Dakota rose. “Let me grab your laptop.”
Greystone pushed out of the chair. “I’m not gonna be gettin’ much sleep. Is that coffee you brought leaded?”
“Sure is.”
“Teddy, you comin’?” Greystone asked.
Teddy pulled out his phone. “I’ve gotta return some calls.”
Greystone and Dakota walked down the hall. As they got closer, voices from the break room caught his ear. The men entered the room and Greystone’s focus jumped to the group.
All eyes on him.
“Team, this is Greystone Santini. Greystone, this is the BLACK OPS team.”
One by one, the team introduced themselves and Greystone made mental notes to remember their names.
“Sinclair Develin.”Identical to Dakota. Neat hair, not bed head.
“Slash,” said a woman with long, blonde hair.Easy name to remember.
“Addison Hawk.”Petite, muscular. Friendly smile.
“Pilot, Nicholas Hawk. I go by Hawk.”Pilot.
“You two married?” Greystone asked.
“Depends on the day,” Addison replied, and the group laughed.
“She’s taken,” Hawk replied.
Greystone cracked a smile. “I’m lookin’ for ways to remember everyone.” He extended his hand to Hawk. “Yours is ‘pain in my ass.’”
The group burst out laughing.
“Prescott Armstrong. Hawk’s brother.”
“The nice one,” Greystone said. “Taller, better looking.”
More laughter from the group.
“I couldn’t get Greystone to say two words,” Dakota interjected. “Turns out, the man needs an audience.”
Greystone cracked a smile.
“Joaquin Dillinger. I go by Rebel. I run the rescue team.”Long blond hair. Easy name to remember.
“We’re a motley group, and we’re here to help. Whatever you need.” Sin eyed his twin. “Has Greystone been briefed?”
“Yeah,” Dakota replied. “I’m grabbing his laptop.”
“Am I workin’ here?” Greystone asked.
“Here or at ALPHA, in McLean,” Dakota answered.
Sin extended his hand. “Welcome aboard. I heard you’re a total badass. Good to know you’re strategic too. That’s probably why you’re alive.”
“My handler gets all the props,” Greystone said. “I’d-a-been a dead man years ago if it wasn’t for her.”
“Who was it?” Addison asked.
Greystone eyed her coolly. No way would he reveal anyone from Langley by name.
“I’m a former intelligence officer, and I was also stationed in the middle east, focused on Haqazzii,” Addison explained.
“Good to know,” Greystone replied, refusing to comment on his handler. “I’ma need that laptop,” Greystone said to Dakota before putting the coffee into the microwave. “I’ve got two months to shut down the Haqazziis.”
“So, you’re in?” Dakota asked.
“Hell, yeah,” Greystone replied. “One-hundred percent. Time to hunt me down some terrorists.”
