“Why ahardline?”
Sean waved at his head with his left hand. “Bioware is electronic. Every time I use my power, I fry it dead. I need to replace it every time. I won’t be able to call you from the field, but I can contact you afterward. Ipromise.”
“Call us, too,”Zachsaid.
Sean seemed surprised when Zach pulled him into a hug, but he went along with it, wrapping his arms around his brother. The other two remained seated, and Alexei kept his eyes on them both, trying not to let his judgment show. If it’d been his family, it would take fifteen minutes, minimum, to get through all the hugs required for agoodbye.
Sean pulled away from Zach, nodding at his parents. “The MDF will take care of getting you home today. You’ll have an assigned agent with you and a security detail for the next couple ofweeks.”
“What about us?” one of his other brothersasked.
“You say goodbye,” Alexei told him brusquely. “Be angrylater.”
Sean shot him a mildly exasperated look. “They’re civilians, not soldiers. Don’t expect them tolisten.”
Alexei shrugged. “Good tolearn.”
“You were the one who was hurt on the jet,” Sean’smothersaid.
Alexei nodded, stepping forward to offer his hand to her. “Staff Sergeant Alexei Dvorkin. Am doing muchbetternow.”
“And you’re Sean’steammate?”
Alexei nodded, knowing it was best not to lob another emotional grenade in the midst of their family reunion by telling her he was sleeping with Sean. “Yes. For thismission.”
Sean’s mother had a firm grip, the calluses on her hand different from his own. “You’ll watch outforhim?”
“Mom,” Sean said, soundingexasperated.
“Always,” Alexeiassuredher.
Alexei would’ve said the same to any of his teammate’s family, and meant it. Sean was no different. Sean’s mother seemed satisfied with his answer and stepped aside to give her son one more huggoodbye.
“We’ll talk about all of this when you get back,” she told Sean in a firm voice that all mothers seemedtohave.
“Okay,” Seanagreed.
After another round of hugs that included all his brothers this time, they left the suite. Alexei eyed Sean on the walk back to the elevators. “Feelbetter?”
“It honestly hasn’t really sunk in that they know,” Seanadmitted.
“Changeisgood.”
“Maybe.”
Alexei slung his arm over Sean’s shoulder, pulling him in close. “Isgood.”
Sean didn’t agree, but neither did he argue that statement. For now, things were as settled as they could be, and they needed to focus on the upcomingmission.
The two met up with the rest of the team in the ready room assigned to Alpha Team. The combat uniforms everyone wore were the same color, made of the same lightweight, military-grade spider silk and nanoengineered material. Each uniform was uniquely tailored and modified to work around a metahuman’s individual power. The top-of-the-line tactical body armor everyone put on was streamlined and precisely fit to eachperson.
Everyone on the team had their preferred weapon. The standard AKR-75 assault rifle was in everyone’s hands except for Kyle, who opted for a larger sniper rifle. Smaller tactical handguns were strapped into place on hips and thighs. Alexei added a half-dozen knives to his collection of guns before putting on his hard helmet and snapping it intoplace.
Of them all, Sean was the least weighted down with weapons. His phase power interfered with many of the high-tech sights and electronic biolocking mechanisms on each one. Alexei frowned when he remembered what Sean had told his mother aboutcalling.
“No comms for you in field?” Alexeiasked.
Sean shook his head. “Katie will keep me telepathically linked. I’ll be phased most ofthetime.”
