Page 16

CHAPTER 16

R onan avoided Wolf’s knowing smile. They were late to logistics—an hour late. Not that it mattered. Wolf had taken the bull by the horns and loaded the supplies with the help of the personnel assigned to Al-Tanf. The only hiccup came when the tents were counted. Three of the large tents were missing. While Wolf and the staff sergeant headed to the warehouse to locate them, he sent Fleur and the drivers to the mess tent to grab some food. He tapped his comm device. “Dude, can you patch me through to Gabby?”

“Yep. Hold on.”

It took several minutes, but Gabby came on the line. “Ronan, is everything okay?”

“Yeah, fine. Why? ”

“Because you and Deacon don’t call unless it’s an emergency.”

“That’s not true.”

“Oh, really? When was the last time you called me?”

Ronan thought back and then lifted his eyebrows. “Okay, point taken. This isn’t an emergency. I have a question for you.”

“Oh, hold on, let me sit down. My younger brother asks me a question instead of telling me what to do.”

“I’ll hang up.” Ronan had another sister he could call, several aunts and uncles, and even his dad.

“No, no, I was just playing. What do you have?”

“Are there any job opportunities near headquarters for a project management specialist?”

“Within Guardian?” Gabby asked.

“Preferably, yes,” Ronan admitted.

“I can see. We still run all our open positions through Rio North in Savannah, but I can message him and find out if we have any openings a project manager could fill. What’s this guy’s name?”

“Fleur Buchanan.” Ronan waited for the reaction … but there was nothing. “Hello?”

“Ah, yeah, I’m here. Fleur as in a woman?”

“All woman, yep.” Ronan lifted his eyebrows and waited. He expected a thousand questions, but all he got was silence. “Gabby, are you there?”

“Yep. Working on that message. By the way, you know there’s a move afoot to get you and Deacon back to the mountain.”

“I know. I’m not ready … yet. I need to sort a few things out first.”

“Like?” Gabby finally asked.

“Like whether or not we can find a job for Fleur in Colorado.”

“And that would make or break you coming into the fold?”

“At this point, it is a concern.” He wanted to ensure he and Fleur had a chance, and being away from her for the time his team deployed wouldn’t help. Leaving his team sucked fucking donkey balls. He knew it would happen eventually. Eventually. He was getting attached to Fleur. He was truthful with her last night. He didn’t want to walk away from her. But he didn’t want to walk away from his team either.

“Do you know if she has a clearance?”

“Doubtful. She’s working for Children’s Hope International in Syria, so she at least has a background check and probably a host nation check, too. ”

“Does she have a degree?” Gabby was professional, much more so than he thought she would be.

“In project management, yes, but I’m not sure of the school.”

“Con can find all that out. When will she be available?”

“When our mission ends and the camp is shuttered.” Ronan couldn’t wait to move the IDFs and get the staff packed and loaded.

“Shuttered? Why are they closing a camp when the IDP numbers are growing?” Gabby worked with their mom on the charities Guardian supported, so she’d know about the IDP crisis.

“I couldn’t tell you. I think Miller, the lead at the camp, said it was a consolidation of personnel to save money.”

Gabby was silent for a minute. “Ronan, that doesn’t make sense. I’ve been to countless meetings dealing with the overflow of IDPs out of the country, and all the neighboring nations are putting a halt or throttling the flow of people into their country. There’s a bid to build more camps, not shutter them. Is it because of how dangerous the area is? The convoy attacks?”

Ronan glanced around. “I’m not in a secure facility, but … hold on, let me go to the comms ce nter. Others might want to hear what I’ve found out.”

“I’ll get them online,” Gabby said, and the call was disconnected. Ronan tapped his earpiece again. “Wolf, I’m heading to the comms building.”

“Roger,” Wolf said, straining. “We found the tents. Fuckers are heavy.”

Ronan laughed and shook his head as he headed across the small base to the communications building. Signing in, he found himself in the broom closet again. Would it kill these guys to extend the room just a bit?

He waited for the call to go through and smiled as Gabby and Charley waved at him. “Hey, girlies.”

Archangel appeared on the screen along with Alpha. “You have some information?” Archangel was always on topic.

Ronan nodded. “I do. First, someone inside the camp is aiding the poachers.”

“Poachers?” Gabby asked.

Ronan glanced at Charley. “People who take unaccompanied girls and women from the camp. By force, if necessary.”

Charley’s mouth dropped open. “Someone inside the camp? Motherfucker. Jace, I’m flying to Syria.”

“No, you’re not,” Jason and Gabby said at the same time. It was rather comical. Jason shook his head and said, “Continue.”

