“Charlie rolls at 2300.” Con’s command had every man sitting up straighter. “Coordinate your entry window to match.”
“Copy,” Denver responded.
They signed off with nods. The screen went dark, and chairs scraped back from the table.
Con jabbed a finger at all the men who would be part of the task force. “Six operatives. Mason, Dante, Chickie, Steele, Sinner.”
Ash met Con’s stare, volunteering. “I’ll grab my gear.”
“Park it.”
The quiet yet firm words sent a wave of anger through him.
“Request to join the task force, sir.”
Con’s gaze flicked to him. “Denied.”
Ash clenched his jaw. “I’m taking point.”
Con held his stare a long moment before speaking. “No. I am.”
The room went still.
Ash frowned. “Sir?”
Con’s voice lowered. “This ends tonight. I’m not sending my team into the final strike while I sit behind a desk.”
Then he shifted his attention back to Ash.
“You’ll run the war room.”
Ash stiffened.
Con’s gaze sharpened. “You know all the pieces of this op. We need someone who sees the whole board.”
From the corner of his eye, Ash saw Sophie look up at her significant other, her heart in her eyes—and fear too. They could be walking into an ambush. It wouldn’t be the first time Cipher laid a trail for them to follow, and shit went wrong.
Ash’s jaw tightened as he forced back the words that would only earn him a reprimand.
“I’m putting you in charge here.”
It took a second for Con’s words to hit home.
“Here.” Disbelief flattened his tone.
“Chase needs to remain here with Alyssa.” Chase was the last man standing from Echo team. Cipher had been hunting him and the former ambassador—Alyssa—for what he believed to be wrongs against his mother.
“Ash, you coordinate with Elin, Sophie…”
Ash held his breath, his body already knowing what was coming.
“And Ellory.”
His pulse ticked once. Hard.
“With respect,” he said tightly, “that’s a misallocation of resources.”
Con’s brows winged upward. “Walk with me.”
