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“So I gathered. We convinced him that his attention was needed for far more important things than training duty.” He motioned toward the key. “How long will it take to make the keys?”
“Maybe thirty minutes. Depends if something more important interrupts my work.”
“I understand. We’ll swing by in about an hour to see if they’re finished.”
“Thanks for the fast work, Ryan.” Teagan smiled at him.
His face turned red. “Yes, ma’am. Happy to help.”
Outside, Seth turned north to start their perimeter walk. As they walked the outskirts of the camp, his gaze constantly scanned the area, noting in particular the places where guards should be posted and weren’t. At least these perimeter guards were more alert than the ones he and Teagan encountered the night before.
At the halfway point, he saw Bowen and Noah in the distance talking to one guard.
“Uh oh,” Teagan murmured. “Looks like that conversation is getting heated.”
Seth and Teagan walked up to hear the foul-tempered guard snap, “Nobody told me anything about you joining the enforcers or guards. I only answer to Mr. Richardson.”
“Need your hearing checked, son?” Noah folded his arms across his chest. “We’re training enforcers and guards, not joining them.”
“Is there a problem here?” Seth asked, gaze locked on the guard.
“Ivan was resting his eyes when we walked up to him,” Noah said wryly. “He took exception to us waking him from his early morning nap.”
Ivan glared. “I was only asleep for a minute or two.” His guilty expression said otherwise.
“It’s 9:00 in the morning, Ivan. Why are you falling asleep on watch?”
“I don’t have to answer to you.”
“You’re dead wrong. Richardson handed over responsibility for training guards and enforcers to my team. If you can’t or won’t pull your weight, you’ll be reassigned to KP after your lunch meeting with my team. Would you prefer kitchen duty?”
He swallowed hard. “No, sir.”
“Then I suggest you answer my first question. Why are you falling asleep on duty?”
His face darkened with anger and a touch of embarrassment. “Although it’s none of your business, the wife and I were…busy last night.”
“Busy.” Seth got into Ivan’s face. “Are you telling me you didn’t get enough sleep because you were having sex with your wife?”
A nod.
“I didn’t hear you, Ivan.”
“Yes, sir,” he snapped.
“You work the day shift. I’m assuming your watch shift is scheduled to be over by 7:00 tonight. Is that correct?”
“Yes, sir.”
“That leaves several hours for playtime with your wife, Ivan. I suggest you plan your time better because if you fall asleep on watch again for any reason, you will work KP or some other menial task you’ll hate. Are you hearing me, Ivan?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good. Do you have a lunch break during your shift?”
“No, sir.”
“You work twelve hours straight without a break?”