Page 99 of SEAL of Valor

“You’ll excuse my poor manners. It’s difficult to keep them in check when my life is being threatened.” He turns to Zane. “Yes. Brenda is currently—as you said—bait.”

“Shouldn’t you be watching her?” Garrison asks. “If she truly is your bait, then why was she able to get her hands on Weston and Reese?”

Agent Jones grinds his teeth together. “She managed to slip past her assigned handlers. We were unaware that she was even on a cargo ship until we received Zane’s call.”

Weston shakes his head, nostrils flaring. “Fantastic. She nearly killed Reese; do you know that?”

“You have our apologies for the incon⁠—”

“If the next word out of your mouth is inconvenience, I’m going to make you eat your own shoe,” Ryker growls.

“A member of our team nearly died,” Zane starts, “An innocent woman nearly became collateral damage, and you have the audacity to come in here and apologize for an ‘inconvenience’? Like someone whipped in and stole a parking spot rather than two human beings?” he snaps.

Agent Jones is quiet for a moment, and I can tell that he’s choosing his words carefully. Smart man. I don’t think there’s a single one of the guys who wouldn’t tear him apart if given the opportunity.

He’s clearly trying very hard not to give them that opening. “Like I said, I am here on behalf of Caldwell. He wants to ensure that you and your team are aware that you are not to get involved. If you do, you will be charged to the full extent of the law.”

“Who’s going to come arrest us?” Ryker asks as he crosses his arms. “You?”

Agent Jones pales slightly. “Stay in your lane,” he says again. “Or you will be dealt with.” He glances back at the guard standing behind him and nods. The man moves forward and leads him out of the house.

“Hey, Agent Jones.”

He turns to face Weston.

Weston grins. “I’ll be seeing you soon.”

Agent Jones grinds his teeth together, shakes his head, and leaves the house. As he goes, all the men move into action. It’s a blur of movement I can barely keep up with. Ryker and Weston rush out onto the porch after Jones and his men, while Sawyer passes Zane and Garrison each a small handheld device from his bag before taking out something that looks similar to a tablet, but is slightly smaller.

“I’ll take upstairs,” Garrison says as he heads for the stairs.

“I’ll handle out here.” Zane holds up the scanner to a light and presses a button. A little red light follows a beep, and he shakes his head. “Can you hold this?” he asks me as he offers me the device.

“Sure. What⁠—”

But he shakes his head and points to his mouth to signal me to be quiet.

I do as he says, keeping my questions to myself as he drags a chair over and removes a tiny black circle with three wires sticking out from it.

Sawyer rushes over with a black bag, and Zane drops it inside so he can seal it up. Then, he checks his tablet again while Zane takes the device from me and continues scanning.

Was that a listening device? How is this my life? That I have soldiers scanning my house for bugs?

“Finished the laundry,” Garrison says as he comes down the stairs with a black bag just like the one Sawyer had Zane put the other bug in.

“We’re clean down here, too,” Zane says as he finishes moving through the kitchen.

“No more active signals,” Sawyer confirms. “How long were they in here without you?”

“No more than a minute,” Zane says. “I pulled up right as they were going inside.

“So, they each planted one.” Sawyer comments.

The front door opens, and both Ryker and Weston come in. “They’re gone,” Weston says. “We followed them to the end of the drive.”

“Two bugs.” Sawyer points to the bags.

“Won’t they know you disconnected them and come back?” I question.