Chapter 14 #2
Kayla and Clint both stood at the same time and said, “Introductions.” The two team leaders looked at each other and high-fived.
“See, we’re already thinking alike,” Kayla said with a smile.
A tinge of jealousy ran through Ashlin. How ridiculous, she mentally scolded herself. They’re both team leaders and will need to work together on this mission. There is absolutely nothing going on between them.
“Let’s go around the table and introduce ourselves and our specialty,” Clint suggested.
“I’ll start. I’m Marine Captain Kayla Scarlatto. Lady Lion is my handle. Although every one of us is capable of every job, my specialty is sniper.”
“Are all of you active-duty?” Lukas Murillo asked.
“Yes,” the five women responded at the same time.
“The Director of Section 7 said you have all been trained like us,” Shawn Beck stated.
Kayla grinned. “No. We’ve undergone a great deal more training than you.
We went through the exact same training as Navy SEALs, then went through Army Special Forces School, followed by Air Force Para-Jumper School.
We then spent several weeks with the CIA learning tricks far beyond your skills.
Our team probably has as many HALO jumps, hours underwater, and has performed as many emergency surgeries as yours.
” She let out a heavy sigh. “If we have to waste time in the next three days proving our capabilities, we should call Director Wolf back in here to cancel your contract. We barely have enough time to plan this mission.”
Clint stepped next to Kayla. “I think everybody here, except for our newest member, Shawn Beck, has met my sister, Xena. She trained beside these women. That’s how I know them. Rather than re-upping, she decided to come home and work for our dad. Their training is why she has her own team.”
“Holy fuck. You’re one of them?” the man next to Clint said.
“I thought your sister was a one-off, trained by you,” the next man down declared.
“Are you telling me there’s more?” Another one of Clint’s men asked.
“These women are one of the best kept secrets in the military, and you will keep their secret,” Clint warned.
“Don’t you ever forget that you each signed a nondisclosure agreement.
Director Wolf is one of the most lethal women I’ve ever met.
She wasn’t kidding when she said she would personally hunt you down and kill you if you spoke a single word about these women.
She has hundreds of assassins on her payroll, then there are contractors like us.
I know you men. None of you would hesitate to carry out a kill order.
” He glanced around the table, holding each man’s gaze.
“Now, let’s get on with the introductions. ”
“Lukas Murillo, senior NCO, close quarter battle specialist, fucking good sniper, and damn good door kicker. You can call me Wraith,” said the dark-haired man with the full beard sitting beside Clint. He looked like he would blend in to any terrorist group.
“I’m Shawn Beck, sent here yesterday to be the senior NCO.
” He ran his hand over his short military-cut hair.
“Boomer has been my handle for over twenty years. As you can guess, I’m an explosives expert, to the point that the Navy had me teaching young’uns for the past three years between special missions. ”
“Lyam Barker, codename Dog, I’m the team sniper, but I’m equally as good with any gun. I look forward to working with you Ladies.” When he smiled, he turned from good-looking to downright handsome enough to be a model on any magazine cover.
“Last, but certainly not least, I’m Chester Wiley, better known as Coyote for obvious reasons.
I’m the team doc, and I’ll put my skills up against yours any day.
” He wore his straight light brown hair pulled back loosely in a ponytail at the base of his skull, but it was his golden-brown eyes rimmed by beautiful, long, dark eyelashes that caught Ashlin’s attention.
No man should be allowed to have eyes that gorgeous.
Kayla looked at Kira and nodded.
“I’m Navy Lieutenant Kira Frost. My call sign is Lady Cougar.
We are all pilots and can fly our airplane and our helicopter, but when we’re on the chopper, I’m primary crew chief.
On the ground or in the air, I am always the team doc.
I’m also secondary sniper.” She smiled at Lukas.
“Like you, also damn good with any gun.” She looked at Mia, by her side.
“I’m Army Captain Mia McCormick. Call me Lady Cheetah.
My specialty is communications and electronics, which crosses over into explosives.
And of course, all the other shit they mentioned; pilot, sniper, whatever I have to do to get the job done.
” She smiled like a Cheshire cat. “Did Director Wolf tell you that our team has a one hundred percent success rate? Yes, assholes, we’ve been on more than one mission. ” You’re up.” She looked at Piper.
“I’m Navy Lieutenant Piper Knight, known as Lady Leopard. My specialty is water, on it or under it. Pilot, sniper, door kicker, and this Florida girl recently proved herself as a cold-weather survivalist in Alaska.” She looked at Ashlin and nodded once.
“I am Air Force Captain Ashlin Cartwright, but you guys can call me Lady Tiger. I’m the team’s primary pilot and primary sniper. I’m also the jump master. And yes, Clint and I are married. But as Director Wolf pointed out, we can both be professional, especially on a mission.” Her gaze met Kayla’s.
The Black Swan Team leader announced, “Now that we know each other’s names, I suggest we get to work—”
“Before we leave this room,” Clint interrupted before anyone could move, “I suggest we only use our handles, unless we’re in public. It’ll make it easier once we move out.”
Kayla nodded. “Agreed.” She moved to the door.
“The rest of the day, we will be operating in the dark room. Since this is the only conference room large enough for all of us, I’ll reserve it for lunch.
We’ll have it catered in by our staff. No outside food or drink is permitted.
” She glanced over her shoulder at Clint.
“Unless you have other plans. We usually take thirty to forty-five minutes for lunch and downtime.”
“That sounds perfect,” he reassured her.
Kayla opened the door and then turned around. “If you make a call or text using your private cell phone, it will be scrambled and encrypted and may be recorded. This is an electronics-secure building, which extends out to the sidewalks. Consider yourselves notified.”
Clint and Ashlin were the last ones out of the conference room. “You’ve texted me from work before.”
She shrugged. “I have nothing to hide. I don’t give a shit if Josie up on the Watch Floor sees my texts to you.
Neither of us is sexting or sending any kind of code.
” Before they reached the darkroom, she wanted to ask him about the new guy.
“You kept watching Shawn Beck. I take it he’s the man who interrupted us last night. ”
Clint smiled down at her. “Yes.”
“Do you want me to run a deep dive on him? It’s easily justifiable because he’s new to your team and was not part of the original vetting.”
“I’m sure Dell has already cleared him, or he wouldn’t have been sent to me last night.
” Clint’s eyebrows pinched together. “On second thought, yes. I’m curious to see whether you come up with anything.
I haven’t been out of the game that long, but we couldn’t find anyone that we both knew.
Spec-ops isn’t that big of a community.”
They reached the door to their workspace. “Go in and tell Kayla that I had to do something in my office. If you get her alone, or at least out of earshot, tell her I’m putting in the request on Shawn Beck.”