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That same night in an undisclosed off-site installation...

“How ya doin’, kid?” The comms crackled with static, a grating sound that made me roll my eyes while I squeezed through the narrow air duct, the cold metal biting into my skin. I found the space to be cozy and compact, a level of confinement that was quite comfortable for me due to prior experiences. Compared to other predicaments I’d been in, this situation was less constricting and confining.

“I’m not a kid, Law,” I muttered with irritation, glancing at my watch, a device that helpfully showed me the blueprints of this frustrating location.

“Still a kid to me.”

“I hate you.”

Hearing him chuckle, I ignored the fucker and continued on to my destination.

I had always felt a strange sense of comfort in cramped spaces. The pressure felt secure and familiar. Given the opportunity to discover a tiny, inconspicuous place to observe events without being seen, I would gladly make it my temporary home, patiently waiting until I grew weary of the inactivity. As time went on, my skill at secretly entering and leaving places developed into a kind of superpower. That success inspired me to further develop my repertoire of skills, such as becoming a master of camouflage, altering my appearance, and adopting disguises.

I was the perfect chameleon.

Faint voices filtered up toward me and I whispered, “I’m close.”

“Tracking your location. Let me know when you have eyes on them.”

“Copy.”

With a grunt, I squeezed further into the cramped air duct, the rough metal grating against my clothes. Finally, I spotted the grate, and smiled, quietly muttering, “Eureka.”

My fingers brushed against the soft fabric of my bag as I retrieved the surprisingly heavy comms unit and its attached micro camera, setting it down on the rusty grate. After fine-tuning the camera, I consulted my watch, the cool metal against my wrist a familiar feeling, as the video feed from the room, slightly pixelated, appeared on my small screen.

“Camera connected.”

“And we have audio,” I heard Ace say in my ear as we all listened to the conversation.

“How did you do it?” a guard asked, looking right at Lena.

“Do what? I wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

I snickered a low, knowing sound, aware that Lena, the most dangerous person present, could probably end anyone in the room within seconds.

“Just tell us, bitch,” the guard sneered, causing her to chuckle.

Rolling my eyes, I wondered if that idiot had a death wish. He kept talking to her like that, and she would eventually lose her shit.

I’d seen it happen many times.

Apparently, he had no idea who he was messing with.

Another guard growled and stepped forward as she rolled her eyes and groaned. “What’s the matter, fucknuts? You look constipated. You better not stink up this room.”

Covering my mouth, I held my laughter as I lightly shook my head.

God, I missed her smart mouth.

“Jesus Christ, is she always like that?”

“She’s worse. Don’t piss her off,” I whispered as the door opened and in walked Reed Scott. “Target on site. Operation is a go.”

“Copy that, kid. Hang tight, we’re moving to breach.”

With that, my ear comms crackled, then dead silence reigned.

I wouldn’t have contact with them again until they secured the building.

All I had to do was stay put and watch the show until the cavalry arrived.

I watched Reed Scott take a seat across from them, laying three files before him. Opening the first one, he sighed. “Lena Collins, also known as Phantom. Sister in the biker gang, Golden Skulls.”

“Not a fucking gang,” she growled.

“Father, retired Army Colonel Joseph Collins. Mother, Linda Collins, retired Pentagon attaché to Colonel Jessop. Brother, retired Captain Jason Collins, also known as Merc, now a mercenary for hire working with Harbor Security. Sister, Laura Collins, former distinguished NSA operative now deceased, and then there is Jared Collins, also known as Gadget, former member of the Golden Skulls gang and also deceased. Did I leave anyone out?”

I smirked at that as she grinned. “Yep. Got them all.”

Looking at Sypher, the fucker opened the next file.

“Daniel Franks.”

He growled. “Mom named me Danny. Not Daniel.”

He was right. Roxy and Moonshine did name him that.

“Daniel Franks, also known as Sypher and a brother in the Golden Skulls gang. Father, Lee Roy Franks, also known as Moonshine, former President of the Tennessee Chapter of the Golden Skulls gang, deceased. Mother, Roxanna Chasity Montclair, sister to Conner Montclair, former President of the Sons of Hell gang, deceased. Brothers, former Captain Ace Franks, fugitive, Bailey Franks, also known as Chipper, Charles Franks, also known as Trout, both current members of the Tennessee Chapter of the Golden Skulls gang. Did I leave anyone out?”

Danny said nothing.

Turning to Dante, Reed Scott sighed and said, “And then there is you, Dante Sharp, also known as Pippen and member of the Soulless Sinners gang. Not much else. No mother, no father, no sibling on record. You must be the worthless one.”

