted to do.

  He should have noted that the last time he was in the house. That time, however, he’d been totally unfocused, thinking about Lara, and how he wanted her husband dead. He had Lara now, and the second they deemed Remington totally useless, he’d get rid of him too.

  They couldn’t get in through the windows without setting off alarms. The doors were rigged. “Who was this architect?”

  “You’d think she was a terrorist and paranoid, or something.” Zinc laughed. “Can you get back in? She invited you once.”

  Russell nodded. “I can always put back on my finance persona and make up a reason to get through the door. Then we’ll have to work out how I’m going to disarm the room and get you two in without getting caught. I can do it. I’ve done it many times.”

  Even if he’d decided he was seriously over this lifestyle. When Red Wolf went down, he was going to figure out if there was anything in the universe he could do other than this.

  Lara cleared her throat from the doorway, and they all turned to regard her. She was so lovely. He thought it every time she came near him. He held out his hand. “You okay?”

  “I wasn’t eavesdropping. I really came to see if I could get us all some food? I’m trying to be useful.”

  Zinc rubbed his forehead. “You totally were. That spreadsheet and finding the DG. Took lots of time off our task. Then you were great with Remington. You don’t have to order food.”

  “Thing is…I can get Russell and I in to Desiree, no trouble. I just have to want to look at the painting. I can distract her. She wants my approval on that thing. We can talk art for hours. Then you could get in, get what you need, get out. Take her out. Whatever you want.”

  Francium shook his head. He had to make himself very clear. “You aren’t trained to be a spy. I spent years learning how to be fake. I never open my mouth without knowing exactly what I’ll say if I’m engaged in a conversation. You’re not prepared for this.”

  He expected her to argue. Her self-confidence was shot. But he wouldn’t place her in danger to make that better. She’d have to forgive him. In some ways, he wouldn’t compromise.

  “I’m not going to fake it. I’m simply not going to tell her everything. I’m good at it. I do it nearly every moment I’m awake and speaking every day. I’m not lying. I’m being me. I can do this. I won’t place anyone in any danger. I swear it.”

  He wanted to argue or better yet, to send her off to Titanium’s compound where he could wrap her in bubble wrap and keep her safe for the rest of her life. But that would make him no better than Remington. The other man threatened her, locked her away. He wouldn’t be guilty of doing any of that.

  “I would really prefer you not do that. I’d rather you wait here. I won’t tell you what to do. Ever.”

  She raised her eyebrows. “Thank you. I’m going to do it. I’m going to help.”

  “Alright. Then let’s plan it. Down to the smallest details.”

  Plat lifted his hand. “I’d like to point out I can take her out. I’ll grab my sniper rifle, and we can be done with this crap in no time flat.”

  “Titanium’s going to want to question her. That’s why Remington’s not dead.” Zinc sat back in his chair. “But if worse comes to it, you shoot her in the head.”

  Platinum nodded. “That works.”

  Russell waited while Lara changed in her closet. He’d been dressed for half an hour. He’d used Remington’s phone to text Desiree to get Lara invited to look at the painting. When she showed up with her neighbor, who happened to be nearby, he’d hit on Desiree. Let the woman think he’d come to fuck her. She was just the kind of asshat to believe that.

  He pressed a hand on the window. Things went wrong all the time. People died. They were slaughtered. They were blown up. Mothers left their children to wander the streets.

  But damn it, nothing would happen to Lara London anymore.

  She stepped out of the closet, a vision in light blue. She usually wore long skirts, which showed off the sheer length of her legs, but today she’d gone short. The dress was chiffon, and the best description he could give it in his head was that it was a party dress. Spaghetti straps on top and layers of chiffon on the bottom, which stopped right on top of her knee. Peteled flowers layered the bottom half of the dress. To finish the outfit, she had heeled sandals in silver.

  “Wow.”

  She looked down at herself. “This is an old one. I always wanted to wear it again. One thing I will miss about this life was the need to own clothes like this. If I end up going back to the art world, it’ll be few and far between. Suits and more professional clothing, I imagine.”

  Once a year, he would find a reason for her to get dressed up. His lovely, lovely Lara. Maybe twice a year…

  He extended his hand. “Zinc will be watching you the whole time and listening from the mic. If something goes horribly wrong, Plat takes her out. Boom. D
on’t hesitate to scream for help.”

