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Dakota let out a short, barking laugh. “After what you pulled here last year? Oh yeah. Everything.”

“Fine,” sighed Markus. “Here goes…”

He turned to face me, and I found myself being led to the couch. I sat down between Kyle and Ryan. From there, I listened as Markus went on to explain everything he knew about Colonel Charles Goddard. From the origins of their arrangement, to how he handled Markus’s dismissal from Di Spatia, I was told every grim detail regarding th

e rogue US soldier.

“Taking Briggs was a calculated risk,” he finished, “but you need to understand it wasn’t his end goal. Goddard is hellbent on reinstating a new high-level contact. Someone who will continue to ensure his flow of weapons and munitions, without anyone in the military being any the wiser.”

I looked him in the eye, and he stared right back. I could tell he was here for something other than just to warn us.

“What does he want?” I asked, turning to Jason.

“I want nothing more than exactly what I was promised,” Markus answered himself. “I want my mercenary company back.”

Kyle stiffened beside me. He was about to say something, but Jason stopped him.

“You’re not getting Di Spatia back,” he said. “I don’t care what she promised.”

Markus said nothing, but I could see his whole demeanor change. His jaw tightened.

“Look,” said Ryan. “It’s not that we don’t appreciate what you’ve done for us. But even you of all people should realize Sammara was making promises she couldn’t keep.”

Markus Ladrone nodded slowly. He looked at Dakota.

“And what about you?” he asked. “You were there. You know what happened.”

“I know we came to you in desperation,” Dakota said. “And you came through for us. And we’re grateful for that…”

His voice trailed off. Markus’s face wrinkled into a frown.

“But?”

“But nothing,” Jason jumped in. “Look, you’re not getting Di Spatia. I don’t know that your men would even take you back, considering what you did. These are ex-soldiers, Markus. And you were responsible for arming active insurgents, even indirectly.”

Beneath his hard demeanor, a pained look crossed the ex-mercenary’s face. It was similar to the expression I saw on his private little beach.

“I’ve explained this before,” he said, glancing my way, “but that wasn’t my intention. It began as a small, forced arrangement that spiraled quickly out of control.”

“Doesn’t matter,” said Dakota. “Briggs is right. The men won’t ever take orders from you. Not in a million—”

“They would if you endorsed me,” Markus interjected. He looked almost angry now. “They would if you kept up your end of the bargain.” He jerked a thumb my way. “A bargain she promised. A bargain without which you’d still be rotting away in some—”

“Wait,” I said, leaping in. “Just… just stop.”

Everyone looked at me expectantly, as if I suddenly had something important to say. But I still wanted answers.

“This man,” I said. “This… Charles Goddard. Where does he stand now?”

“The Colonel’s been laying low,” replied Markus, “ever since he realized he lost Briggs. Right now he’s ‘vacationing’ at his little compound in upstate NY. But trust me when I say that won’t last forever. He’ll want to come out of hiding, eventually. And when he does, he’ll want an insurance policy that none of you four come after him.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means your boyfriends are going to score some pretty shit assignments in the near future,” said Markus. “Some very dangerous assignments, if you catch my meaning. The ones still active, anyway.”

My stomach dropped. I whirled on the others. “That… that can’t happen,” I gasped.

“Of course…” said Markus, contemplatively. “If I were to lead Di Spatia again, Goddard would immediately try to re-forge our arrangement. Especially if he thought you guys were out of the picture.”