Chapter One #2
Liam finished dismissing Delta squad and stripped off his headset.
He angled a cold, calculated look at Spencer, who was trying to find something disparaging to say.
Liam was on to the game by now, so he waited patiently for the useless B.
S. to come. He turned his back to the field and leaned against the console, crossing his combat-booted ankles.
“That’s four squads, Spencer. The next four I bring out here will be more of the same,” he said evenly, “but I would prefer if I didn’t have to shame the local SWAT with four more record-breaking times.
They’d start begging me to train their men; there’d be embarrassing groveling, and I might even be in danger of having my ass kissed.
I’d rather spare myself the inconvenience. ”
The control chief snorted out a loud laugh and nodded his head as if that was exactly what would happen. Since the location had been arranged entirely by Spencer, Liam couldn’t be accused of buying that reaction. It pleased and amused him.
“Well,” Spencer said, stopping to clear his throat loudly, his hands fishing in and out of his pockets twice.
In Liam’s opinion, nothing looked more pathetic than a man who didn’t know where to put his hands.
“Thank you for your time, Mr. Nash. I will discuss my observations with my employer. You will be notified—”
“Not so fast,” Liam barked, making the secretary freeze, including his agitated hands.
“I want to meet Devon Candler. No decision can possibly be made when there has never been a meeting between the principal parties. Your job was to see if we were legit, and now you know we are. This is clearly a matter of life and death here, so let’s cut through the bullshit and get this done. ”
“I think you should allow me to decide when and if it will be time for you to meet my employer,” Spencer said, almost as though he were lecturing a teenager in need of guidance.
“Candler International has a certain way of doing things, Mr. Nash, and if you find that so difficult to adhere to just during the preliminaries …” He trailed off meaningfully.
“Then perhaps we aren’t suited to each other,” Liam finished for him, matching his contemplative tone.
“You know, you may actually have something there.” He stood up straight, making certain his imposing 6′5″ frame towered over the other man.
“Nash, Harper, and Klein stands on its reputation, yet I have accommodated you today with patience and alacrity. Your employer came to us because there was a need, and we’re the best when it comes to satisfying that need.
When you can respect what you’ve seen here today, and what everyone else in this line of work already knows, then we’ll be able to talk business.
Until then, I have other clients and a training schedule to maintain. ”
Liam leaned toward the glass, knowing someone had an eyes-on at all times, and whipped his hand around in a fast signal for them to wrap it up.
“Mr. Nash, this process is hardly over,” Spencer scoffed.
“Um,” Liam made as if he were contemplating that, “actually, Spencer, it’s as over as over gets.” Liam turned to the other men in the room. “Chief, Casey, Ryan, thanks for your assistance.”
Liam reached to shake hands with the three techs who had helped measure the field performances.
He maintained good relationships with a lot of personnel in law enforcement all over the world, but in his hometown it was 100 percent first-name basis.
It was crucial to cultivate associations so that the NHK compound didn’t clash with the local cops.
Besides that, a lot of the SWAT and ESU team members for metro, county, and state came to NHK for consultations on everything from high-tech weaponry to the newly patented body armor he and Veronica Klein had developed.
It was now the only thing on the market able to withstand piercing ammunition and the vicious attacks of the Morphates.
It was also three times lighter than the hard-shell armor his troops were currently wearing to train in.
“Here’s how I see this, Spencer,” he said negligently.
“Someone is gunning for your boss. I’ve got the equipment and the trained personnel you need to keep Candler alive.
You don’t hire me, your boss dies … and you,” Liam tsked hard, “are out of a job. But until you hire NHK, it’s not my problem, so … good luck.”
Liam swung his gear bag up onto his shoulder, sliding on a pair of sunglasses, but not before he turned his back on Spencer and winked at the three cops running the control room. He walked out amidst their amused chortles.
He made it all the way to the line of Hummers in the drive before Spencer came huffing up in his wake.
All eight of Liam’s recently displayed crewmembers lounged lazily outside of the vehicles, leaning against steel wherever it was available.
Inez was even sprawled along one of the hoods in a way that was only missing a revealing bikini.
Instead, she was in her regulation blacks, the sleeveless tank and heavily pocketed pants covering all but her arms. Everyone wore identical outfits, right down to the sunglasses, combat boots, and dog tags.
Inez sat up alertly when Spencer came running up at Liam’s back.
Liam had a thumb hooked under the strap of his gear bag on his shoulder, which allowed him to discreetly cut a finger across his throat, negating any action from his wary people.
Everyone continued to lounge in place, though he knew eight pairs of eyes watched attentively.
“Nash! Wait!”
Liam took his time, reaching to stow his gear in the back of the lead Hummer. When he heard Carter Spencer reach the drive, he turned and leaned casually on the warm black metal of the truck.
“What is it, Spencer? I’ve a busy day and you already wasted my morning.”
“Well, I hope you have time free at three o’clock. Devon Candler would like to see you if you’re available.”
Spencer was all amiability and excitement, as if he were bestowing a great honor on Liam and his partners.
