Page 56 of Tactically Acquired

“That doesn’t make it any easier. Look, I’m getting close to finding a location. Just give me a little more time and we’ll have something. In the meantime, go eat a sandwich or something. You’re getting hangry.”

“A sandwich isn’t going to help.”

“No, but it’ll get you out of my hair. Seriously, I can’t concentrate with you in my face every five minutes.”

“Fine,” I grumbled, heading into the kitchen to find a cup of coffee. At least I could get some caffeine in me and be prepared for whenever we hit the road.

Thumper nodded to me as I walked in. He had the same idea as me, filling his own mug. “Want one?”

“Hit me.”

“It’s definitely not a shot, but it should help,” he said, sliding it over to me. As he yawned, he rubbed his thigh—the leg that had the prosthetic.

“Is it bothering you?”

“Just spasms. It’s been a while since I took it off.”

“Shouldn’t you do that now while you have the chance?” I asked, knowing what would happen if he didn’t. He liked to think he kept that shit to himself, but we all knew how fast he would go down if he waited too long to take care of his stump.

“What are you, my mother?” He sat down, wincing as he did.

“No, but I’ll call her if I have to.” I took a sip of coffee and grimaced. “Fucking hell, who made this shit?”

“That would be Rae.”

“I thought she knew how to make coffee.”

He snorted in amusement. “She makes the worst coffee out of any of us.”

“Finally, we found something she’s not good at,” I chuckled.

“Well, it was bound to happen. No woman can be perfect.”

“Don’t let Bree hear you say that.”

“Why? Do you think she’d leave me?” he grinned.

“No, but she might sic Rae on you.” I took another sip and nearly spit it out. “I’m not sure that’s worth finishing.”

“Probably not. Any idea where IRIS is?”

I smirked as I remembered his offer. “You know IRIS.”

He rolled his eyes with a heavy sigh. “Fuck. You know, I can only explain his devices so many times to Cash.”

“Cash isn’t here,” I reminded him, darkening the mood slightly.

“Yeah.” A frown twisted his lips as he stared at his mug. “I forgot for a second. It’s weird, isn’t it?”

“Having Lock as a boss? Fucking awkward as hell,” I said, trying to lighten the mood again.

“Do you think he’s coming back?”

The shit of it all was that none of us really knew. We would all do anything for him, but Eva had become family to all of us, andit was hard as hell to see her struggling to get by. She was one hell of a woman to put up with his shit, but this was too far.

“I don’t know,” I answered honestly. “That depends on Knight.”

“And Michael.” He leaned forward, lowering his voice in case Craig or Alec walked into the room. “I keep thinking…there has to be more to the story.”

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