2. Grizzly #2
Logan shared a quick, knowing smirk with Mace, a silent exchange that spoke of years of their own shared embarrassments.
He then clapped Picasso on the shoulder.
“Don’t worry, Orion. We’ve had a few awkward names ourselves.
Believe me, yours is actually dignified compared to what Mace used to be called in Denver. ”
Mace’s laughter vanished, replaced by a warning glare. “Don’t you dare, Logan.”
From across the room, Wyatt, the Air Force PJ, let out a loud whoop. “Orion! Man, next time you’re on a hot extraction, your team can call for ‘Orion’ to clear the LZ!”
Gabriella had initially savored the moment, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.
But as Falcon, Reef, Hurricane, Mace, Logan, and Wyatt dissolved into raucous laughter, and Picasso’s flush deepened past embarrassment into genuine humiliation, a flicker of concern crossed her face.
The fun had gone too far. Gabriella’s Irish temper, usually reserved for truly egregious offenses, flared. Her small frame stiffened.
“Alright, that’s enough, you lot!” she snapped, her voice, though tiny, cutting through the sudden din with surprising force.
Her red hair seemed to bristle, and her green eyes, previously sparkling with mischief, now held a steely glint.
“It was supposed to be a little joke, not a lynching! He’s Orion, yes, and it’s a perfectly good name.
Now, if you want to keep your kneecaps, I suggest you stop tormenting him. ”
She squeezed Picasso’s arm again, this time more reassuringly than teasingly. “Honestly, you’d think grown men would have better things to do than pick on their Senior Chief.”
Marjorie Adams clapped her hands together with a resounding thwack, her face alight with delight. A hearty laugh rumbled up from her chest. “Now that’s a girl who knows how to handle her men! Orion, you hang onto her!”
The last ripples of laughter and good-natured teasing faded, the topic of Orion’s name effectively closed by Marjorie’s pronouncement.
Grizzly stepped back from his team, who were still absorbing the shift in dynamics, and noticed Carole standing by the hallway threshold.
She wasn’t laughing. Her brow was deeply furrowed, her eyes fixed on the illuminated screen of her smartphone.
The smile faded from Grizzly’s face. He wove through the crowded kitchen, slipping his arm around her shoulders. “Hey. You okay? You look like you just lost a puppy.”
Carole looked up, worry etching lines around her eyes. “It’s Thea.”
Grizzly’s protective instincts flared instantly. “Is she alright?”
“I don’t know,” Carole said, her voice tight. “She’s been completely out of pocket for three days. No texts, no calls. She never misses our check-ins, Ben. Especially not with Mom and Dad’s party coming up.”
“She’s up at that forestry cabin, right? Cell service is garbage up there.”
“She has a satellite rig,” Carole countered, tapping her phone screen. “It’s dead. I’ve tried pinging it half a dozen times. The last thing I received from her was an email about some strange anomalies she was observing.”
Grizzly’s jaw tightened. The warm, chaotic noise of his family’s kitchen suddenly felt miles away. His mind instantly shifted gears, analyzing terrain, threat levels, and logistics. He looked out the kitchen window toward the jagged, timber-lined ridges of Yellowstone looming in the distance.
“Is she still researching Grid C5?” he asked quietly.
Carole nodded. “Yeah. I’ve got a bad feeling.”
Grizzly squeezed her shoulder reassuringly, his eyes hardening with quiet resolve. “Don’t worry. I’m going to hike up there and check on her.”
“Ben, wait,” Carole said, worry flashing across her face. “You shouldn’t go alone. What if it’s something dangerous?”
“I can handle myself,” he reassured her. “But I appreciate your concern. I’ll let the team know, and I’ll take one of them with me.”
Carole opened her mouth to protest, but Grizzly felt a sense of urgency rise within him. He could not shake the feeling that something was wrong with Thea, and he knew that the longer he delayed, the more chance there was of something bad happening.
He turned to find his teammates still in the kitchen, their earlier merriment fading as they noticed the tension in the air. “Hey, guys, we need to talk.”
The SEALs gathered around him, their playful banter quieted. “What’s up?” Picasso asked, scanning Grizzly’s expression for any hints of concern.
“I’m heading to Thea’s cabin,” Grizzly said.
“She’s Carole’s best friend and an environmental researcher.
She usually keeps a low profile and is very reliable, but Carole hasn’t heard from her in three days, and her sat-link isn’t working.
She was planning to be here for the party this weekend, so this silence isn’t like her. I’m worried she might be in trouble.”
Hurricane’s brow furrowed. “What kind of trouble?”
Grizzly hesitated just a moment. “I’m not exactly sure. It’s a gut feeling, but silence from someone like Thea raises red flags. Her cabin’s out in the sticks, which makes it even more worrying.”
Falcon crossed his arms, his face turning stone serious. “You really think it’s smart to go solo? You know how crazy it gets out there. And hello, we’re supposed to be on vacation.”
Grizzly nodded, his tone steady and straightforward. “Exactly my point. Which is why I need one of you tagging along. Buddy system, safety first.”
“Count me in!” Reef piped up all eager. “I’m riding point with you, no worries.”
Hurricane raised an eyebrow and grinned. “Woah, man, no hesitation at all! What’s this, trying to slip away from the civilians already?”
Picasso shook his head with a half-smile. “Put the radios in your bags just in case of an emergency. We’re supposed to be off the clock.”