  She stroked the side of his face. “I’ve got it. I’m going to have ten minutes of conversation about the painting and get out of there. No problem. You be careful. You’re breaking into rooms made not meant to be broken into.”

  “My specialty.”

  Lara kissed him. “I’m forcing myself to think about the future. We’ve never slept next to one another.”

  She was right. The night before, he’d stayed up going over schematics and fallen asleep in his chair. Lara had gone to bed alone.

  “I’ll be honest, I’ve never slept with anyone except the little nap I took yesterday. I think it comes from my years in the foster home. Twelve of us in one section of the room.” She had made him feel comfortable. Of course, then he’d woken in a panic because she hadn’t been there.

  She put his arms around her. Why hadn’t he thought to hug her tight? Why did she have to tell him? Why was he so defunct?

  Lara didn’t seem to mind, she cuddled closer. “Then you’re overdue. Like the making love thing, which you did really well.”

  He snorted. “Thanks. My male ego appreciates the stroke.”

  “I’m serious. Tonight. When it’s over, you’ll sleep next to me.”

  It was like she was constantly giving water to a man dying of thirst. “I’ll see you here.”

  Desiree Garcia looked every bit the part she played. Francium grinned at her, doing his best to put sex in his gaze. The role was harder today than it had been the last time he’d been at her home. For the first time in his life, he wanted to be himself, but he had to get through this obligation, and then he could do what he wanted. He wouldn’t object to kicking Red Wolf in the balls either.

  “Russell! What are you doing here?” she practically purred. “I thought I was having a girl’s afternoon with my darling Lara.”

  Her darling Lara was probably throwing up her in mouth, even as she smiled and wore her dull, pleasant expression.

  “Well, when I heard it was a chance to see you again, Des, I was absolutely compelled to come and see you. Once was not enough.”

  Her cheeks pinked. She could either make herself blush or she wanted him. He leaned forward to whisper in her ear. “You look smashing in pink.”

  “Thank you.” She touched his arm.

  Lara raised her eyebrows. “Shall I leave you two alone?”

  “Oh, no.” Desiree looked down at the floor. “If Jose thought that, I’d be in very big trouble.”

  “Well, darling, what Jose doesn’t know won’t kill him, so to speak.” He winked at her, and her color deepened again. “Why don’t I step out back and make some phone calls, and then when you girls are done, we can get to know each other better, Desiree? You have a view, don’t you, of the ocean from here? I was so preoccupied with looking at you last time, I hardly noticed.”

  Without waiting for her by your leave, he walked to the other side of the house as though he headed for the back porch. He rounded the corner in time to hear Lara’s fake laugh. He wasn’t the only one who knew how to do what was needed.

  Instead of going to the porch, he walked toward the office. Zinc spoke in his ear. “You made me want to throw up.”

  “Made myself sick. What are you doing out there?” Zinc and Platinum were positioned where Plat could see in the house and fire if necessary. “Got any good take out?”

  “Nah, Plat’s gone all organic on me. His wife has gotten him into the green juice phase.”

  Desiree’s office was locked, but that had never stopped Francium, and unlike Lara, he wouldn’t bust through the door only to get caught. “I’m at the office.”

  “Roger that,” Zinc replied. “Bringing down cameras now. Temporary loop installed. You have three minutes.”

  “Copy. I’ll have the lock open in thirty seconds.”

  He’d had to break locks to eat when he’d lived on the streets. These days, he managed much more expensive devices. But they all came down to the same basic principal—to keep him out of where he wanted to be. He’d never been very good at being told no.

  “Interesting note.” Zinc’s voice came over the line again. “Jose doesn’t exist. Not so far as anyone connected to Desiree. She’s invented a husband.”

  He shook his head as the lock gave way, and he walked into the office, closing the door behind him. “Good to know.”

  At least they wouldn’t have to deal with Jose. Desiree was enough all by herself. He walked to the computer, pulling his external drive out of his pocket. “Ready?”

  “Roger that,” Zinc answered. “Preparing for password lock on your go.”

  He inserted the device that would hook Desiree’s computer to Zinc’s. After they cracked the password, they’d download the contents of the hard drive. Zinc had never seen a hard drive he couldn’t get into. Firewalls were jokes to him.

