Page 139 of Tactically Acquired

I gritted my teeth, wanting to wring her neck for saying that shit. “Really? The man works with explosives, and you want to know what could go wrong?”

She shrugged. “What? It’s not like he’s just some Joe Shmoe. He’s got skills. It’ll be fine.”

“It’ll be fine,” I grumbled. “Meanwhile, FNG, Fox, and Max are out there doing God knows what.”

A sly grin crossed her lips, which only made me worry more. “I know what they’re doing. Do you want to know?”

I did and I didn’t.

“Trust me,” Thumper muttered, “it’s better if you don’t know.”

I had a feeling he was right. “I’m more worried about Audrey. God knows what’ll happen when this goes down. She’s not exactly…”

“Exactly what?” Rae asked, her lips twitching in humor.

“Not exactly stable.”

She snorted, “I can’t wait until you tell her that.”

“Like I would ever say that to her face. She’s like the female version of IRIS. I can’t believe I even let her walk out of here with him!”

“He’s probably giving her pointers right now,” Thumper grinned. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he planted a bomb or two on her just for fun during the showdown.”

“That is not helpful,” I bit out.

“No, but it sure is nice to think someone else will have to deal with him other than me.”

“You know, there was a time I liked you.”

“Thanks, buddy.”

“I don’t anymore.”

“I already figured that,” he said with a wink. “But think of it this way. If I hadn’t practically forced you to sleep in the same room with her, where would you be right now?” He kicked up his feet and sighed happily. “Face it, your happiness is because of me. I’ll take a thank you at any time.”

“If you’re the cause of my happiness, you’re also the reason I’m so fucking worked up right now. You’re the one who suggested IRIS go with her.”

“Yeah, but?—”

“Not sure if you’re interested,” Rae interrupted, “but she’s going in to see her mom now.”

I stopped bickering and sat down in front of the monitor. My lips curled in disgust the moment her mother answered the door. “What a despicable woman.”

“You know what they say,” Rae mumbled.

I waited for her to continue, but she didn’t. “What do they say?”

“Like mother, like daughter.”

“Bullshit,” I grumbled. “She’s nothing like her mother.”

“Let’s hope not. You don’t have the money to keep up with a woman like that.”

“I’d like to bury her in the field behind OPS and wait for dogs to dig up her body. And only when they’ve torn her to shreds would I call them off.”

Thumper slowly turned and stared at me like I was Fox. “Maybe you should lay off the Funyuns.”

I hadn’t had any Funyuns in a long time. That wasn’t actual food, and unlike Fox, I needed sustenance to survive.

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