Page 85 of Ozzie

“Thank you,” Jerry says.

As they walk down the hall, Reed steps out of his office. “Ozzie, I need to talk to you and Lightning in my office now.”

“I’ll let Lightning know,” Durango says as he walks down the hall.

Reed walks around his desk, and I take a chair across from him. Lightning steps into the room and sits down, still fully covered in glitter. Neither of us says a word about it.

Reed glances up from his computer to address us, butthe moment he spots Lightning, he arches a brow. “Wild night?”

I try but fail to hold back my laugh.

“More like rough morning,” Lightning says. “Do you have an assignment for us?”

Reed glances back and forth at us before he shakes his head. “I do, but you will need time to shower first.”

Oh shit, an assignment? The timing isn’t great with Willow staying with me and things not fully resolved with Durango and Piper. Plus, I’d promised Piper lunch today. But I can’t let my personal life get in the way of my job, so I don’t say a word.

“Harding gave Senator Walton my number. Apparently, his son needs more protection, and since this is more of a bodyguard situation than an extraction, it isn’t something Harding or the CIA will handle.”

We have to deal with JB again?

“What kind of trouble is he in now?” Lightning asks.

Reed shakes his head. “None, and we need to keep it that way. The senator said his son will be staying in New York City and attending some functions. You two are to keep your eyes on him at all times. Walton believes the same group of men will try to kidnap his boy again.”

“Doesn’t the senator have secret service to keep his family safe?” I ask.

Reed leans back. “He does, and they will be obvious to anyone looking. You two will appear to be two random men out for a night on the town to any onlookers.”

“What if one of the kidnappers recognizes us?” Lightning asks.

Reed’s brow furrows. “How? Based on your report from Istanbul, you killed all the men who saw you there.”

That’s true. The other group that came on the boat looking for us never saw us.

“Any idea how many men will come after him?” I ask.

“Unfortunately, no. And don’t ask any of the Secret Service agents. They have not been told about you two. The senator is concerned there might be a traitor in his security detail.”

Lightning scratches his face, causing glitter to fall onto the chair and onto his lap.

“Go home and grab your bags. Lightning, you grab a shower. You will be staying at the same hotel the son is in. Also, I just sent you information about the hotel and the charity ball. He’ll arrive in an hour. There is also information on his tracker. He has one on his phone, so you can always find him.”

“Charity ball?” I ask.

Reed nods. “That’s one of the functions. The senator provided two tickets for you both. Pack your tux.”

We both have tuxes because this sort of thing comes up more often than one might think.

I pull up the information on my phone and download the tracking app. That at least will help, so we don’t have to follow too closely and draw the Secret Service agents’ attention.

“Hey, he’s staying near Times Square. I’ll blend right in with all his glitter.” Lightning smiles, but some must get into his mouth because he immediately tries to spit it out.

“No,” Reed says. “Shower.” He stands, indicating the meeting is over.

I follow Lightning out and head to my office, but the door is still closed, so I go to the kitchen to wait. But before I sit down, the door opens. After Jerry leaves, I step inside, and Piper is slumped in a chair.

“What’s wrong?”

---