“Don’t flirt with me,” I say. “Ever.”
“Got it, sir,” Spider grumbles.
Knox snickers, and Orion smirks.
“Now that all the nonsense is behind us.” I glare at them for wasting my time. “Let us get down to business.”
I take my seat at the head of the massive table that dominates the room.
“The rebel issue is escalating,” I say. “The Supreme Director wants it resolved, and he’s stuck Ansel on me to report back to him.”
“What do you need us to do?” Knox asks.
“We need a victory,” I muse. “A big one, maybe then the Director will get off my ass.”
“Are we getting back in the field?” Spider rubs his palms. “I’ve been angsty sitting in this hole the past two weeks.”
“Your wrist must hurt from jacking off—” Clover begins.
I lift a warning finger, and she clamps her mouth shut.
“No,” I say. “Clover, Knox, and I are. You and Orion need to find me twelve decent recruits to test and see if they are worthy of joining our unit. I’ll review your picks when we return.”
“Can I work alone?” Orion asks.
“No, it is a team effort,” I say.
Maybe this will finally make them cooperate.
Spider groans, and Orion mimes shooting himself in the face.
“You’re both dismissed.”
Chairs screech as they head out, all but Knox.
“Was that a good idea?” Knox asks. “They might kill each other.”
“Then they’ll be doing me a favor,” I say, standing up. “They either learn to fix their issues, orI’llkill them myself.”
It’s early morning by the time Orion and Spider arrive at my office. They both carry their own separate files. There’s a bruise on Orion’s cheek, and Spider has a cut on his mouth.
“We found you, your recruits,” Spider says. “We found six each.”
I point to the two chairs across from me. It seems they would rather work individually than together, which defeats the purpose of the lesson, but I can’t find it in me to care anymore.
“You both look like shit,” I say.
“He started it,” Orion grumbles. “He always does.”
Spider runs his tongue along his lip, poking at the cut.
“At least I didn’t slice your damn mouth. How am I supposed to kiss now?”
“Not like there was a lineup, waiting for the?—”
I raise a hand, and their mouths clamp shut.
Orion Bridges is four years older than Spider, who is the youngest in the group at eighteen. So, I expect him not to fall for the boy’s goading. Orion has a darker past than most. He hasn’thad the easiest upbringing, and he can’t stand Spider’s cavalier attitude.
