“Top level clearance, secure line.” Noble answered for Max.
“Saxon, my boss, Commander Claudio Stancanpiano,” Rick gestured to Saxon, who sat next to him. “Commander, this is my friend, Saxon Berg.”
“You didn’t tell me he was one of yours when I asked for permission to act in Italy.” Noble growled.
“Yeah,” Claudio scrubbed his hand down his face. “’Bout that, we have someone watching us.”
“Huh?” Rick frowned at the screen.
“Is that your personal cell?” Noble clicked his fingers and made a slashing movement with his hands, telling the others in the room to shut up. “What are you using now?”
“Burner,” Claudio answered, “It’s clean.”
“Max?”
“Confirmed, Boss.” Max nodded at Noble. “I confirmed it before we made the connection. Better to keep it short though, k?”
“You got it,” Noble turned back to the screen. “Why did you not go after him yourself?”
“We have someone watching us,” he repeated. Nobody in the room needed to be a genius to read the tightness in his jaw and the steel in his voice as anything less than fury. “They are in our systems. In our phones. They know every move we make.”
“Who?” Noble nudged Max’s chair with his toe, no doubt telling him to investigate on the QT.
“Our people are working on it.” Claudio said, “But whoever it is, they are targeting Rick. All of his previous missions, the files have been accessed. It’s like they are looking for something.”
“Do you think it’s leverage on my father?”
“Why, what did your sperm donor prick do?” Claudio scowled at Rick. “Has he been hassling you again?”
“No.”
“Tell him or I will,” Noble ordered.
Well, there went Rick’s idea of figuring shit out before he dragged his team into the mess that was his family. “From everything Red Squadron have found, it appears I was taken as blackmail against him.”
Claudio snorted. “Someone needs to learn what research is. Your father wouldn’t pay good money to have you back.” As if realizing what he had just said, he winced and gave an apologetic look toward the screen. “Sorry.”
“No, it’s true.” Rick couldn’t be angry with Claudio. He was only calling shit as he saw it.
“If they aren’t looking for leverage against my father, is it someone up the chain investigating if I am involved?”
“I don’t know.” Claudio’s face hardened, “But I’ll find out.” He pointed to the screen, “Until then I need you to go to ground. We cannot lose you as an Operator.”
“Boss?” Saxon knew Noble had told them all to be quiet. Knew he would take questions later. But he still wanted to know if it was possible.
“He can stay here.”
Thank fuck, Noble understood what Saxon was asking without him having to voice it.
“Black Squadron appreciates it.”
“Black Squadron?” Saxon ignored the confused looks and mutters from his teammates and straightened in his chair. He’d heard of them. Had known another EOD guy who went in that direction… then never heard much about him again. He’d just figured life and shit got in the way.
“Wait… what?” Zenko turned to look at Rick, a newfound respect in his eyes for the man who Saxon had requested they help. “Black Squadron is a freaking rumor within the Spec Ops community. Isn’t it?”
“Shit, boss…” Rick didn’t bother to try and stay seated, he got to his feet and paced around the room. “You can’t just drop that without warning me and telling me if I have clearance to explain it.”
“Shut it,” Noble growled. “Explain, Claudio. Now.” He turned to where Rick moved from the countertop, which held the coffee machine, to the table and back again. “Or you do.”
