Page 38 of The ARC Unit: Breach

I looked at Raven.

He immediately smiled into his coffee. The traitorous bastard had just earned strike two

“I do not need an animal.”

Jackal pointed around the room. “Bear. Raven. Hawk. Viper. Jackal.”

“I know everyone’s names. I read the folders.”

“And now Mercer.”

“Mercer is a surname.”

“Exactly. It ruins the ecosystem. It ruins morale.”

Hawk took another bite of his apple. “Mongoose.”

I whipped my head toward him. “Why mongoose?”

“Small. Aggressive.”

“I’m not three feet tall.”

Viper looked up from his yogurt. “Goose.”

He shrugged. “Taller. Also aggressive.”

Jackal slapped the table once and pointed at Viper. “Goose is strong.”

“No.”

Bear finally sat down with his own plate. “Fox would make more sense.”

“Thank you, Bear. At least somebody is trying.”

Raven looked thoughtful. “Magpie.”

“Why?”

“Collects interesting things and refuses to leave them alone.”

“That’s not even accurate.”

“You spent ten hours yesterday chasing license plates because the spacing looked strange.”

“That’s called doing my job.”

Jackal shook his head. “Magpie sounds too elegant.”

“I’m sitting right here.”

“I’m aware.”

Hawk leaned back against the counter. “Badger.”

“Again with the small aggressive animals.”

Jackal looked delighted. “Honey badger.”