Page 102 of The Team

Yunho smiled. “We found a lot of information in the data we imparted from the Chinese. Information that has been and will be quite useful.”

Jay had assumed Yunho would gain access to whatever Chinese military data he could, and he wasn’t bothered. Yunho had saved their asses several times, and at his own expense. Payment in restricted data access was his reward, and in a way, Jay was glad. He was glad his team now had more information. There had been whispers of newly structured Chinese military divisions, focusing more on cybersecurity, satellite recon, and signal intelligence.

And now Yunho had all that information at his fingertips.

Yunho continued. “Information that is pertinent to the Parrish case and his involvement with a certain politician in Belarus and the Druzhba pipeline.”

Everyone stared at him.

“Are we . . . ?” Jay hedged.

“When do we leave?” Rhett said.

Yunho put his hand up and chuckled. “You have five days off, Captain Ouston. I suggest you enjoy them.”

“Great idea.” Jay laughed as he shot up off the sunbed. He took Rhett’s hand and pulled him toward the pool,undid his sarong, letting it fall to the tiles as they went into the water.

Milvus could wait.

Hell, the whole fucking world could wait.

As Rhett surfaced for air, Jay wrapped his legs around his waist and kissed him. “Five days, Ouston,” he murmured. “You better make them count.”

Fin

OUTTAKE – BONUS SCENE

Tao couldn’t believethis was real.

As he lay on the sunbed in the shade with Jun-mei, him on his side, her on her back, he studied her side profile. Her cute little nose, her full lips, her lashes.

She was beautiful.

Her hair was short now, cut in a wispy fashion that was elegant and dainty.

Like her.

He knew she’d loved her long hair, but honestly, Tao liked it short. It made her look carefree, and that suited her now.

Because she was carefree.

He’d done it. He’d got her out, saved her. Not how he’d originally planned, but she was safe now.

Tao wasn’t one bit sorry that Tan and Frankston were dead. He wasn’t sorry for breaking Tan’s jaw. His only regret was that he hadn’t made him suffer more.

He’d deserved so much more pain.

Tao was glad they were both dead. If they’d beencharged with a criminal trial pending, it would have given them time to sell out, strike a deal for information, and bargain for their freedom.

But Yunho had secured all that information, totally eliminating the need for Tan and Frankston at all.

Tao wasn’t even sorry that Yunho had infiltrated his government’s data.

The government that ordered his death back in South Sudan.

The government responsible for his injuries, his pain.

Merciful heavens, the pain.

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