  All of that was great, as long as he came through when it counted, which was right then. He figured Lara could talk about the fake painting without letting Desiree look for him for ten minutes. After that, it might get tricky. Desiree didn’t know her newest purchase was fraudulent. A woman with her ego and ties to Red Wolf wouldn’t allow herself to be taken in like that.

  He wasn’t going to risk Lara on this going on too long.

  Francium moved toward the door and listened. Female laughter greeted him. They couldn’t take down Desiree without Titanium’s say-so, not unless it was life or death. The boss man wasn’t going to give them the go for it based on a ledger and the word of a man who funded Red Wolf. They needed what was on this computer.

  For his part, Francium would be happy to let someone else take over the second they were done here, and he’d never felt that way before. Giving up wasn’t in his nature. Only this didn’t feel like that, this felt like moving on.

  Francium knew what he had been doing when he took his name. Outside of the laboratory, the element was almost never seen. It had to be created to exist, and so had he. If he hadn’t made himself to be whoever he needed to be, he’d have died on the streets before his tenth birthday.

  He was proud of how strong he could be.

  But maybe it was time to see if he was adaptable, if he could be there, full time, for the bravest woman he’d ever met…

  “We’ve got it. Disconnect. Get the girl. Get out. I’m calling Titanium. There is serious shit on this computer. I imagine extraction will come, but not now. Oorah. Good job.”

  Francium grinned. He’d never been a Marine, but he knew what it meant when they said that. “Thanks, man. See you soon.”

  He walked toward the hallway, pulling himself back into character. Only it wasn’t female laughter he heard. No, it was screams, and it was Lara.

  Oh, hell no.

  Lara backed up, forcing herself to stop screaming. Nothing had ever gone well or gotten better by yelling about it, and being faced with a gun wasn’t going to be any different. Men who knew how to handle these things surrounded her. Somehow, she had to give Russell more time.

  “Answer me. Where is your husband? Cut the bullshit, because I can spot a lie a mile away. You think I don’t know you’re here with one of them? We know every move they make.”

  She didn’t know if that was true or not. Lara did, however, pay close attention to details. Desiree hadn’t used anyone’s name. She suspected Francium, fine. She thought there were others around, all right, well, she wasn’t wrong. But she didn’t really know anything, and if her shrieking tone illuminated any truths, then she was really on edge.

  When Lara couldn’t come up with a lie, she decided the truth would have to do. At least, it would give them more time to make conversation. “I’m not sure where he is at the present time. The last time I saw him, he was tied up in the pool house. Since then, he’s been moved, but no one has told me where. Can you put down the gun? We can talk this out. I really shouldn’t be in the middle of this. Let’s have tea instead. I wouldn’t want you to accidently hit your new painting.”

  Okay, s
he was rambling, but it turned out she really didn’t do well with guns, not in any capacity. Too many guns lately.

  Desiree swung the gun around like it was a part of her pointer finger. “When he picked you out, I told him you were going to be nothing but trouble, but he was so taken with you. I couldn’t talk him out of it. And here you are, bringing nothing but destruction with you.”

  “Honey.” Francium’s voice caught her attention. He leaned against the doorframe, staring at the scene like it wasn’t a gun wielding disaster waiting to happen. Russell caught her eye for one second. She saw the anger in his gaze before he covered it. He wasn’t unmoved. She steeled her back. He’d get them out of this. “You want to put down that gun. It doesn’t go with your shoes.”

  Desiree flushed. She was clearly not blasé about Francium, despite knowing who he was. “We’re both professionals, whoever you really are. We know how these things work. We have people who we work with, who give us orders. She interfered in things that don’t concern her.”

  “Oh, do we?” Francium took a step toward Desiree, then another. They were easy movements, as though he were unworried, not concerned with what happened around him. “You take your orders from Red Wolf, yes? That must be a hell of a relationship. Is he fun at the Christmas party?”

  “And how fun is your Titanium? Must be loads of laughs with his being blind and—”

  Francium lifted his hand. “Don’t go there. Not if you want to keep living.”

  “I’m not going to fool around. You’re going to give me Remington and disappear. I’ll let you live. That’ll be the deal.”

  He laughed. “What do you think, Lara? Should I give her Remington?”

  “No.” She shook her head.

  Every few seconds during their entire discussion, Francium had inched forward. She knew he was armed—she’d seen the gun before they left her house, and yet he hadn’t pulled it out yet.