Dante growled.

Jesus, did no one do research anymore?

I found a whole lot of shit about Dante.

“Listen, assholes. This is how it’s going to go. I am going to ask a question, and you will answer it, or you will spend the rest of your lives in a six-by-six cell in an undisclosed location until someone carries your rotting corpses out in a body bag. Do we understand each other?”

“A little graphic for my taste,” Dante snarked.

“Could have stuck the landing better,” Lena added. “I mean, he left everything open to interpretation.”

“I liked the undisclosed location bit. Made me chuckle.”

Reed Scott slammed his hand down on the table and shouted, “I’m not fucking around here!”

Leaning forward in her chair, Lena looked at Danny and Dante and grinned. “Now, you see, that didn’t have the same effect as when Reaper does it. I mean, that man knows how to command a room.”

She was right.

When Reaper lost his temper, he could easily instill the fear of the Devil himself into anyone. He was one man no one fucked with.

Scary fucker frightened the piss out of me on more than a few occasions.

Dante leaned forward, resting his elbow on the table as he propped his head up by his hand. “You know who can command a room. Montana. Now, that scary fucker has a temper.”

Dante had a point.

I’d seen Montana in action before, but still, he was no Reaper.

“He’s good.” Danny nodded. “Scared the pants off me a few times, but Reaper’s worse. When he gets that evil look in his eyes, I just know heads are going to roll.”

Reed Scott leaned back in his chair and glared at them. “You have no fucking idea who I am, do you?”

“Should we?” Lena snarked.

Leaning forward, he said, “My name is Agent Reed Scott, assistant director to the FBI, and someone not to trifle with. You fuckers think you’re so smart. Well, let me enlighten you. All three of you are going to jail for a very long time, but I’ll make you a deal. You tell me how you did it, and I will put in a nice word with the judge.”

“Did what?” Danny asked.

“Locked us in this fucking place!” he roared. “None of my codes work!”

“Oh, I didn’t do that.” Danny smiled. “I’m innocent.”

I swear, if this wasn’t serious, I would have laughed my ass off. My God, this shit was priceless. I hope they set the feed to record. I wanted to make a Christmas video of this shit.

“It’s fucking off-grid. Only I know about it. So, what’s it gonna take for you three to cooperate?”

“A nice cappuccino with a bagel and cream cheese.”

“I mean, to get the fuck out of this place.” Reed Scott sneered.

“Oh that?” Lena shrugged her shoulders. “We can’t leave yet.”

“And why is that?”

“Need to know.”

“Bitch, I have higher clearance than you.”

Lena threw her head back and laughed before glaring at the fucker.

“No, you don’t,” she sneered. “Because, Agent Reed Scott, you are a liar. You are not the assistant director to diddly squat. You are, however, the son of Devlin Scott. Or is he your grandfather? Offsprings of incest are so confusing.”

“Seriously, dude, your family tree doesn’t fork. It just goes straight up.” Dante snickered.

“Unlock this fucking building,” Reed Scott seethed, his face turning a bat-crap-crazy shade of red. “You have five seconds or I’m going to order these men to kill you.”

All three guards in the room smiled, aiming their weapons at them.

And just like that, my smile faded as I slowly removed my weapon. I didn’t spend the last couple of years of my life away from my fucking family to have this nutbag kill them.

“Like I said before, we can’t leave yet.”

“Why not?”

“Because I haven’t finished my nails,” Lena retorted, blowing on her unpolished nails.

“Uh, Reed?” one of the guards said, capturing his attention.

“Yeah?”

“We got company.”

“Who?”

“I don’t know, but the sensors are going off like crazy.”

Smirking, I whispered, “Three... two... one...”

The door burst open with a loud bang, and I watched as Lena, Danny, and Dante dove under the table, their movements a blur against the dusty floorboards. With a powerful kick, I dislodged the grate, jumped down onto the table, and efficiently eliminated two of the guards simultaneously, as the Alpha team stormed the room, securing Reed Scott and neutralizing the last guard.

“Well, that was fun,” I said, jumping off the table and holstering my gun while I watched Law tighten the cuffs on Reed Scott and snarl, “Reaper would like a word with you, asshole.”

“DANNY!” Ace shouted, storming into the room as all three of them crawled out from under the table looking relieved.

“Was she here?” Danny growled as Ace grabbed his brother and hugged him tight. “Yes. She is waiting for the both of you.”

As Matthew Law escorted Scott out of the room, Danny and Dante rushed out, leaving me alone with Lena.

Standing there, I didn’t know what to say to her, so I shrugged my shoulders and grinned. “Miss me?”