16. Chapter 16
Chapter sixteen
SEBASTIAN
I hadn’t been expecting a full room tonight but it feels so much more like family than it did when we were stationed overseas, bunked up together with Kurt.
Maybe that’s a horrible thing to think but Kurt’s been one of our buddies, never family the way I see Noah fitting in with us.
I can’t stop watching Noah as he curls into Declan, the man’s anger slowly fading away the longer he’s wrapped around our fourth.
He's still furious, still seething, still seconds away from stalking outside and finding Kurt and ripping him apart. But Noah’s right—storming into this without all the information will blow back on us.
Logan taps my shoulder and gestures outside so that we can talk without disturbing Noah.
He’s been through way too much in the last week, there’s no need to pile more on as we figure out our next steps.
I thought we’d return, I’d convince Noah to be my official boyfriend, grab a degree, and then find a place to live.
Now, I’m not sure where any of that future stands… except for the boyfriend part. He’s already mine.
I blow out a heavy breath as I slip outside, leaning against the wall as Logan closes the door behind us.
Kurt’s betrayal—if he’s tangled up in this—doesn’t just piss me off.
It hurts. He either sent Noah into that war zone or stood by while it happened, a brother who was supposed to protect him throwing him to the wolves instead.
The man we’ve trusted with our lives, our safety, didn’t give a damn about his own blood, and that truth gnaws at me.
“You didn’t scour through all that info Declan found but Beast it’s worse than just some illegal bullshit and rigging deployments.
If Kurt’s named in this, our names will be right there beside his.
We’ve been at his side for the last five years, faithfully , none the wiser.
When this gets out, it’s going to be hell. ”
He’s not wrong and yet, I can’t just stand here and do nothing. I mull over my options, as slim as they are, Logan stepping in front of me and dragging my attention back to him.
“I know that fucking look, Bast. You’re about to go do something stupid.”
A nervous laugh escapes me. “Nothing more stupid than you three or even Noah confronting Kurt. I got this one.”
“Absolutely not. Tell me at least what you’re going to do so we’re not blindsided by some shit. One wrong move and Kurt might use his connections to have us deployed again,” Logan snaps. He’s right—our time here hinges on Kurt’s orders, his manipulations.
“I’ve got a contact I can report this shit to. They’ll have to investigate it, and until then, we’ll be stuck stateside.” This shit is going to be messy as fuck and if my contact is tangled up in this, it’s only going to get worse before it gets better.
“Yeah, and if this shit goes higher than we thought, it comes back on us. Bast, think for a second.”
“I am thinking. There’s no telling what will happen once Heath finds out we’re not backing down.
Once it gets to Kurt—if Kurt is involved—I’m not sure how long we’ll have.
” I drag a hand down my face and push off the wall.
I know what I have to do and as much as I hate the thought of leaving right now, it’s the only option I see working.
“You’re leaving tonight, aren’t you?” Logan asks, resignation in his voice.
I nod. “My conscience won’t let me sleep.
Make sure Declan stays here. I’ll be back tomorrow morning at some point.
” I clasp his hand, pulling him into a brief, hard hug before I head down the hall.
The silence is instantly overwhelming as I make my way to the parking lot, the rental I picked up a few days ago standing out like a sore thumb.
It’s some kind of Jeep-something, sturdy enough to carry me from point A to point B.
The night air curls around me as I take off, my mind whirling through years of servitude beside Kurt.
Years of training—brute strength honed to a razor’s edge, interrogation skills that break men, a knack for languages that made me a prize—crafted me into a prime recruit, a beast superiors bragged about.
But I never moved, never climbed, plateaued in a haze of comfort, cruising through missions I stopped questioning.
It hits me now, a sick clarity—Kurt’s hand guiding us, keeping me stagnant, using my skills for his gain while I sat blind, complacent.
My contact, an old sergeant, won’t be happy being roused at this hour, but this intel—Kurt’s corruption, the deployments, the list—might earn his forgiveness.
Hopefully . And as much as I want to believe all this shit is just a fucked up mishap, I know in my gut that he’s not innocent of this. And maybe by proxy, neither are we.
I was never willingly or knowingly complicit in anything but that doesn’t mean we didn’t aid in Kurt’s deception.
The wheels crunch against gravel as I pull into the man’s driveway, a mentor and a father figure that helped train me right.
One of the many reasons my anger didn’t overshadow my worth and now I’m here, bringing this to his attention, hoping he won’t curse me out for it.
In the ‘how dare you wake me up, why couldn’t this wait until morning’ kind of cursing.
Our paths split years ago, but he always checks in, and I make it a point to see him when I’m stateside, a ritual of coffee and stories. Tonight’s different, though, way different.
I don’t even get to knock, the door swinging open before my fist hits wood, Sergeant Ranier’s laugh cutting through the stillness of the night. He’s half-dressed, shirtless, his gray hair tousled from sleep.
“Sebastian, it’s nearly midnight,” he says, his voice rough with sleep, but his eyes sharpen as they land on my ruffled clothes. I always show up in full uniform, giving this man the respect he deserves but I wasn’t about to talk myself out of this.
Or have Declan catch on.
He takes one look at my face and the laughter dies, his mouth flattening into a grim line.
