“We cleared the basement first,” I add. “Cut the chains. Got the civilians outside the compound.”
The fire pops behind me.
“Once they were clear,” he says calmly, “we dealt with the rest of the building.”
Beau leans forward with his elbows on his knees.
“There were eleven contractors on site. They were armed. They tried to fight.”
“They all died,” I lift my gaze from the fire. “We made an example.”
Beau nods once.
“We gutted two of them and hung the bodies from the outer gate.”
“Another one lost his head,” I smirk. “We put it on a post facing the road.”
“The rest we left where they fell,” Beau continues. “Anyone passing through the area would see exactly what happened there.”
“By morning the whole region knew that compound was gone,” I lean back again. “Command was not pleased.”
Beau gives a quiet laugh.
“Internal review. Pattern of insubordination. Excessive force. Extreme conduct.”
“They removed us from the task force,” I add.
Beau shrugs slightly.
“They preferred to handle the problem quietly,” he says. “Administrative separation. No medals. No prison.”
He lifts his bottle slightly.
“Now we freelance. I’m an assassin.”
His eyes flick to me.
“And he’s a serial killer.”
I look at Brooke while the room processes the story.
She doesn’t look shocked or afraid. She looks like she understands exactly why we did it.
Travis exhales slowly and drags a hand down his face. “Crazy how two killers have more morality than people running governments.”
Beau lifts his beer, “Exactly.”
Brooke reaches across the table with her free hand and brushes her fingers against my knuckles. I turn my hand and catch hers.
After we finish eating, Beau goes to do his routine perimeter checks with Krueger.
Brooke stacks the empty containers without being asked, rinses her hands at the sink, and says, “I’m going to go take a shower.”
She walks upstairs barefoot. The water starts running a minute later.
Travis and I stay at the table.
He pulls his laptop closer and flips it open, blue light catching in his glasses. The house feels quieter without Beau’s dry commentary filling it.
