It takes forever before I shut my eyes. How am I supposed to sleep when I know I’ll have to face Callum and Grahm in a few days?
26
BRIAR
For the nextcouple days we go over the plan for the mountain party. Over and over and over, until it’s seamless and we all have the details memorized to a T.
Roman has been much less harsh to me when we’re around the other guys since they all saw him be affectionate to me at the gas station. Although, he’s still most tender when we’re alone, drawing over each other’s scars and kissing through movies we should be watching.
We moved the practice shooting range to another location. This one is inside an abandoned building that has a second story so Bensen and Gale can keep a better lookout. They’ve still been on high alert and ensuring they don’t allow another ambush.
I’ve gotten pretty good at shooting too. Not as much as them, obviously, but at least I can hit an unmoving target every other time now.
Annoyingly, we still haven’t been able to find the damn flash drive. We go back to the farm every afternoon and turn the place upside down.Nothing.
Roman seems to have lost his desire to find it, but Taylor and John help me as much as they can. Bensen and Gale have been strictly on surveillance, which seems unfair, but they told methat they switch every few weeks and it’s just their turn for the time being.
Taylor drapes his arm over my shoulder as we sit down in the break room of the auto shop. There’s a cheap folding table in here, which technically makes this their war room. It’s tacky, but that’s how my boys are.
I keep catching myself thinking of them as my own squad. I know I’m not really a part of their group, but our time together has really made it feel that way. We sleep, eat, and train together. And for someone like me who has no one, it means the world to have something that feels like home.
“All right, one more time. Hopper, you start,” Roman says as he leans against the old white fridge with his arms crossed. His gaze skates over me briefly before he quickly looks away.
He’s been colder today and has hardly spoken to me since he took a phone call this morning. I let a frown set in. I genuinely thought he was past this.
Gale tilts himself back in the metal folding chair. “Squirt is going to go in as innocent and helpless as possible. She’ll convince Sutherland that she needs to talk to Callum. We’ll spread out and be watching from five different angles at the party in case there’s suspicious activity or he tries to take her.”
No matter how many times I hear him say that last part, I still flinch.Grahm won’t do that, I tell myself.
Roman, satisfied, nods and looks at Taylor. “Zeus, what’s next?”
Taylor clears his throat. “After she delivers her message, we’ll remain at the party to avoid suspicion. Syxx will participate in the race while we keep an eye out for Callum from the bleachers.”
“Good. Viper?” Roman prompts.
Bensen’s fingers are interlaced behind his head as he casually states, “We wait for a response from Callum and prepare for aprivate meeting in a secure location. Fan out and make keeping Squirt safe our primary objective.”
Roman nods and grins. “Bishop?”
There’s more? This is where it’s always ended when we’ve gone over it before.
John frowns and casts a stray look in my direction. “Once we have Callum, we disband from Bane Falls, as are the general’s orders—most likely within twenty-four hours of completing the mission.”
My heart drops, and I’m sure my face shows it. Why wasn’t I ever informed about that? I stare at John, who looks remorseful, before shifting my gaze to Roman.
He’s a wall of no emotions. It feels like a slap across the face.
“Roman?” I ask, voice conveying my hurt more than I’d like it to.
“It’s Syxx when we are in the war room, Squirt. Lieutenant Syxx, if you want to be formal.” His tone is impassive, and it cuts into me worse than it ever has before.
“Syxx?… Are you guys really leaving after this mission? What about…” I almost have the audacity to sayWhat about me?but it hits me that it was so stupid for me to ever think that I was a part of them.
“Briar, you know we’re only here for work,” Taylor says gently. He slides his arm over my shoulders and offers a somber look.
Bensen chimes in too. “It might be well after, so don’t worry about it too much.” But there’s an air of guilt in his tone, which means he’s lying.
I nod slowly and pretend to buy it. “Yeah, anyways, I’ll be heading overseas once I sell the farm, so it’s actually pretty good timing.” The lie tastes sour, but I keep a forced smile on my face.
