17. Insubordinate Bawbags #3
“That if they’re not vampires, we can take their pictures. Do this old-school.” He shrugs with one shoulder, and I pause what I’m doing.
“Go to the Office of Time, in Rome, and take their pictures?” I repeat it out loud in case I’m missing a step.
“Don’t see how else we’re going to do it. You know what he looks like, but we don’t, and we can’t bring him down without an ID. If they’re old old, living off-grid in a digital age, then we go knock on their doors—all friendly like—and take their pictures. Could have it done in a day.”
My gaze flicks between each of my men. It’s a solid approach. Delilah nods, sealing the mission objective. “Except, our Target is here, not in Rome.”
“How many Dogs of War are needed to take a picture?” he asks, a cocky grin firmly in place.
“Ye’d have to fly ghost,” I add, knowing that the General’s Office can’t get wind of this. “No one can know ye left the Nest. And yer not going alone.”
Guardian steps forward. “I can get us into the building without raising questions.”
“I can arrange the ghost flight to my family’s private airfield outside Rome,” Bear contributes.
“Did I show you what I’ve been working on?” asks Tuesday. He delves into a pocket and brings out a pair of sunglasses. “These little beauties aren’t just fashionable. They’ve got inbuilt four-K mini action cams. Like a Go-Pro on crack, but in your sunnies.”
Delilah shuts his laptop with an audible click, not paying any mind to my fingers that only just escaped being flattened by his passive aggression.
“And if you’re all going to Europe, then I guess I will be too, regardless of my opinions on the driving situation over there, because someone needs to coordinate and track all your intel. ”
“Aye, Operation Tempo is going to need a strategist.” Pride fills me and my wolf; I couldn’t ask for better soldiers.
No matter that just an hour ago they suspected Milo had lied to them and endangered millions of lives, they listened with open minds and are now prepared to operate behind enemy lines.
My face falls. “I can’t risk taking the package out of the Nest. Whatever this trinket is, however it works, someone from the Office of Time recognised that Milo was in possession of it when even he himself didn’t know.”
I look to Guardian, conveying without words that I need him to look after my unit as if it were his own.
His eyes swirl with a deep amaranthine hue, and then he nods. “It would be my honour to lead your men on this mission, Ranger.”
Settled, but not at ease, my gaze flicks upward to the ceiling once more.
“There’s no one safer for him to be with.
” Guardian’s words draw my focus. “Your wolf is a born pack leader, Ranger. He’s already redistributing the strengths of your pack and moving your unit into strategic positions to defend him.
You’ll do what needs to be done, and none of us could do that better. ”
I exhale, shoulders lowering. “The moment ye get those pictures, any time of day or night, ye send them over. Milo and I’ll use the time to learn more about this Luna del Lupo, but with our Intel Corps monitoring the Witches Council, and the General’s Office not being forthcoming with the intel they do have, I don’t know how successful we’ll be. ”
“He’s a witch, isn’t he?” goads Tuesday. “Just saying, we all have people we go to when we’re in a pinch and need to keep things hush-hush. Maybe you don’t know who that is, but he will. Put him to work, boss. Make him an honorary Dog and give him a mission of his own.”
“You sly bastard,” calls Thriller, rising from his seat. “You know Ranger follows the rules and won’t fuck where he sleeps if he makes Milo a temporary Dog. You said that on purpose to rig the pool.”
“Rig the what? The pool?” The penny drops. And so does my stomach.
“Ah come off it, Ranger, course we have a pool.” Thriller holds his arms wide, indicating that the entire unit is in on this. “Especially because you wouldn’t let me call dibs.”
I stand so fast that Delilah has to strike like a snake to catch his laptop before it crashes to the ground. “Come again?”
Thriller steps closer, eyes gleaming with the hope of a challenge. “You heard. Poor Ranger, stuck home alone with the Package. I’m sure Guardian’s right, though.” He grabs his dick through his combat trousers and squeezes. “The Package’s best interests will be very well attended.”
My chest heaves with the effort of holding back my wolf, and my next words are soaked with my authority. “Ye’ve got a mission to prep for, and a bag to pack. But first, ye’ll do a thorough perimeter check so that ye don’t leave yer Nest, or yer alpha, undefended.”
Everyone stands and salutes, even Guardian, who isn’t susceptible to the effect of my alpha command.
One by one, they file out to do as I instructed, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
Thoughts that absolutely and categorically align with the fact that Milo is an asset in need of protection, and nothing more. I’m the pack leader of the Dogs of War, and the fate of the entire Romulan Bloodline rests on my shoulders. Anything less than my best right now could compromise everything.