“Yup.”
“Yup, what?”
“Yup, Sir, I got it.” Sawyer muttered, his fingers picking at the frayed edge of the hole in the denim just above his left knee.
“Boss?” Connor said softly.
“What?”
“I really need to take a leak.”
“Fuck.” Castello glanced at the newest member of his team out of the
corner of his eye. As if he had sat into a bunch of poison ivy, he was shifting in place on his seat. “Are you doing the wee-wee dance?”
“Um,” Connor immediately stilled, “Maybe.”
A sign at the side of the highway caught his attention, “Okay,” he sighed, “There’s a gas station at the next exit, we’ll stop there.” They were never going to get to Texas at this rate. “Update Zack.”
“Roger,” Connor pulled out his phone and tapped on the screen. “Done,”
he confirmed a couple of seconds later. “Thanks, Boss.”
Castello nodded in response.
“I spy with my little eye…”
Castello would shoot the freaking president for a bit of peace right about now. He knew he shouldn’t be so on edge. But Fritz calling him out of the blue? That was bugging him. He had hoped that all the drama Delta Force Team Panther had to deal with was over and done. They had more than earned their retirement time. If someone was after them again, then Castello had no problem taking out the fucker who was causing it. He owed Team Panther his son’s life. As his truck approached the exit, he flicked on the indicator. Time to let his big kiddos go potty.
Two hours later, Castello had never been so fucking happy to feel the rumble of a Texas gate under the wheels of his truck. The massive archway sign proclaiming it was ‘Garrett Ranch’ reminded him of the old John Wayne movies he still loved to watch. Remembering the procedure to enter the secure compound that Matt, Jonah, and most of Team Panther now called home, he drove down the track toward the massive electric gates he knew would be just over the next rise. He pulled the truck to a stop next to the security camera and pressed the electric button to lower the car window. The blast of heat that hit him warred with the cool air from the air con. “What do you think, buddy?” He scratched Balas’ head before reaching over to press the call button.
“Can I help you?”
Castello frowned at the camera,that isn’t Betty.He didn’t recognize the woman’s voice. “I’ve a meeting with Blackwell.”
“Name?”
“Moran.”
“Roger that,”the voice answered.
Okay, possibly military then. Is she Grif and Rock’s woman?
“Is the packed truck on your ass with you too?”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
“How many times did they make you stop en route?”
“Five.”Seriously, lady, could you just open the gate so I can get theaircon working again?
“Is that why you are traveling with the K-9?”
“Yes, Ma’am,” Castello knew the camera was trained on his face, he didn’t dare allow any of the annoyance he was feeling at the delay to show.
“The dog doesn’t have a preference for radio stations,” he told her, “or need to stop to take a leak every fifteen minutes.”
“I hear you.”the woman answered.“Sorry about the delay, I am justverifying your credentials.”