Charley narrowed her gaze at both of them but didn’t say anything. He flicked his eyes to the grid with Jacob in it. “Al said it was someone on the staff. He didn’t know who. I don’t have evidence yet on who it could be. Also, Al is suspicious of who’s informing the local radicals about the convoys. He believes the first convoy was hit to take out a man who knew what was happening. All other convoys have been hit as cover.”

“What about the other six times?” Jacob asked.

“Wait, who the hell is Al?” Charley butted in.

“A covert source that has helped us numerous times,” Jacob said, leaning forward. “What did he say?”

“He asked me who was not on duty on Tuesdays. Who would not raise suspicion if they left the camp during the day? I ran it against the duty rosters I’d asked for due to an entirely different reason, but his speculation was correct. The person he believes is informing the factions does not work on Tuesday, and if they left the camp, there wouldn’t be any questions. However, some other people are also not on duty on Tuesdays, so it isn’t a slam dunk.”

“Who?” Archangel growled the word .

Ronan stared at the CEO and told him who Al believed was responsible.

“Why?” Gabby asked. “Why would someone do something like this?”

“A good question, and Al mentioned shale in the area. It was a random as fuck comment, so I think he was trying to tell me something without actually telling me something.”

“Shale like the rock?” Con’s voice came over the connection.

“Yes, but listen, when I was in the structures tent, Mathias told the guys digging a new latrine trench to find a new location if they hit shale again. They didn’t want to hit another natural gas pocket. The host nation gave them a map of safe places to dig.”

“Okay, I found the host national report on the natural gas incident. I’ll send it to Dude. Do you want me to run the financials on this person and the other individuals Ronan has identified?”

“No, Dude and Tink are my team. Let them do that.” He protected his operators the same way he protected his team. They were more than capable enough of doing the work.

“Touchy, okay.” Con chuckled.

“No, I’m not. But my team is fantastic. I have a working relationship with them, and I’m sure you have more than enough on your plate.”

“True. But I’m the best,” Con said.

“Yes, dear.” Gabby smiled as she agreed with Con.

“See, she believes me.”

“Con, can we get back on topic?” Jason took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Oh, sure. Go ahead.” Jason’s sarcasm was completely lost on the guy. Gabby had her hands full with that man.

“I’m not willing to accuse anyone based on hunches and without proof. Get your operators on the money trail. As a matter of fact, I want detailed financials on everyone in that camp. If we find out someone is being paid to set up innocents, we will take action. Until then, we wait and watch.”

“I have transport vehicles now, and we’re heading back to camp. I’ll schedule the next convoy for the following Tuesday.”

“Do you have the equipment to repel an attack?”

“He does now.” Jacob chuckled.

“I do, indeed.” Ronan smiled. “And I’ll have eyes in the camp to watch our primary suspect.”

“Trustworthy?” Jason asked.

“I’d trust her with my life,” Ronan replied.

Jason blinked. “Really? ”

Ronan nodded. “Her name is Fleur Buchanan. Have Con run her and check her out. She’s solid.”

“Oh, goodie. Something to do,” Con interjected.

“Ronan wants to bring her to Colorado as a project manager. I’m checking with Rio to see if we have any openings.”

Jason put his glasses back on. “If we don’t, we will. Family takes care of family. We’ll need to check on her clearance, and if she doesn’t have one, we need to initiate one.”

“I’ve got that on my list.” Gabby smiled across the table at Jason.

“Good.” Jason looked up at the monitor. “Ronan, does that mean you’ll be interested in returning and inheriting a desk?”

“She would be the reason I did.” That was the honest-to-God truth.

Jason shook his head. “A solid relationship is good, but make sure you’re ready. You don’t want to resent making the move.”

“Thanks, Uncle Jason. I know eventually I’ll take one of those desks, and I accept that. Guardian is Dad’s legacy to us and your children, too. And if I’m honest, the business end of the machine is calling me. I know Wraith can handle the team, and I don’t doubt for a minute he’d be a fantastic team leader. That’s why he’s my second in command over some of the older guys. Anyway, I’m working things out. I’ll let you know.”

“Good. Have Dude start a management update and put us all in the loop.”

“Will do.” Ronan was set to punch the disconnect button when his Uncle Jacob stopped him.

“Deacon will be available in about ten minutes. They’re just coming out of debrief.”

“Thanks.” He’d like to talk to his brother. He glanced at his watch and saw he had about fifteen minutes to spare. They signed off, and once again, Ronan unwedged his ass from the broom closet that substituted as a secure communications facility and went through the process of exiting the facility. By the time he got out, he figured Deacon would be free. He opened his cell and hit Deacon’s picture.

“Dude, how did you know?”

“Uncle Jacob.” Ronan laughed. “How was the mission?”

“Quick, in and out. Nothing surprising. How was yours?”