He ushers me inside to the kitchen table, the room dim save for a flickering bulb overhead.
“Must be a special occasion,” he mutters, pulling out a chair.
The mass of paperwork across the surface tells me that Ranier was probably working the midnight oil.
“It is. I have a report to make.”
“And I’m assuming you want this anonymous.
” His gaze narrows, reading me, and I nod, my throat tight as I take a seat next to him.
“You’ve never once just dropped in. Not once.
In the nearly ten years I’ve known you, you’re punctual, predictable, maybe a little unhinged but never—anonymous in the middle of the night type of guy.
The funny thing is, I have a feeling it has to do with why I’m up, pouring over these pages, looking for some kind of clue.
” He leans in, folding his hands on the table.
“Tell me, Sebastian, what brought you here.”
There’s no fucking way that my sergeant could already be investigating this shit, could he?
Then again, this is a big operation that’s obviously more tangled than anything we were ready for.
I sigh, my shoulders falling as the breath leaves me before I give Ranier a cliff notes version of everything Declan found.
I should have brought some of that shit but not all of it was legal.
Declan has his tricks but that’s not something I want to let Ranier know.
By the time I finish, Ranier has this devilish smile on his lips as if most, if not all of what I just said isn’t a surprise.
“Sebastian, I’m not going to lie to you.
We’ve been looking into this for a long time.
Had no idea where the weak link was, but your squad came up a few times.
Thought we’d get some answers when you guys returned.
” He leans back in his chair, threading his hands behind his head.
“I knew you couldn't be involved but didn’t imagine in a million years that you’d be bringing this shit to me.
However, as close as you are to all of this, they’ll reach out to you at some point for an interview.
” I nod, not at all surprised at that step.
It’s just a relief that Ranier didn’t think I was part of this bullshit.
“It’s a welcome relief that it’s not the man I call my son. ”
But I haven’t given him everything. I’ve held back Kurt’s name, dangling Heath as the sole thread, a calculated omission to shield Noah for now. It’ll drag him into this mess eventually—his ex, his past—but it buys us time, keeps the investigation’s claws from sinking too deep too fast.
However, Ranier isn’t stupid. “Before you go, I need a name. The inside man. I know you have something,” he muses.
“Look, Sebastian, I’m grateful that you’ve given me what you have but we both know the name you’re holding back might be what I need.
I also know that because you haven’t yet told me, it’s not going to be pretty. ”
“I need you to swear that my name is not going to be in the same pot.” It’s going to be impossible to separate us but I need at least his words that he’ll try.
“You’re serious. This hits home for you.
Which means it’s one of your squad. Declan?
Logan? Kurt? That boy’s one of the star pupils.
” His voice trails, searching, and I stay silent but I know he picks out just who it is.
“And it would make sense. The boy went from Casanova to a star soldier in such a short time. This makes shit complicated, Sebastian. Really complicated.”
“I’m aware.”
“I’m not sure you are. However, I need you to stay as far away from this shit as possible.
I mean it. It’s going to get ugly. In fact, I might have something.
” He rises, his chair scraping, and shuffles to a corner stacked with papers.
I expected him to pull me and the others out at my request, keep us Stateside, put us on something at the clinic or the training base, to shield me from the fallout, but the folder sliding across the table is unexpected.
“This is coming from a selfish place but I also need to know that you’re out of harm’s way.
I’m compiling all of this to present tomorrow and the first place they’re going to look is you four.
I’ll make some calls, get your appointments changed around. All you have to do is show up.”
I throw open the folder, skimming what looks like security detail. It’s easy work except for the suit we’ll be required to wear. Even that, though, is better than staying by Kurt’s side.
Ranier stands, throwing his hand out for me to clasp and I take it.
“I can see the turmoil in your eyes, son but I know you wouldn’t have come through here if you didn’t think there was some merit to the information you gave me.
I’ll be as discreet as I can but for now, I need you not to push any buttons. ”
“Kurt isn’t stupid.”
“No, he’s not. But you’ve been around him long enough that you can bullshit your way out of a paper bag.
Tell him you got bored, needed something different.
Whatever it takes to remove you from his side.
Because after tomorrow, things are going to go south very fast. Interrogations, interviews, and don’t think I’m blind to Kurt’s brother.
” My reaction has Ranier glaring at me. “Don’t do that, Sebastian.
I know for a fact Noah Strong is not involved.
But that doesn’t mean everyone else will see it that way.
He’s the brother that stayed Stateside, under the radar.
To someone trying to write a story, they’re going to target him. ”
I can see what Ranier is pointing at but I refuse to leave Noah’s side. “I’m not leaving him alone, Sarge. I’ll do just about anything else but not that.”
“You’ve always been the complicated one, son. See that it doesn’t ruin you.”
“Noah’s worth it,” I tell him and it’s the truth. Noah is worth absolutely every pain we’re about to be pushed through. I say my goodbyes and head back out to the jeep, wondering how much worse things are about to get.
Once our superiors start pressing buttons, Kurt is going to retaliate. So is Heath. I’d say all we need to do is be ready but they’re just as unpredictable and complicated as I am.
There’s no telling what they’ll do if their operation starts to fall apart.
And yet, some part of me is hoping that Kurt isn’t actually tied up in this shit.