Sloane placed his fingers under Dex's chin and lifted his face for a kiss. "My white knight."
Dex hummed, melting into the kiss. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, and he sniffed. He knew that scent all too well.
"What do you want?"
"I have to commend you. They took it better than expected." Sparks leaned against a set of lockers dressed in her black cat suit, her arms crossed over her chest. "We need to discuss what happens next."
"We have until after the wedding," Dex reminded her.
"I meant with Destructive Delta."
Dex stood, and Sloane followed his lead. "What do you mean?"
With a quirk of her lips, she left the room, and Dex let out a groan. "A part of me can't wait to get sworn in just so I can pull that secretive clandestine crap on her. See how she likes it." Dex perked up. Oh, he just found a new Ash.
"Your smile is scaring me," Sloane said as he opened the door for them.
"Just thinking about my new TIN Ash."
Sloane looked puzzled. "What?"
Dex nodded toward Sparks who was over by Destructive Delta. "I'm going to drive her up the fucking wall." And he was going to enjoy every minute of it.
Chapter 7
"I THINK it's time we put all our cards on the table."
Wouldn't that be something.
Sloane sat at the table inside the bay's meeting room. The largest bays were used for elite training, as well as visiting dignitaries and the media. It held high-end technology, along with pristine state-of-the-art locker rooms, equipment rooms, and a conference room. It was a sweet setup.
Sparks stood at the front of the room beneath the large screen.
"For months, Destructive Delta has been part of the TIN Associate Training Program. You've all wondered why. The answer is quite obvious."
Ash laughed. "You want us to be TIN associates? Why in the hell would we do that?"
"Because it keeps the team together," Calvin offered, his narrowed eyes on Sparks. "She knew she'd be making the offer to Dex and Sloane. You were preparing us for the day they accepted."
Sparks nodded. "TIN operatives are required to have their own assets and contacts when brought on board. From that point forward, they're responsible for forging future trusted relationships, but initially, they're to be sworn in with a team of skilled associates already in place. Who better to aid Dex and Sloane than their family?"
Rosa didn't look convinced. "But TIN is Therian intelligence. You couldn't have known what would happen to Dex."
"I've been watching Dex and Sloane for a long time. Had Dex not ended up half Therian, I would have taken him on as a Human asset, along with the rest of the team. The outcome would have been similar."
Letty crossed her arms over her chest, her glare aimed at Sparks. "You want us to leave Destructive Delta?"
"No. I want to promote Destructive Delta."
Sloane had to admit he was equally as confused as his team. Sparks hadn't mentioned anything about making changes in Destructive Delta if he and Dex accepted. Why hadn't she said something sooner?
Calvin frowned. "Promote us to what?"
"To the THIRDS' first International Training Team." She walked to the podium and tapped something. The screen on the wall came to life with dozens of headlines featuring Destructive Delta, whether individual members or cases they'd worked. Everything from the murders committed by Isaac Pearce to the most recent shooting involving their sergeant.
"Let's face it. Destructive Delta is the oldest THIRDS team. The very first. You've had more press coverage than any other THIRDS team in the country. People know who you are. They know your faces. Your names. How long will it take for another Hogan to make you a target? To make your families a target? Destructive Delta can no longer work the field without drawing attention to itself. It's time for a new beginning. It's time to take your skill set and reputation and do something even greater with it."
"That all sounds real pretty," Ash grumbled, "but what does it mean?"