Page 44 of Luck Be Mine
Quaid met him with a hand outstretched. “LT, good to see you.” The slap on the back settled his thoughts. This was the man who had pulled them out of the fire in Germany and stayed at their back for weeks.
“I’ve been expecting you. Cait said she had to talk to you.”
“She did.” Hunt followed him inside.
Construction had tendrils through the entire first floor, and Hunt stepped carefully around the taped areas.
“Come this way. We have a temporary office arranged back here. Eventually, we’ll be on the third floor, but that space looks worse than this does.”
Hunt studied the details with interest. The sawdust had been swept into piles. The concrete floor had boards, nails, and construction debris everywhere. The studs could show the eventual layout, but the idea eluded him. With the virus shut down, the silence spoke volumes.
Hunt looked Quaid over. “How do you stay so polished in this dusty environment?”
“I change clothes when I get here. I just arrived.”
He opened a door, and Hunt walked into what appeared to be a large break room with two desks at the back and an open door to a restroom.
“Elizabeth is working at home. Mackey is still out processing. He should be here within a week. It’s only me onsite.”
Hunt studied the room. “Where will Cait be?”
“Fourth floor. Medical and a day room for recreation and meetings on that floor. We have a back loading dock temporarily set up for the men with two side rooms, one medical and one supply. Armory is in a separate location. When the construction is done, it’ll all be here. Training, medical, administration, supply. All of it.”
“Grand plan. How long?”
Quaid grimaced. “Contractor says seven months. With the shut down, we’ll see. Mackey brought the brains. I brought the money.”
Hunt pulled out a chair at the folding table and sat. “Don’t sell yourself short.”
He took off his jacket. “Coffee?”
“I could use a cup.” Hunt had left home without one. “How did you know I was here?”
Quaid pointed to a set of four monitors. “Cameras.” The former spy did a quick pour from the already perked pot into two cups and joined him at the table. “Lay it out, LT. What are your conditions for hiring Doc?”
Hunt sat back in his chair. “No conditions. Her decision. Not mine. But I want to be sure of her security. Maybe I’m overreaching, and she’ll be pissed at me, but I need to add this to my security plan for her. The mess in Afghanistan still has legs, and she’s still recovering. I don’t want anything to get in the way of her finally getting well.”
“We’ll help. She’s not on mission, not involved in cases, but will handle the injuries and the wellness. We want someone the men can trust.”
“Definitely her. Still, you’re not in this business to make friends. Risks exist. Make me a promise you’ll keep her welfare as a mission priority. I’m not here to protect her, won’t be here. I need you to do this for me.”
“Agreed.”
“That simple?”
“Yes. She matters to us, matters to me. I won’t let anything happen. I am sitting in front of you because she put herself on the line in Afghanistan to make sure I lived. I’m not saying Carter didn’t, too. But the training, the skill, the care came from her when I needed it. I will return that by making sure when you are not here, she is safe and protected. Because I owe you, too.”
Hunt stared into the man’s intense blue eyes. “You don’t owe me. The team did a job. You were part of the team. I’d take you out with us anytime.”
“Thanks. Nice to hear. After I got hurt, you could have dropped the whole mess. You didn’t. Reid mattered to me. He was my oldest friend, and you didn’t quit until you found out what happened. The CIA would have buried him and moved on – and they have. I haven’t.”
Hunt finished his coffee and stayed silent.
“We will be here for her when you can’t be. We will not put her at risk. It’s a promise I’ll keep.”
“Accepted. I need that.”
“You are both my family. I will always put it on the line for you.”
