Page 76 of The Team

They were going to need Yin at his best.

The man needed to sleep.

The relief that poured off him when he’d divulged his secrets and found nothing but acceptance was palpable.

He damn near wept.

He’d looked so small sitting there, deflated and lost. He’d had to expose his biggest fears to a team he barely knew.

But he’d found himself in the company of brothers, of family. When Rhett had put his hand on Yin’s shoulder and said,we’ll find her, well, Yin had just about crumpled.

Jay reckoned Yin had found the support he’d been so sorely lacking for years right then.

Of course the team would help him.

They didn’t care if his girl was trans. Hell, she could befrom outer fucking space and they wouldn’t care. It was Yin’s partner. He loved her. And she’d been kidnapped for fuck’s sake. She’d been missing for four days already.

Of course they’d do everything they could to find her.

Like they would if it were the loved one of any of their team.

It’s what family did for each other.

Jay fell into the seat next to Chen. “Hey, Totoro,” he murmured. “Are you holding up okay?”

He looked at his own hands then at Jay, clearly confused. “Holding? I’m not holding?—”

Jay chuckled and gave him a nudge. “Sorry.” Then Jay dusted off some rusty Mandarin and asked him how he was feeling.

Chen smiled at him and nodded. “Is good,” he said in English.

“Is Yin okay?” Jay asked quietly.

Chen’s gaze followed Jay’s over to where Yin was reclined on a seat with a blanket, his overhead light turned off. “He needs to find his Jun-mei.”

Jay nodded. “Understandable.” Jay inhaled and let out a sigh. “You knew about her?”

Chen’s smile turned rueful. “Yes. From beginning. I saw his eyes when he see her. He not lie to me.”

Jay smiled. “You’re a good friend to him.”

“Know him for long time.” Chen put his head back and had a gentle smile. “Met day one. He was smart and good soldier. Was team leader and I was just... me. We pair for team, and we be first always. How you say... brains and...”

“Brains and brawn. He’s the brains, you’re the muscle.”

“Yes.” Chen chuckled. “Many times we win. Me and him. We not a beatable team. For many years.”

“Sounds familiar,” Jay said. “Me and Rhett. Unbeatable for eight years.”

Chen laughed. “Me and Tao not like you and Captain.”

“You never . . . you and him, ever . . .”

Chen was both amused and horrified. “No, no.” He put his hand to his chest. “I bed women.”

Jay laughed at his wording, and he put his hand to his own chest. “I bed men. Well, correction. I bed one man.”

Chen nodded sagely. “Tao bed all women. Lot of women. But now, correction, just one.”