“I didn’t know Steele went to DC,” God said.
“He’s got some information you’re gonna wanna hear on those two men, Ex and Meridian... and he had Judge bring the King brothers from Duke’s bail company.”
“What the hell for?” God asked.
“I don’t know. We were all waiting for you two horny bastards.” Syn grumbled and left out the bathroom.
God could see through the windows that his office was bustling with activity. Not only was his entire team inside but so was his good friend—and his sniper, Michael’s boyfriend—Judge. He hadn’t seen the King brothers in a while, not since they’d run into each other a couple of years ago in the field. Another fun, impromptu meeting with Duke’s hunters. But it didn’t appear time had been bad to them. Brian and Ford King were still imposing men at first glance. Honorably discharged Navy SEALS intelligence officers, now turned fugitive recovery agents.
He walked inside and all heads turned in his direction. He went to Judge first and gave his friend a one-armed hug. Judge used to have an unapproachable, isolated demeanor. He hadn’t liked anyone, and he didn’t want to be around anyone... that was until he’d gone on a chase with Detective Michaels and had come back a changed man.
“Why the hell did you have us rushing over like it was a big emergency, only to have us in here cooling our damn heels?” Judge complained, with his hip propped on the corner of Michael’s desk. “I’ve been swamped with the PI company. Luckily, Brian and Ford were already with me when Steele called.”
Ford stood a couple of feet in front of his not-so-little-brother, Brian. Since Brian was a man of very few words, God shook both their hands and mumbled a thank you for coming. He didn’t know why he was thanking them, or what they were there for, but he trusted Steele had called them for a good reason. Just as he was about to ask what was new to report, his best friend, Hart, came through the door with his own right-hand man, Lieutenant Mandel Tucker, aka, Fox.
Perfect timing.
“Let’s go someplace more private,” Syn said after he noticed several officers from the bullpen watching them through the glass. He ushered everyone into their large conference room and waited for them all to take a seat.
God sat at the head of the table with Day and waited as Steele stood at the front of the room. Once all eyes were on him, the Recon Marine didn’t waste time getting started.
“Our team has already been briefed by God, Day, and Hart about two men they encountered this week. Men who are not from here. Men who were heavily armed, skilled, and looking for information on a particular case we’re working. Two of the primary suspects in the case have been targeted by these men. They shot up their homes with subs and MPXs.”
God saw Brian and Ford sit forward in their seats at the mention of military assault weapons.
“Then this.” Steele nodded to their big screen television and Free immediately loaded up the partial video they had of Ex and Meridian catching up with the Stewart brothers.
“Damn,” Judge muttered.
“Exactly,” God agreed.
“The ballistics reports show nothing. The land and grooves of the barrels of these weapons were modified to alter the groove impressions of the fired bullet.” Michaels said while he pinned some enlarged images of the machine gun shells onto the board.
Steele walked to the end of the table as he spoke. “When the Stewarts’ house was hit with such sophisticated weapons, I started to suspect these guys were a couple of black-balled, special ops greenies, turned gun-for-hire. No one with discipline would do something so silly. But then... we saw that fucking video. These guys aren’t green at all.”
“Hell no, they’re not. They’re young and fast,” Hart added. “I fought one of them.”
“He didn’t pull a weapon?” Ford asked.
“No. But he tried,” Hart said.
“Keep going,” God told Steele.
“My gun-for-hire theory really went out the window after they broke into Free’s place, then went straight to God and Day’s house knowing exactly who they were. They clearly have their own agenda because they’ve been doing surveillance on us and our dirty prosecutors.”
“They turned over state’s evidence.” Judge shrugged. “That sounds helpful.”
“It is. But, still. They were looking for something more... something specific that only we have in our secured database,” Steele said out loud but not talking to anyone in particular. “We don’t know what, though.”
God shifted his gaze to Day. His partner met his eyes and God subtly told him ‘no, please don’t tell them’ with one look that his husband interpreted perfectly. Day nodded once then returned his attention to Steele. There was no way God was about to volunteer that he’d already given Ex and Meridian what they’d been searching for. That was the tidbit of information he’d left out of the briefing.