Page 57 of Just One Silver Fox

“We’ll embed Sam in the staff there,” Lisa continued.

“More floor plans and schedules heading your way, Nate,” Jimmy teased.

“Works for me.”

The meeting continued in this vein for another twenty minutes or so, with Mack giving details about upcoming jobs or potential assignments and the team contributing their thoughts and expertise. Nate was clearly going to be the one to break down systems or break into supposedly secure sites, at least in the short term, which was a welcome challenge. When he found vulnerabilities, the others would find ways to compensate for them.

“Twenty-six minutes left,” Pierce said. “Are we done?”

“He likes to keep the meeting to an hour exactly,” Mack confided and the team all smiled.

“You can’t organize your day if meetings ramble on,” Pierce said.

“Not with military precision, that’s for sure,” Jimmy agreed. “And the man’s on his honeymoon.”

“In quarantine,” Mack said, rolling her eyes.

“How is that a problem?” Angel asked with a grin. “Being confined to barracks sounds like an ideal way to spend a honeymoon.” They laughed together.

Pierce cleared his throat again. “New business, or potential business. There’s another assignment under discussion that you should all know about early. The Prince of Mauscoria is planning an official visit and we’ve been asked to augment his security while he’s here.”

“Wait a minute,” Mack said. “Isn’t he the one Farah decked?”

Regan and Jimmy started to laugh. “At their official engagement,” Regan said. “Twelve years old. What a great right hook.”

“She had a good teacher,” Mack said and Pierce smiled.

“Busted that boy’s royal nose,” Jimmy informed Nate. “Did anyone ever find out what he said to her?”

“Something that pissed her off, no doubt,” Mack said.

The group all shook their heads. Angel and Troll looked amused, and Nate guessed they hadn’t been there either. That made him feel a bit less like an outsider.

“What’s the reason for his visit?” Jimmy asked.

Pierce shook his head. “That’s where it gets interesting. He’s apparently planning to renew his romantic attentions to the princess.”

“I thought theirs was to be an arranged marriage,” Mack said.

“It was, but her family weren’t big on it. The princess definitely wasn’t interested, but he must have liked what he saw.” Pierce shrugged. “Or his family still think it’s a good idea.”

“I’m going to guess that the princess won’t agree,” Regan said to general agreement.

“And I’ll guess no one will have any doubts about her opinion,” Troll said under his breath.

“Pow!” Jimmy said, driving his fist into his palm. “She’s hardly the queen of subtlety.”

Pierce cleared his throat. “I think it’ll be a good idea to have the inside track on this. He arrives September 1, barring a change of schedule. I’ll send Regan the address of his accommodations and his itinerary while here.”

“If he thinks the princess is just going to fall in line, he’s in for a surprise,” Mack said.

“There’s going to be good entertainment value in this one,” Jimmy said.

“Fifty-eight minutes,” Pierce said. “Are we done?” There was a murmur of agreement. “Then we’re done.”

“I’ll meet you here in thirty, Nate,” Jared said. “Wear your workout gear.”

“Got it, Angel.”

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