Calder was tall and spoke in short, to-the-point phrases. Mina was maybe five feet if she wore heels and had a biting tone when she ordered Scar around, even when she was being polite.
Calder yanked Scar’s duffel off his shoulder, then stripped off his armored trench and replaced it with a lightweight hooded duster.
“You have a debrief with the mission specialist in ten,” Mina snipped. “Then command review. You have twenty for lunch, then—”
Gage’s assistants were just as efficient but quieter and more patient.
Joshua was calm and steady, with the kind of soothing Mediterranean-accented voice Gage preferred if he had to hear it constantly. Rose was younger, bright-eyed and fast, her touch careful but confident.
Rose removed his gold-rimmed glasses and slid another pair into place—ones that toned down the indoor fluorescents.
Joshua took Gage’s cane and swapped it for the slimmer one, which was more of an aid than a weapon.
“You have an appointment with Dr. Rockwell in fifteen,” Rose said. “And O&M at two.”
Gage barely heard them.
He and Scar were still face-to-face, foreheads touching while hands adjusted straps, clothes, and gear like NASCAR pit crews.
“Last night was perfect,” he whispered.
Scar slid his hands around his waist. “Yeah.”
He brushed his mouth along Scar’s cheek. “Thank you.”
Scar kissed him again, not caring if their assistants were right there.
Gage sucked on Scar’s tongue before he asked softly, “Will you be in my bed tonight?”
“That’s where I plan to be every night.”
Scar’s mouth met his again, longer this time, until their assistants intervened and pried them apart.
“Debriefing…we have less than four minutes,” Mina reminded them.
Gage let himself be guided away, still smiling like an idiot.
Dr. Rockwell ran him through scans and applied his new eye drops in minutes. After warning him to do better with hydrating, she let him go.
Joshua had a protein bar and a coconut water waiting for him as he and Rose walked with him to the Mobility and Sensory Lab.
“What do you want Chef to make for your dinner?”
Gage could hear Rose tapping away on her ever-present tablet.
He thought about the last dinner he had, and his cheesy smile was back.
Rose laughed. “Oh my gosh. You’re the sappiest, mushiest assassin ever.”
Gage sighed, trying to stay focused on work and save his cravings for later tonight.
“I’ll have chicken breast and something green.”
“Grilled or fried?” she clarified.
“Grilled.”
Gage walked inside Adrian’s office, still smiling. “Good afternoon.”
