Carrera slid his gaze to Z. A flicker of surprise flashed in his eyes before he masked it with a friendly smile.
“There he is,” the President said as he stood. “Good to see you, Sin. I wondered if you were detained in some high-ranking meeting of your own.”
Sin shook the President’s hand, then Z’s, and finally his. “There was a bit of a snafu with the meeting time, but Carrera had my back.”
“Excellent,” the President said. “Teamwork in your position is extremely important. You’re dealing with the nation’s most violent criminals. If you don’t work as a cohesive team, we don’t stand a chance. While I love to tout that I run my administration in an upside-down hierarchy, we all know that’s bullshit.”
The men chuckled.
“I have the other branches of government and my opponents keeping me in check,” said the President. “All you have is each other.”
And Luciano. But he’s operating so far below the radar, he might as well be in hell.
The President’s assistant escorted them to a private dining room where lunch was served.
Carrera was eating filet mignon tips, roasted fingerling potatoes, and a blend of perfectly steamed vegetables with three of the most powerful men in the world.
And he was acting like it was a regular Monday. The three men had a comfortable rapport from years of working together.Mutual respect flowed between them as they discussed the top political situations of the day.
“Carrera, what are your thoughts on ALPHA?” the President asked.
“It’s an elite group run by highly-skilled individuals,” Carrera replied. “Where it falls short is the size. It needs to be significantly scaled up, both personnel and facilities. We could double the size of the Operatives and still not close the gap between law-abiding citizens and the country’s most lethal criminals.”
“Well said,” the President answered, “and it’s good to hear your opinion. I appreciate brevity and humility, but let’s be honest. We wouldn’t be in the positions we’re in if we didn’t have healthy egos.”
“Yes, sir,” Carrera said.
The conversation continued until their luncheon ended and the assistant whisked the President away to another meeting.
Minutes later, Secret Service escorted him, Sin, and Z out of the building.
“What the hell was that?” Sin bit out once they were outside.
“What?” Z asked.
“You introduce Carrera to the President and youdon’tinclude me,” Sin said. “How does that make us look?”
“It was a simple introduction,” Z said. “You’ve got direct access to the President, and I’m certain, hispersonalcell phone number.”
“That’s not the point,” Sin said. “Carrera and I are a team.”
“Duly noted,” Z said, “but I think you’re overthinking this one.”
Sin extended his hand, and Z shook it. “Is the Bureau throwing you a retirement luncheon?”
Z gasped. “God, I hope not!”
Carrera and Sin laughed.
“Difficult to the end, aren’t you, Philip?” Sin asked with a smile.
Z laughed before addressing Carrera. “Let’s go.”
“I need a few minutes with Sin,” Carrera said.
“I’ll drive him back,” Sin said.
Carrera shook Z’s hand. “Thanks for your guidance and expertise. Very valuable.”
