Chapter 19
The next evening, Hazard was back on the couch, watching the weekly crime drama Simon and Simon with Jax. Ice sat at the kitchen table, sharpening his collection of knives. The front door opened, pulling Hazard’s attention away from the TV.
“Who’s in the mood for snow?” Ortiz asked as she came in and closed the door behind her.
Hazard straightened up from his slouch against the sofa cushions. “It’s too early in the year for snow here, so where are we going?”
She held up a brown mission brief folder. “We’ve been asked to assist on an op in Alaska.”
“What’s the mission?” Ice asked.
“There’s a black market operation set up on Fox Island. Their unit on the mainland base has enough intel to take them down, but due to the private military force this guy has guarding his compound, they want a team that specializes in infiltration and target extraction to fill out their numbers. So they requested us.”
“We are the best,” Jax said smugly.
Ortiz didn’t verbally agree, but the hint of a smile on her face was enough to show that she did.
“Pack warm. And be ready for a long flight.”
* * *
October 9, 1982
16:00
US Legion Base - Fort Mason
Outside Anchorage, Alaska
The flight from Fort Grove, Oklahoma to Anchorage, Alaska took just under ten hours. Thankful to be back on the ground, Hazard walked off the plane with the three alphas on his team.
A tall African American man with a medium brown complexion waited for them on the tarmac. He was dressed in fatigues, combat boots, and a heavy, dark green Legion issue coat. It was unzipped, the fur lined hood down. But he wore a black knit cap to cover his head from the cold.
As team lead, Ortiz stepped up to him first.
“Major Ortiz. Welcome to Alaska.”
“Hello, Captain Grant.”
The two of them shook hands.
“Thanks for coming in on this. We can use your expertise.”
“We’re happy to assist,” Ortiz said before she stepped to the side so that the captain could meet the rest of the team.
Captain Grant greeted Jax and Ice with more firm, friendly handshakes, welcoming them as well. Then he turned to Hazard.
“Hello. I almost didn’t see you back there.”
The comment was a clear crack about his height, since Hazard was significantly shorter than his squadmates. But it more than likely wasn’t intended to be rude, seeing as how it was delivered with a smile and in a slightly flirtatious tone. Hazard didn’t appreciate the comment regardless, but he wasn’t going to make a big deal about it and possibly get the entire operation off to a bad start.
“Hopefully the target won’t see me coming either,” he said as he shook the captain’s hand.
Grant laughed, flashing bright white canines. “Let’s get in out of the cold and I’ll bring all of you up to speed on the operation.”
Hazard followed along as Grant lead the way across the base. Snowcapped mountains served as a backdrop, giving the area a ruggedly beautiful vibe. The HQ building was several floors high, with single story buildings clustered around it. All were constructed of brownish-yellow brick with amber glass windows.
Inside the main building, they went up a short flight of stairs and down a hall lit with fluorescent lights. When they reached the briefing room, Captain Grant politely held the door open for them.
“We don’t get too many omegas up here,” Grant said as Hazard passed him to enter the room.
“None in the Silent Dusk pack?” he asked skeptically.
“Yes, of course Silent Dusk has a big presence on this side of the state. But it’s conservative around these parts. You won’t often see a Silent Dusk omega near the base. They stay within their pack lands. And I guess omegas in the military from other packs don’t get stationed here for whatever reason.”
“Perhaps you should start an outreach program. Give omegas a reason to want to be assigned to this location.”
“That’s a good idea, Corporal Mitchell. I’ll take it under advisement.”
Hazard simply nodded and took up a position at the oval shaped conference table. He hadn’t really been serious about an omega outreach program. He simply wanted to bring an end to the conversation.
There were three officers and four soldiers already gathered around the table. After a quick round of greetings and introductions, Grant got the meeting started. He unrolled a large map and spread it out on the table, while his aide passed out folders containing mission briefs.
“We are after Denis Petrov and his inner circle of advisors. He has his fingers in several black markets, including exotic animals, stolen art, and human organs. Two years ago, he built himself a home base on Fox Island.”
Black and white photos of a large private residence were put up on the room’s large projector screen.
“These are surveillance shots we have of the area. As you can see, the entire compound is surrounded by a twenty-foot-high brick wall topped with barbed wire. The only way in is through the main gate which is guarded at all hours.” He pointed at two dark squares high on the wall on either side of the entry gate. “See here? He’s got fifty caliber machine guns mounted behind those ports.”
