The next few minutes was a flurry of activity as they filled their plates and sat down at the table.
“Broccolini?” Fred asked as she mixed the Alfredo sauce through the pasta. “Why ruin a perfect meal.”
“It’s good for you.”
Fred held up a stalk and bit into the florets. “I feel like a giant eating a tree.”
Simone laughed.
They lifted their water goblets, clinked glasses. “BFFs forever,” Fred said.
“Amen,” Simone replied.
Simone’s phone buzzed, but she’d left it on the counter. “Meatballs came out pretty good.”
“So good,” Fred echoed. “Did I tell you I have a mission starting at one this morning? Well, actually tomorrow morning.”
“Tell me about it.” Simone forked a piece of meatball into her mouth.
The color drained from her friend’s cheeks and she broke eye contact. “Nah, it’s nothing. Same ‘ol thang.”
Even though Simone was no longer a part of ALPHA, the two friends kept no secrets. Normally, Fred shared details about her missions.
Simone swirled the pasta with red sauce around her fork, slid it into her mouth, and chewed. After swallowing, she eyed Fred, who looked downright uncomfortable, something Simone wasn’t used to seeing.
“What’s going on with you?” Simone asked.
Fred sighed. “I shouldn’t have told you because I don’t want to spin you up.”
“I’m good, really.”
“We got the location of a master bomb maker, but there’s no confirmation it’shim.”
Simone’s heart slammed against her chest. “Himbeing The Bomb Maker?”
With her mouth full of food, Fred nodded.
“Whatdoyou know?”
“He’s been making explosives for terror cells.”
Simone’s guts knotted, and she set down her fork. “Are you dropping him?”
“We can’t without confirmation it’shim, so we gotta arrest him.”
A growl shot out of her. “If I were there, I’d open fire, ask questions later.”
“Yeah, I hear ya, but we don’t have much to go on.”
“Are the terror cells here or abroad?” Simone asked.
“Both,” Fred explained. “Several shipments of raw materials were tracked to a house in Silver Spring.”
Excitement coursed through Simone. For the first time in a long time, she missed her old life and wishedshewas going on that mission.
“How many on the team?”
“Six of us.” Fred shot her a smarmy smile. “I got lead.”
