“Not volunteering. Running it. I didn’t want to hear you were running your own. 3-Romeo and 3-Oscar Team, as well as Papa Team, are assigned. I ordered all potential scenarios to be run. We also have Gwen covered.” Zach’s eyes locked onto Troy’s.
“She’s better than I deserve.” Troy looked down.
Zach laughed.“You’re right.”
When Saoirse joined them, Zach stood and wrapped his arms around her, his hand resting on her belly. “You need to eat,” he said with concern in his tone.
“Let’s go. I’ll treat you,” Troy teased. Meals were free for all employees.
* * *
The elevator landedon the first-floor lobby. As the doors opened, Troy took a deep breath and stepped out. It happened to be a particularly busy time. It was pre-shift starting at 1500 hours, and the last break for the shift ending at 1800. Zach, his arm around Saoirse, cleared his throat.
Troy held his head up and walked as calmly as possible toward the enormous cafeteria with five-star Yelp reviews. Various food stations, much like buffet-style restaurants, formed a horseshoe.A private dining room had table service.
Troy looked around and decided it would probably be best for him to keep it light since his mom was cooking a group dinner, and she would want to stuff him like a turkey. He grabbed a tray and walked over to the soup section. After picking out a bowl of chicken and rice soup and a soda, he walked to the cashier and presented his identification card. He joined Saoirse, whom he assumed had chosen a table specifically in the middle of the cafeteria where they could be seen. He looked around, and if somebody caught his eye, he acknowledged them.
Zach placed a tray for him and Saoirse in front of her and sat.Troy started to laugh when Kip Brennan and Wes Crockett came through the doors.
He rolled his eyes and whispered, “My God, you called the cavalry down here. You really thought I was going to implode. Who am I kidding? If Gwen wasn't part of my life, I would have imploded,” he admitted to Zach and Saoirse.
Abbott and Costello, as he thought of them, though they resembled neither, bopped through the cafeteria, grabbed their lunches and pushed a second table next to his to join them.
If he wasn't obvious before, it certainly was now. Four senior executives were sitting in the center of the cafeteria.
Wes reached over and shook his hand. “You’re a lucky bastard. Elias is keeping Fani happy. Gwen was still asleep when I left. Before he left, Tim told me it was hard on her—he also said to kick your ass. Really, you had to lift something heavy?”
Chuckling, Troy explained to Zach and Saoirse, “Elias is on 3-Romeo. He’s fluent in Greek and can cook.”
“After I ask what you lifted, I'm declaring a moratorium. While I am in this building helping you and Julian, there will be no discussions of work while we're having a meal at the cafeteria. We will enjoy our nourishment and gossip like everybody else does. My first gossip is I am pleased Operation Fani is in full force,” Kip said. “What did you lift?”
His three friends crossed their arms over their chests.
“Elias is pure luck. I’m worried about Gwen being there without me. And I deserve a break—my mother arrived in town just in time for her to get caught up in a gunfight involving my security detail,” Troy said.
Zach’s head turned rapidly toward Troy. “Damn it, you didn’t think to say anything?”
Wes added, “Is everyone alright?”
“I filled the report. Four tangos shot, three cars impounded, a total of six in custody. We also have three more in custody from the other day.” Troy took a sip of his soda. “All incoming Marines, all under twenty-one. Everyone lawyered up.”
Wes shook his head. “You know you're not supposed to drink that shit.”
“I figure if I get sick, I won't have to do dinner.” Troy held his hand to his forehead in mock alarm.
“Oh, no, Troy, you're not leaving us hanging in the wind,” Wes said. “We are all going to be there. I haven’t had good Greek food in ages.”
Avoiding the idea of dinner, Troy said, “My pearl of gossip: last night, I told Gwen I don’t want to wait. And she’s all in.”
“About time,” Kip said.
“Who ran your security this morning?” Wes asked.
“Headcap. And I'm still pissed off that none of them are talking. One of the guys just got out of surgery. He’s going over there to talk to him, and if any more are out of the OR, he’ll talk to them. Maybe with a remnant of anesthesia in them, they'll give him an idea. And I didn’t fall on my head or have a TIA.I am quite aware talking to a tango under anesthesia makes their statements invalid. If the piece of shit gives him something we need to figure out, that’s good for now. And I'm sure if we look hard enough,we can find something else bad he did to make sure he stays in custody.”
“So, what did you lift?” Saoirse asked.
“I should’ve known the lawyer in the bunch wouldn’t get distracted,” Troy pouted. “Fine…it was Gwen.”