“I’m still working it, currently in Al-Tanf resupplying.”

“I thought you were supposed to get those people out and leave. ”

“Nope. We’re doing IDF security until they can be relocated and then shuttering the camp. Two or three months.”

“Damn. That sucks.”

“No, not really.” Ronan sat down on the step of the closed hamburger shack.

Deacon snorted. “Why? Did you find a hug to keep you occupied?”

Ronan didn’t reply. Fleur wasn’t a hug. She was something special.

“You did, didn’t you? Just like you to make the best out of a shit assignment.”

“She isn’t a hug, D. She’s legit.”

“Say what now?” Deacon no longer had laughter in his voice.

“Her name is Fleur, and she’s … special.” Ronan looked up at the sound of Fleur’s laughter and tracked her and the other drivers as they walked down the street to the logistics center. “I think she’s the one.”

“How the fuck would you know that so quickly?” There was no attack in the question. He knew his brother, and Deacon really wanted to know how he’d made that call in such a short amount of time.

“Remember when Dad told us about how he met Mom? That connection he tried to describe? Well, that shit is real, and it’s almost a physical thing. The first time I kissed her it was like something just clicked. Chemistry, personality, looks, she’s it for me.”

“Does she feel the same way?”

“Yeah, think so.” He cleared his throat. “I’m going to find her a job with Guardian back in Colorado.”

The silence on the other end of the line was expected. Deacon was the more cautious of the two of them. He thought everything through before he spoke. “Are you leaving the field?”

“Thinking about it,” Ronan admitted. “We need to talk about that, though. I have no idea where they’d want me to work. Domestic Operations is busy, but my heart is with the teams. Can both of us work in the same section?”

“Don’t see why not. The girls do. Besides, there are other portions of the overseas division. Some we don’t talk about.”

Ah, the assassin’s arm. But that was Uncle Joseph’s baby, and Ronan didn’t see Joseph retiring. He’d be at the helm until he was a hundred and fifty years old and still be able to beat the hell out of anyone. “Yeah, that’s true, but that comes with a different set of issues.”

“Uncle Joseph,” Deacon deadpanned .

“Right.” Ronan laughed. “The business is big enough for us and all the cousins to move up eventually. I mean, we’re international with thousands of employees, I’m sure I’ll find a fit. Look at the Kings, except for Jasmine, they’ve all come into the organization and work essential positions. Jason is CEO, Jacob runs the teams, Joseph has black ops, Jared and Jade are domestic operations, and we’re expanding.” The Kings were a life force of Guardian, and hopefully, the family would continue to be a vital part of the organization's fabric.

“Absolute truth. The Kings and Dad built a damn good organization.” Deacon chuckled and then was quiet for a moment. “I’m happy for you, man.”

“Thank you.” That meant everything to him. He and his brother were tight, and even though they were half a world apart, they maintained that relationship and always would. “Oh, and those SMAWs came in handy. What made you add those to the equipment?”

“Dude, it was a gut feeling. I walked past that crate, and it just … As I said, a gut feeling.”

“Well, it kept us from a sticky situation yesterday. I had more added to our resupply and a fifty cal. Wolf should be mounting it now to the frame we had Alpha put in one of the transport vehicles. We won’t lose any convoys. They have no idea what we have in store for them.”

“And the local government is okay with that?”

“It’s the fucking wild west out here, Deacon. Nothing but local militia, and they work for whoever pays the most. Militant factions are the ones hitting the convoys. Human trafficking is a way to make money, and the host nation looks the other way. It’s much more convoluted than that, lots of tentacles and bad players, but I can’t get into it on the phone.”

“Need help?”

“No, but you know I’ll always say yes to you and Cobra team showing up. The problem is you’re halfway around the world.”

“That’s just a matter of an airplane ride or two. I’ll call Uncle Jacob and set it up.”

“Then I’ll see you in a day or two.” Ronan smiled so hard his face hurt. “It’s been too damn long.”

“It has. Keep your ass alive until I get there to save it.”

“Fuck you, asshole. Come over to visit if you must, but I don’t need saving.”

“Panther team always needs saving. I mean, you’re named after a fucking cat. ”

“Which means we have nine lives, and your team is named after a fucking snake.”

“The king of snakes,” Deacon reminded him.

“Right. The king of snakes. That is terrifying.” Ronan talked shit with his brother. It was so damn good to be able to do it.

“Scarier than a little pussy.”

“And now, we should say goodbye.” Ronan laughed.

“We should. I’ll see you soon. Whatever it takes.”

“As long as it takes.” Ronan ended the call and headed toward the logistics building. Damn, life was pretty fucking good. He had a woman who rocked his world, a family that was the absolute best, and his brother flying in. Who the fuck cared about the militant factions?