“I want to hope it won’t come to that, but I think it will. I don’t like the odds.”
“You never do.”
Liam was one of the few people in his life who understood the weight of command, of leading men and women into danger and hoping they all came back alive. They’d leaned on each other over the years when they could, and Jamie had always appreciated Liam’s support.
“You ever think about retiring?” Jamie asked slowly.
Liam peered over his glass at Jamie. “Is this about Kyle?”
“No.” At Liam’s knowing look, Jamie sighed. “Yes.”
“Where you go, your team goes. I doubt the MDF would want to lose all of you.”
Jamie knew the MDF wouldn’t want to lose all of them, because it was an open secret within the MDF that where Jamie went, his people followed. He’d fought to keep them under his command when signing on to the MDF all those years ago, but for all his status as a metahuman, he wasn’t in charge. Jamie knew if his and Kyle’s relationship was discovered, there would be an investigation into their fraternization, and Jamie was heartily sick of investigations right now.
“Just a thought,” he murmured.
“Think about it later. Seems lunch is almost ready.”
Jamie looked over his shoulder as Katie, Kyle, and Sean came onto the roof carrying trays of food in their hands. Annabelle and Alexei had a tray piled high with steaks kept warm beneath a clear warming cover, and if the meat was coming off the grill, that meant lunch was almost ready.
“You guys ready to eat?” Kyle yelled at them.
“Yeah,” Jamie called back, pushing away from the wall.
He pushed his worry about the future aside to focus on what was happening now: a gathering of friends-turned-family with delicious food to share and great conversation. Jamie and Liam returned to the long table, helping to get the food situated.
The rest of the team made their way to the roof, bringing more food with them, as well as several bottles of wine that Trevor telekinetically opened and started to pour. Room around the table was tight, but everyone fit, and the food smelled great.
Kyle squeezed between Jamie and Liam, resting his hand on Jamie’s thigh. “All right?” he asked in a low voice.
Jamie stroked his thumb over the back of Kyle’s hand and the engagement ring he wore. “Yeah.”
Kyle smiled, quick and bright, green eyes sparkling in the sunlight. Jamie drank in the sight of the man he loved and hoped the day would come soon where they could be like this—together—outside the walls of their home.
One day.
“Someone pass me that platter of steaks. I’m starving,” Madison said, pointing at the platter in question on the opposite end of the table from her.
Jamie looked down the length of the table at everyone gathered for the rare day off and didn’t want to be anywhere else.
Tomorrow would come soon enough.
7
Bleed Through the Motions
The Seine woundthrough the north of France, rising and falling against the river banks with the changing climate. During years of drought, it sank to low levels that made it impossible for larger river boats or yachts to traverse it safely. During wet winters with heavy rains, the Seine flooded the Paris Basin, putting pressure on the manmade levees and barriers erected over the centuries to contain it and keep the Paris megacity dry.
Winter this year had been a wet one, which meant come spring, higher water levels and more boats sailing the river. Sixty kilometers outside of Paris, it wasn’t unusual to find sleek yachts moored to the riverbank outside expensive homes and historic châteaux of the rich.
After the FBI and Interpol had red-flagged Nikolaas Jansen last week, the European Alliance Metahuman Security Group had been working overtime to try to locate the man in question. Jansen’s main business ties were in Europe, and the EAMSG didn’t anticipate him leaving anytime soon for a country he had little to no clout in. Add in the fact the red-flag had also designated Jansen a rogue metahuman, and most countries wouldn’t accept his presence through legal channels.
Intel had determined that Nikolaas Jansen was holed up in a château owned by a businessman he had blackmailed. The people protecting him were members of theLibération Nationale Français. None of the agencies involved with tracking Jansen down could determine if any of them were metahumans. What no one knew for certain was if Stanislav would move to protect Jansen, or if he’d cut the Dutchman loose. Considering the EAMSG had managed to get eyes on Jansen, the general consensus regarding Stanislav’s protection was a possibleno.
But the situation on the ground was fluid, and Alexei knew things could change in a heartbeat. If the mission had to go FUBAR, he only hoped it happenedafterhe set the water-resistant bombs.
Swimming through the river currents well beneath the surface, Alexei allowed the map on his tactical goggles’ HUD to guide him to his target. Swimming alongside him less than a meter away but impossible to see except through infrared vision was Kyle.
