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“You can’t seriously be considering an offer, Benson,” Ice snarled across the room, his deadly gaze flicking back and forth between Rhett and Benson, his body still positioned in front of Indy. “Rhett Rodgers doesn’t get to walk away from this. That isn’t justice.”
Benson shifted on his feet, lowering his weapon and shaking his head at Ice. “CIA isn’t in the justice business, kid.” He shot a hard look at Rhett. “You resign tonight, right after this meeting, in writing to Kaiser, with a copy to Senator Robinson.”
“What the fuck are you doing, Benson?” Ice growled.
Benson took a slow breath, shook his head. “Kaiser wants it this way, and it just might work. Especially because Rhett knows I’m ready to put a bullet in his head and go down for it. You see it in me, don’t you, Rhett?”
Rhett nodded grimly, no doubt in his mind about that part. Benson’s intentions were authentic. The fear Rhett had felt was real.
But so was the confidence surging in Rhett now. He was so close to getting Benson and Kaiser where he wanted.
Now Indy chimed in. “Benson’s right, Ice. If Rhett resigns from the CIA, he’s out of the game, out of the running for the next CIA Director. Nobody who resigns from the CIA gets back in, so it’s a one-way ticket once Rhett signs his name to it.”
Benson nodded. “With Rhett gone clean and quiet, Robinson will stick with Kaiser as Director. I’ll distance myself from Kaiser until the election. And Darkwater will live to fight another day. Another mission.” Benson moved past Rhett now, gun lowered but still drawn. “This mission is done, Ice. You and Indy made it through. So long as Rhett keeps his word and resigns, I have to accept it. I don’t trust the snake to not take another shot at revenge, but if he does we’ll be ready and waiting. And without the protection and perks of the CIA, Rhett is exposed and vulnerable out there on his own. It won’t be easy for him to hit back at us without all his CIA-level access. Kaiser and I have a running list of enemies. We’ll just add Rhett to that list, keep the snake in our sights.” He sighed, rubbed his eyes, shrugged. “Logic says this is the right call for now. Everything stays in the shadows, the CIA way. After all, it’s not like any of us come out smelling like roses if all this gets to Robinson and the Senate Intelligence Committee.” He flashed a grin. “Besides, I’d rather be a clown in the Darkwater circus than a washed-up coyote in a cage. Come on, it’s over, kid. We won.”
Indy flashed a smile, but Ice wasn’t amused. Rhett watched the Delta’s eyes carefully, wondering who the hell named this guy Ice when he seemed to be operating with a dangerously full head of steam.
Rhett’s body tensed as Ice took a step in his direction, fists the size of cinderblocks clenched by his sides. This was bad, Rhett told himself as he saw Benson hesitate, like maybe the old coyote was reconsidering that deal, recalculating the plan.
What happens if Ice Wagner decides to take a swing, maybe even a shot, Rhett wondered as his pectorals flexed and his triceps tightened.
Would Benson stand back and let Ice kill Rhett?
And would Benson let Ice take the fall for it?
Sacrifice his Darkwater man for the greater good?
That’s what Rhett would do.
Surely Benson was tempted.
Was he going to push Ice forward or pull him back?
“He’s not going to fall for it, Ice,” said Benson, swiping at the air to defuse the crackling tension. “Relax, kid. Rhett’s not going to get provoked. We danced that dance already. He won’t snap and give you an excuse.”
“I don’t need a damn excuse. And the only thing that’s going to snap is his fucking neck,” growled Ice, clenching his fists hard enough that his knuckles cracked like gunshots.
Indy’s eyes flashed with fear, like she understood this wasn’t a provocation, was dangerously real. She stepped close to Wagner and grabbed his arm, leaning into him and whispering urgently.
“Ice, what are you doing?” she hissed under her breath, just loud enough for Rhett to hear. “This isn’t like you at all. Please. I’m all right with whatever Benson and Kaiser are offering him. This can end without anyone else getting killed. Rhett doesn’t need todie, Ice. I’m at peace with everything that happened. YouknowI am. What’s wrong with you, Ice. This is so out of character for you. I don’t . . . I just don’t . . . I don’t understand, Ice.”
Rhett didn’t hear the rest of Indy’s words because his head was buzzing with adrenaline. He could see the fuse burning short in Ice’s fire-hot eyes, and now Rhett understood it, saw the soldier’s dangerous shadow the same way he’d seen his own shadow.
Yes, this wild uncontrollable rage was Ice’s shadow, Rhett realized. The guy was a Delta, which meant years of discipline and training, control in the midst of chaos, coolness in the heat of battle. All of that training was designed to repress the impulsive recklessness that got aggressive young men killed.
And a man’s shadow contained whatever he pushed away from the light.
That’s why Ice’s hot rage looked “out of character” as it emerged from where it had been repressed in his shadow. After all, a guy nicknamed Ice must have been the picture of coolness under fire, poise under pressure, composure when everyone else was coming apart.
Except now Ice was coming part as that long-suppressed wildness showed in his eyes, the clearest expression of a dangerous man’s shadow that Rhett had seen in three decades of being a shadow-warrior.
Rhett took a step back now, feeling the fear rise up his back when he noticed Benson’s eyes flash like the old coyote saw it too, understood that everything about this game was bringing shadows into sight, darkness into the light.
Rhett began to panic inside now. Benson could end the game simply by giving Ice the go-ahead, unleashing that barely restrained out-of-control beast who was itching to avenge his woman, to seek the justice of the jungle, settle the score the old-fashioned way.
The man’s way.
Benson was obviously going to do it, Rhett thought as the dread drained the blood from his face. It would be so easy. All Benson had to do was nod his head, say the word, let Ice attack. Rhett would fight, but he wasn’t going to win against a trained Delta killer. And Rhett couldn't dare draw his own weapon, because that would just give Benson an excuse for a justified kill, end the game even faster.