Jax whistled long and low. “That’s not a compound, he’s built himself a fortress.”
“Exactly. That’s why I want to do this smart with as little risk as possible to our teams.”
“That’s my goal too,” Ortiz said even as she continued to stare at the map and photos with a frown of concentration creasing her forehead. “Storming the compound is off the table. Sneaking up on them is our best bet. We’ll put an advance team in ghillie suits and let them get close undetected to neutralize the gate. Once the advance team takes out the entrance guards and those fifty cals, the other teams can come in by sea and by air.”
“Good call,” Grant said in agreement. “We should distribute your men among the teams. I’ll take Hazard with me and-.”
“Negative,” Ice cut in. It was the first time he’d spoken since they’d arrived.
The refusal brought Grant up short. He paused and looked at Ice.
“Corporal Mitchell is my second. He stays with me,” Ice said. His tone made it clear that the placement wasn’t up for debate.
Hazard bit down on the insides of his cheeks to hold back a grin. He knew that this protest wasn’t Ice being possessive over him. The captain hated change, he was unlikely to want to disrupt the flow the two of them had established to work with someone new. At least, that’s what he initially thought. Then he looked up from the page of the mission brief he’d been reviewing.
The captain was locked in a stare down with Grant. Behind the wolf mask, his deep brown eyes were cold, steady, and unblinking. The intensity Hazard read there had to be more than Ice not wanting to deal with anyone new covering his six. Whatever it was, Ice wasn’t backing down.
There was a moment of prolonged silence as the two alphas stared at each other. Just when it was about to become uncomfortable for everyone else in the room, Captain Grant capitulated with a short nod.
“Understood. I’ll put four of my soldiers with the two of you to come in from the east shoreline by assault boat then.”
They moved on, arranging the rest of the teams. Jax would lead the advance team with Grant and Ortiz would head up infiltration by air.
While they worked out the rest of the logistics, Hazard looked across the table at Ice. As if sensing his gaze, those brown eyes shifted over to him. Something warm and shivery traced down Hazard’s spine when their eyes met. The feeling was more than simple physical attraction. It was a bone-deep awareness of the other man.
He wasn’t bothered at all by Ice’s display of possessiveness. Although he enjoyed working with other people, he was glad that he was staying by Ice’s side. And another, deeper part of him wanted to visibly gloat because Ice had been so determined to keep him. He didn’t, but he let a small smile curl his lips to show Ice that he was happy they were staying together.
Ice’s expression was hidden behind the mask. But a barely perceptible nod and the glint in his eyes let Hazard know that the alpha felt the same. After that silent communication, Hazard got his mind back on business and turned back to the main conversation.
A few minutes later, all of the plans had been laid out. Grant picked up the map and rolled it up while his aide gathered the surveillance photos.
“We’ve got space for you in our general barracks,” Grant said to Ortiz. “My aide will show you the way. Rest up and eat. We go in six hours.”
The meeting over, Hazard joined the rest of the 448 to follow the aide from the room. As they walked, he naturally fell in step next to the captain. He was still curious to know what had prompted Ice to protest them being separated. Unfortunately, he couldn’t ask him such a personal question while they were surrounded by their fellow soldiers.
“Your nose is twitching, Corporal,” Ice said with a hint of amusement lacing his voice.
“I’m curious about something.”
“Curiosity killed the cat.”
Hazard grinned. “At least you named a predator animal this time. But don’t forget the other half of that saying. Satisfaction brought him back.”
“Hmmpf.”
After a short walk outside, they arrived at one of three barracks and proceeded inside. It was standard community housing for fresh enlistees. Clean. Brightly lit. Beds in double rows made with military precision. The aide went all the way to the end of the room.
“These four bunks are for you. I apologize for not giving you private accommodations, but our base is too small to have four rooms available for visitors.”
“This is fine,” Ortiz assured him.
“Yeah, we’re grateful it’s not a bed of leaves on a forest floor,” Jax joked.
The aide smiled in relief. “Good. Put your gear down and I’ll show you to the chow hall.”
Hazard put his bag down at the foot of one of the beds. He was hungry so he was looking forward to a meal. After that, it would be time to go to work.