“Not this time. I won’t let him shortchange himself that way. Echo deploying before he’s released for full duty will kill him.”
“We’ll have to make sure that doesn’t happen.” Seth studied her for a moment. “You seem upset, Iona. Is this about the shooting or something else?”
“Do you know anything about Brent sending Elias on a special assignment?”
Echo’s leader scowled. “Nope. How did you find out?”
Her lips curved. “Wipe that thought out of your mind.”
“Which one? Several are competing for my attention right now.”
“The one telling you I knew about this adventure a while ago but said nothing. I found out five minutes ago, so I don’t have all the details to share.”
“What do you know?”
“The mission has something to do with a motorcycle club that plans to sell a military weapons stash on the black market.”
He propped one shoulder against the wall, looking thoughtful. “The weapons are a problem. However, the biggest problem is if the MC also stole armor-piercing ammunition to go with the weapons.”
Oh, boy. She hadn’t thought that far ahead. The armor-piercing rounds would definitely be a problem if sold on the civilian market. Just imagining the harm and chaos those rounds could create made her shudder. How many law enforcement officers might die? Too many to count.
What would happen to the mission if Elias was laid up? She supposed Brent would send another operative in his place.
She frowned. “Elias can’t go on this assignment with that shoulder injury. What happens now?”
“Someone has to go. It sounds as though there’s a time clock running on this mission. I don’t know if Brent can find someone as perfect as Elias to infiltrate the MC, though.”
There it was again. Why was Elias the perfect choice for this dangerous mission? What did Seth know that she did not?
Before she could dig into the matter, Elias opened the door of his room and stepped into the hall with Grant on his heels. He gave Seth a chin lift in greeting. “Let’s get out of here.”
“What lit your fire?” Seth fell into step with Elias.
“The news that I have four to eight weeks to get back in the game. Otherwise, the boss will bench me until one of the Fortress docs signs off on my rejoining the team. I refuse to be left behind if the team deploys, Seth.”
“Gives you a goal to work toward.”
He snorted. “Right. By the way, Artemis and Echo have a meeting with Maddox tomorrow morning at nine o’clock.”
“Why? We’re not on deployment rotation for the next few weeks.”
Iona felt a little sorry for Elias as he shifted uncomfortably. Very little. He deserved whatever discomfort he felt because of the scheduled mission. Her blood still boiled at the knowledge that he had planned to go on this mission with no backup.
“It’s something Brent asked me to do, something for which I’m uniquely qualified.”
Seth glanced at him as they boarded the elevator and pushed the button to descend to the first floor. “That tells me exactly nothing.”
Elias sighed. “Look, you’ll find out the details tomorrow. I don’t want to stop to explain something that I’ll explain in the meeting. I’m too tired to do this right now, all right? Just leave it alone, Seth.”
Echo’s leader glowered at him. “Forget that. You have until this evening to rest. All of us will be at your house at six o’clock tonight. I expect a briefing that includes full details. Am I clear, Knight?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good. Now, who is staying with you?”
“I am,” Iona said. “Grant’s been on duty all night. He needs a nap to be ready for that meeting.”
“That means I’m up.” Seth smiled, but it was more a baring of his teeth. “Excellent. Looks like I’ll hear details before the rest of the crew arrives.”
