“You don’t have to be a TIN operative to work for TIN. You should know that better than anyone.” She went to work tapping away at her desk and logging into the secure TIN communication system.
“You want them as freelancers?” Austen gaped at her.
“What? Don’t look at me like that. With enough training, they could be exceptional. Look at Agent Maddock. He impressed me with the way he handled Fuller. And Keeler’s barely scratched the surface with their training.”
“Maybe.”
“I think Sloane and Dex can do extraordinary things together.” A slow smile crept onto her face. “They could be the first THIRDS power couple.”
Austen gave a start. “You’re really fucking scary when you’re happy like that.”
“Oh, shut up. You have no vision.”
She brought up a THIRDS training schedule, and Austen thought about it. He knew Destructive Delta wouldn’t join TIN. They had trouble with the whole means to an end thing. They weren’t ruthless enough, couldn’t shut off their emotions the way TIN operatives could. But as freelancers? Maybe. He couldn’t help his smile
Looked like things just got that little bit more interesting.
CAEL WAS headed for the bullpen along with his team when Dex stopped in his tracks ahead of them and turned.
“What just happened?”
Sloane grabbed Dex’s arm and continued walking. “I don’t know, but keep walking before she changes her mind.”
Dex’s mouth opened to reply, then closed. He turned and followed Sloane to their office, the rest of the team close on their heels. They had joined Sloane and Dex in their office when Ash’s phone went off. He pulled out his smartphone and frowned at the screen.
“What is it?” Cael asked worriedly.
“Don’t know. I don’t recognize the number.” Ash tapped the screen and put the phone to his ear. “Ash Keeler.”
Cael watched Ash’s eyes widen. He put a hand to his mouth, tears in his eyes. Cael was immediately at his side.
“Yes. Of course.” A big smile spread across Ash’s face, and he nodded, a tear rolling down his cheek. “That’d be great. I’ll ask him. I look forward to it too.” He ended the call and wiped his eyes and cheek.
“Everything okay?” Sloane asked.
Ash nodded, and Cael could tell he was trying hard to keep his emotions at bay. “Yeah, um. That was my mom. She’s left my dad, and she wants to have brunch on Sunday.”
“Oh, Ash! That’s wonderful!”
Cael threw his arms around Ash and hugged him while the rest of the team patted him on the back and congratulated him. They all knew what this meant to him. Cael was so happy for him. After composing himself, Ash looked down at Cael.
“She wants you to come.”
“Of course,” Cael said. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for Ash, and he was thrilled that his boyfriend wanted him there at his side when he saw his mother after so many years without her, thinking she hated him.
Sloane tapped his security code into his desk and brought up the team’s training schedule on the large board across from them.
“Guess Monday’s going to be a whole new world for all of us.” He went to tap his desk when the board flickered and turned off. “What the hell?”
They all observed the darkened screen when it suddenly flickered to life. The whole schedule had been amended and filled in with a list of training requirements for each of them for next year, some of them with techniques Cael was quite sure weren’t THIRDS requirements.
Dex stared at the screen. “Um… please tell me that was you.”
Sloane shook his head. “Nope.”
Cael frowned. “Wait, does that say mixed martial arts?”
“What’s that?” Dex said, spotting a little icon on the bottom right of the schedule. He leaned in for a better look. “It looks like….” His frown deepened. “Ruby slippers?” He arched an eyebrow and tapped the screen. It went black, and Dex cringed. “Shit, I think I broke it.”