The child clung like a spider on its web. Teddy needed to secure the room, secure all the suites, but he wasn’t about to set him down. Wasn’t even sure he could tear the child off him, he was holding on that tightly.
Teddy eyed the child. “What’s your name, bud?”
“Theo.” The child was fixated on the body.
“Hey, Theo, look at me.” Teddy moved away from Haqazzii. “What’s Theo short for?”
“Theodore.”
“I use a different name at work,” Teddy whispered, “but Theodore is my name too.”
“Daddy and Mommy named me after someone important, a President.”
“That’s awesome. My short name is Teddy.”
The little one smiled at him. “Will he be okay?” The child strained to see Haqazzii.
“Theo, that man was going to hurt your daddy. I had to stop him.”
The child tightened his hold. “So, he can’t hurt him?”
“No.” Teddy moved toward the President and First Lady. “Your mom and dad are just fine. They’re being protected by all these people. Can I give you to your dad?”
“No, I want to stay with you.”
How old are you, Theo?”
“I’m four.”
“See the device in my ears?” Teddy asked. “I have to talk to my team, so can you be quiet for me, bud?”
“Uh-huh.”
The child stared at him as he tapped the comm. “Check in with me, team.”
“All secure on the field,” Slash said.
“Sydney and Caroline are secure,” Sin said.
“Sin and Dakota are secure,” Sydney added.
Teddy chuffed out a laugh. Even in the most stressful of moments, his woman brought the humor. Her way of de-escalating the extreme tension.
Rebel confirmed everyone in the next suite was okay, voiced his concern about the gunshots.
“We had pandemonium,” Stryker said, “but Emerson got the group to keep the door shut.”
Teddy called the head of security. “Hal, we had an intruder. We need an ambulance in the Presidential skybox. Gunman is down.”
“I’ll send up a team to secure the floor,” Hal replied.
Teddy rubbed the child’s back. “You did good.”
“I want to do whatyoudo when I grow up.”
“What do you think I do?”
“Keep us safe.” Theo smiled at him. “And you get to play with guns.”
