Page 77 of Silent Comrade
He shook his head. “You can’t, sweets. Itraises too many questions.”
“What?”
“The mission. Your safety. My team.”
Her shoulders dropped. “It’d be real nice tomess up her project over there.” She lifted her chin with a sigh.“Yes, I realize that revenge would get me nowhere.” Turning herhead, she nuzzled a cheek on his upper arm, the movement sweet andsad at the same time. His sleeve became damp where her face rested.Damn it, he wanted to fight this battle for her. He couldn’t.
“Four years of work. Gone.” She trembled andgripped his forearm.
He checked the current feeds to ensure theperimeter was clear, tapped out a message to Rodeo, then set thedevice on the floor. “I don’t know what to say. I’m so damnsorry.”
“Nothing to say.”
In silence, they sat in the empty room withRed propped against the wall and Britt in front of him. His buttwent to sleep on the concrete. Didn’t care. He wouldn’t move untilshe asked him to.
Every few minutes, he brushed his fingersover her hair. Patted her arms. Anything to make her feelconnected. He knew that hopeless, alone feeling all too well. Knewthe need to be supported by someone in a dark time.
So they sat together in the quiet, emptyroom.
Thirty minutes later, the doors burst open,and Tachi ran up to them, dark eyebrows lifting and long wavy hairflying over her shoulders as she leaned over. “Oh, honey.” Sheglanced over the ruined clothing, eyes narrowing. “I am so going tokill whoever did this.”
Sauntering in a second later, Rodeo leaned ahip on the table.
Letting Tachi take over consolation duties,Red extricated himself and stood up, stretching his back. He walkedover to where Rodeo stood.
“Bro, whoever did that … this is somecold-ass shit.” Rodeo motioned at the worthless piles offabric.
“I’ll say.”
“At least now you don’t have to convince herto stay and finish the project.”
Red leaned into his teammate and growled,“Speaking of cold, that’s a dick thing to say.”
Hands went up. “Whoa there. Don’t climb allover my lovely ass for stating the obvious. This is still a job. Atleast, for one of us.”
Red clamped his teeth together until heregained control. Thank God he’d taken the antidote this morningand could think clearly. “Sorry, man. It’s just … this family can’tcatch a break. This wasn’t even because of Lequire.”
“Good point.” Rodeo peeked over Red’sshoulder. “What are those two doing? There’s a lot of whisperingand sniffling and head petting going on.”
“Jealous?”
“Naw. I could have any woman rub my head andwhisper to me, any day of the week.”
“So you claim.” Red crossed his arms. “Anywoman?”
The guy’s eyes darted back to Britt andTachi still in the corner. “Of course.”
Red’s snorted response was interrupted byTachi. “Come here, guys.” She was sitting next to Britt, an armthrown around her shoulders. “You know who did this?”
“We do.” Red nodded.
“Then we’re calling campus security andturning that person in.”
“No, we can’t do that.” Britt locked eyeswith Red.
“That’s total crap. Why not?” Tachi scrapedher long hair back and glared at the men.
Britt sniffed. “We just can’t.”
