“The director is crooked. When are we going to talk about that pink elephant in the room? When?” Ethan asked. “Do you think I give a shit about what that piece of garbage who is aligned with Javier Hughes thinks?”
Gabe was watching his prey, and while he was angsty, the fight wasn’t there. He expected the man to argue this until the cows came home.
That made an agent weak. If you wanted something, you fought hard, and dirty.
Ethan didn’t have it in him.
He was nervous and crumbling.
That told him one thing.
Sasha hadn’t lied.
They were a couple, and he’d managed to catch the infallible Ethan Blackhawk off of his game. Had they been on their game, they would have had a backup plan.
Clearly, they didn’t.
“We know that, Agent, but you made it more difficult on yourself. You’re inSan Juanuntil further notice.”
Ethan stood up.
“You can’t punish me like this. I’m a good agent. Gene is a great agent. We solve everything we get our hands on. This isn’t cool, Director.”
Oh, he saw him get a little fire back, and Gabe expected quite the battle.
“Rules are rules. Are you going to deny it?” he asked. “Are you going to say you’re not a couple?”
Ethan was giving him nothing to use as ammo for when he called Gene in. He would be next, and Blackhawk would protect his partner.
His lover.
Only, in the back of his head, he wasn’t sure they could do long distance.
No.
They couldn’t.
The demons he’d thought he’d buried were back, and they were messing with his head. In his mind, he heard one thing.
He’s better off without you.
Like the director had meant.
“Well?”
Ethan went there.
“Frankly, Director, I don’t know what sick little thrill you get with digging into personal lives, but I’m not answering that. Your home life must be incredibly boring that you think sitting in your powerful office, bored as you play chess with our lives like they are a game. It’s not. Grow the fuck up, and to be frank, you’re just as bad as that POS above you.”
Oh, and there it was.
He loved a battle, and Ethan was always good for one. It was clear that he was a damn good agent. It was his job to make sure they could hold up if he let them be partners.
Their lives mattered, and as of late, they’d had some faux pas.
DANGEROUS ONES.
“As two people who play chess daily, Agent Blackhawk, it’s not something you can stop playing, and you know that. So, I need you to be away from Cantrell so you can do your job effectively and be a good agent. This clouded your judgment, and now, I have to question you. Pack your bags, and head down. We’ve arranged your rental on the island,” he said, expecting him to fight more.
