Addison nodded. “Okay.”
“There’s still the issue of it being invite-only,” Angie said, wringing her hands and wincing. “I can’t find anything on what format the invite is in to recreate it.”
“Think Shady can get us an invite?” Graham asked Paige.
“I’ll call her as soon as we’re done here.”
“What else do you know about the auction?” Devon asked.
“It’s women buyers only. Men can attend as companions, but only women can bid during the auction, and they’re only allowed to bring one male companion for either security or…other things. I found a couple of discussions about who was taking who in what capacity.” Angie paused and grimaced. “There were pictures. I need eye bleach.”
“The women-only thing is going to be an issue if we’re able to get someone on the inside,” Paige said. “I’m going to need more than one person as backup.”
“What about Dani?” Devon asked.
Paige shook her head. “She’s training for a fight and is out for the next two months.”
Damn. Dani, their resident mixed martial artist and combatives instructor, would have been perfect.
“You don’t have any other women working for you?” Addison asked.
Huh. Devon had never considered the lack of women in Leonidas. Maybe because Paige was always front and center, he never saw it as an issue.
Their COO shook her head. “We have a few who work in corporate security, but none of them have the necessary training or experience for something like this.” She turned in her seat to glare at Graham. “Which is one reason I want to recruit more women.”
“We’ll discuss that issue later. Right now, we need to figure out who’s going with you.”
“Me,” Addison said.
“That’s probably not a good idea,” Graham said.
Devon agreed—silently. He’d at least learned that lesson. It was a bad idea to have family members on ops with each other, especially when the op was to rescue one of those family members.
“Why?” Addison leaned forward and rested her forearms on the table. “I have the training. I have the experience. And this ismybrother.”
Paige and Graham had one of their silent conversations he’d grown to recognize. Watching them, anyone would think they were a couple, but as far as he knew, they’d never been together. Not even back in the day before TLC. All he knew was they went through some shit together when they’d been deployed to Iraq, and it’d made them tight.
Hell, he knew that truth—he had guys he’d drop everything for in a heartbeat. It was a short list, but Braedon was one of those guys. Devon wouldn’t have made it through selection if it hadn’t been for him.
They finally ended their silent discussion. “How long are you on leave?” Graham asked.
Addison leaned back in her chair and rubbed the sleeping puppy’s ears. “I’m on terminal. I resigned my commission.”
“Really?” Paige asked.
“It was that or be court-martialed for telling a two-star to go fuck himself.”
“Yeah, that’d do it,” Jeremy said.
Graham drummed his fingers on the table. “Who’re we sending with her? We’re going to need Turner on standby. Mac’s slated for that personal protection detail next week. Harrison’s too young. That leaves Tinker, Jane, and Cactus.”
“Who?” Addison asked.
“Sorry,” Graham said. “Bad habit of using call-signs—Christian, Jeremy, and Devon.” He nodded at Jeremy and Devon.
Before he could even suggest either of the other two, Devon said, “We need Jeremy and Christian on extraction, especially if we have to procure transportation and weapons locally. So it’s me—I’ll partner with Addison.”
He leaned forward on the table, and she turned his way enough he could see her face. “Braedon’s my friend,” he said softly. “I want him out of that hellhole and home as much as you do.”
