“Damon, are you here just to ask about Maureen?” Jax asked, pushing away from the table.
“No.” Damon lost the smile. “We’d like to borrow one of your doctors for the next couple of days. Ours was killed in the attack yesterday, and we need help.”
The Merc territory had been attacked by the Elite Force, the president’s military group. Unfortunately, the president of the former United States was one of the worst sociopaths out there. “I can help,” Tace said. Getting away from headquarters and Sami was a good idea at the moment.
Jax frowned.
“We can’t afford to send one of the doctors from inner territory,” Tace said, standing. “I’m a combat medic, anyway, and that’s what the Mercs need right now.”
“We’d take it as a sign of good faith,” Winter said.
Jax pushed away from the table and stood. “I don’t give a shit how you take it. Wait outside for a minute.”
Winter glanced at Tace and then nodded, turning on a work boot and exiting the war rooms.
“What?” Tace asked.
“This could be a trap.” Jax turned and paced the length of the room. “You know everything about Vanguard. If they want to kidnap somebody and extract information, you’d be a top target.”
Tace nodded. “I know. We were there during the attack, Jax. If their doctor was hit, then they need help. You saw the damage.” Hell. The entire headquarters had been blown to hell and back.
“You want to help them?” Jax narrowed his gaze.
Tace lifted a shoulder. “Sure. I mean, why not go in, take notes, help out, and report back about the inner workings of the Mercenary camp? As a medic, I’ll be granted access, right?”
Jax eyed him. “An undercover op?”
“Yeah. It’s the perfect in.”
Jax shook his head. “Since when are you the strategist without a heart?”
Tace paused. “Since Scorpius.”
Jax’s head lifted, and emotion smoldered for a second in his gaze. “Fair enough. Well, we do need intel on the Mercs. It’s a risk, but you’re right. Detail their weapons, their facilities, and their resources. Find out how many vials of vitamin B they have and where they’re weak.”
“You got it.”
“Good. I’m not sending you in alone,” Jax said.
Tace stalked to the lockers holding weapons along the back wall and quickly inserted a knife in his boot. “Raze can’t come. He’ll start a war.”
“No, and I need to stay here to deal with internal matters. I’m sending Sami. She’s our best fighter, anyway.” Jax waited until Tace turned around with guns in his hands, already scowling. “You disagree?”
Tace breathed out and shoved a Sig into his waistband. “I don’t think Sami should come.”
Jax’s eyebrow arched. “Why not?”
Because Tace kept picturing himself riding her like a prized pony. “She’s a woman, and we don’t know how the Mercs deal with women, even though they didn’t harm Shadow’s sister. If it’s a trap, we can’t risk Sami like that.”
Jax’s gaze narrowed. “She’s a soldier, and we’ve always treated her as one of us. That hasn’t changed.”
No, but the way Tace looked at her had. “That’s true.” He didn’t have a better argument, damn it.
“Also, I wouldn’t mind having you watch her interaction with Damon Winter.” Jax crossed his arms. “It’s interesting that they don’t know each other.”
“Maybe.” Tace instantly had the raging urge to defend the little soldier. Sami had stated from the beginning that she’d been a rookie with the LAPD, and yet, she and Winter hadn’t recognized each other. “LAPD was a large organization. Huge, really. It’s not unheard of for people to work there and not know each other.”
“Yeah, but she acted odd when we brought it up. Was twitchy.”