In a way, he was. Devon Candler was a notorious recluse and personal interviews were rare.
That would be useful to Liam if he eventually took on the security detail for Candler.
It was harder for enemies to gun for someone when the target hardly ever exited their secured environments, gave away no personal information, and rarely allowed photographic images of themselves to be caught.
On the other hand, it also made for a severely limited amount of information on his potential client.
Liam didn’t like mysteries, especially when the lives of his people were a factor.
“Inez,” he called over his shoulder without looking away from Spencer, “tell Mr. Spencer if my three o’clock is available.”
Inez sat forward with a grin, pretended to consult her memory for all of an instant, and then said dutifully, “His three o’clock is already booked.” She smiled. “However, you are available for the next two or three hours, boss.”
“But I was told …” Spencer sputtered. “You can’t just—!”
“You’re the secretary. Isn’t it your job to move things around?
Upload the directions to this number and tell your boss I’m on my way.
” Liam reached for a card in his pocket, flicking it at Spencer, who barely caught it as he frantically pulled out a smart phone that no doubt had the exact details of Candler’s schedule on it.
Liam frowned when Spencer accessed the device without so much as a password or thumbprint for security.
That, he thought, will be the first thing to go. “Flores, Gordon, you’re with me.”
Inez and Kellen hopped into motion, swinging into the truck’s front seats.
Liam climbed in the back after dismissing everyone else to their regular schedules back at the NHK compound.
Inez started the truck while Kellen turned on the SatNav System that would take the directions Spencer was about to upload.
The satellite navigation system would pinpoint the exact location of the address and the quickest way to get there, as well as tracking fuel stops, hospitals, local law enforcement, and dozens of other vital stats that always came in handy.
However, thanks to Roni Klein’s inventive genius, they had the added bonus of having SatNav keep track of known and evolving Morphate clan locations, as well as other potential hotspots in the areas they would be passing through.
These types of clever programs, as well as inventions like the new body armor, earned NHK lucrative contracts. Between their facilities, private security services, and the research and development, NHK was a well-rounded success.
They could afford to indulge in tossing a little arrogance in Spencer’s face.
“Where to, Liam?” Inez asked cheerily.
“Head north, champ. I’m thinking the thruway,” Liam speculated. Inez knew enough to trust his instincts and she obeyed without hesitation.
“So, you think we’ll have any trouble getting an appointment?
” Kellen asked with a grin as Liam pulled out his laptop and began to negotiate with the SatNav wireless system.
It always took a while for Roni’s encryptions to engage, but it was also the only way of ensuring the highest level of privacy during transmission, allowing Liam to work freely without fear of being hacked.
“I don’t see why not,” Liam mused a little absently, scrolling through screens quickly while he waited for his connection. He drew up the NHK schedule and began thinking about how much personnel, time, and equipment was going to be needed to guard Devon Candler.
He would personally be in charge of this operation.
Leo White Crow and Kadian Corelli, the other two Field Leaders in this region, were involved in other assignments.
He was fine with that. He’d just returned from a training seminar at Langley, and his team was itching to get back into the field.
They trained hard while he was away, but his people needed the adrenaline of real action and reaction. They were just hardwired that way.
“So, what work are you two looking for?”
“Initial,” they chorused.
“That’s a 24/7 haul the first week, Inez. What about your boy?” Liam asked.
“He’s staying in San Francisco with my folks for the next two weeks. I am free, free, free as a bird.”
“Translated: She’s bored, bored, bored out of her ever-loving skull without him,” Kellen chuckled.
“Put us on days,” her partner requested for them, “both for initial and afterward for when the little man comes home.” Liam made note of it, knowing that Kellen knew everything Inez required, and that the reverse was also true.
The pair was the best-meshed team he’d ever worked with, and they were best friends besides.
“Did we get that upload yet, Kell?”
“Yeah. You were right about the thruway. It’ll take us about an hour more to get there. How’d you figure Candler was north of us?” Kellen asked him.
“Candler’s reputation for seclusion. The far edge of the Catskills is ideally suited for privacy and anonymity, and yet within easy travel to the resources at the leading edge of the mountains and New Manhattan. Spencer also dropped some clues earlier.”
“What’re you expecting?” Kellen wondered.
“Honestly?” Liam shrugged a large shoulder negligently. “I wouldn’t be surprised if the property gave the NHK compound a run for its money.”
Inez snorted at that likelihood. “We never get that lucky. I’m betting on a modern showplace with enormous windows and brilliant interior lighting.
Not to mention a whining, wealthy brat to help create a security nightmare.
Did you catch the dork and the fancy smart phone?
The thing comes with powerful pass protection imbedded and he doesn’t even use it. ”
“Yeah,” Liam said grimly, even more annoyed with that safety hazard now that Inez had also noted it. “But Spencer is one thing and Candler another. Just because Carter Spencer is a pompous ass doesn’t mean his boss will be.”
“Let’s hope not,” Kellen muttered, not sounding at all hopeful.