Page 77 of The Team

Jay chuckled but he had to know... “Does it bother you? That Jun-mei is trans?”

Chen shook his head. “No. I worry for him at first, but when I see him with her, it not matter to me. He never look at anyone with... soft eyes, but he look at her, and he has hearts...” He pointed to his eyes. “So it not matter who Jun-mei is, or was. He choose her, is all I need.”

Jay could have hugged him. “I like you, Totoro.”

He grinned. “You and the captain, eight years?”

Jay nodded, the memories happy ones. “Almost nine, yeah. Since the second I saw him, I knew.”

“You know love at first sight?”

More like a burning desire to get railed at first sight. Jay laughed. “Something like that.” Then they were quiet for a long moment. “I’ve never been to China,” Jay admitted quietly.

“Ah,” Chen said. He rested his head back and smiled. “Is beautiful. I show you my city. Maybe not this time, but next trip.”

“Sounds good.”

Then Chen nodded to where Rhett was talking with King and Zihao. “He not sleep?”

Jay snorted. “Sometimes, yes.” Rhett had always been able to function on far less sleep than most. “Then sometimes I have to put my foot down and make him rest. I pull my medic card and tell him it’s an order.”

Chen smiled and was quiet again for a while. “I am glad we are here,” he murmured. “Milvus. Is fun, much excitement.”

“When Yin told you he wanted to join, you were okay with that?”

“I go where he goes.” Then he looked at Jay. “I thought he be a little—” He used his index finger to draw a circle near his head, making the international hand sign for crazy. “—yes. But it make sense. I did not expect to like it this much. Good team, yes?”

Jay nodded. “Yep.”

Then he leaned in closer. “Can I tell you secret?”

“Sure.”

“Azrael,” he whispered, eyes dead serious. “She scare me a little.”

Jay burst out laughing, then tried to be quiet. “That’s okay. She scares everyone.”

He nodded, happy with this news. “Good. Not just me.” Then he made a face. “But not Sid. He tease her. Brave or stupid, I not know.”

Jay chuckled. “Don’t be fooled. She scares him the most.”

His smile petered out with a sigh. “I am sorry for your friend. The one from Polish GROM unit. Sorry I never met him.”

The truth was, although they’d never been close, Jayhad liked Kowalski. He was a tough sonofabitch. A little wild and crazy. Could drink like a fish and had a wicked laugh. He was never particularly fond of the fact that Rhett and Jay were lovers, but he kept his grievances to himself. He respected Rhett’s captaincy, was a dependable asset to the Milvus team, and Jay was sorry he was gone.

A terrible fucking way to die too.

Jay could still see his face . . .

“He deserved better,” Jay murmured. “A more honourable death than those bastards gave him.”

“Do you think it not make sense?” Chen asked quietly.

“What doesn’t make sense?”

“Why they want us here. What is real reason for bringing Milvus to them?” He shrugged. “If you want to make deal or sell secrets, you make it quiet. Not bring fight to you. No sense to me.”

“I don’t know,” Jay whispered. “But I’m sure our guys will figure it out.”

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