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He closed the door and remained standing. “Dr. Bond, what are your plans for the day?”
His question surprised me. “I’ll be here at HQ as ordered.”
“But what will you be doing here?”
Was one of my de facto bosses asking for an accounting of my time like I was some sort of slacker? “While the team is out, I’ll be in the IT room with Jensen. After that—”
“You see,” he pointed a stubby finger at me, “I would consider that a personal insult.”
“An insult? With all due respect, Frank,” I said with emphasis to remind him we were on a first-name basis, “I don’t understand how my being in the IT room could be construed that way.”
“Oh? You don’t think the team will think less of me when they see my subordinate watching over my shoulder?”
I considered telling him the team couldn’t possibly think less of him than they already did, but that seemed like the path to another suspension. “I’ll be observing. Watching and learning.”
“We both know that’s not necessary.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “But what might be necessary is reminding them that no one team member is indispensable. Suppose you were ever ill or reassigned? Alpha Team would need to be able to function without you.”
Was that a veiled threat? Come to think of it, it was actually a blatant one. Unless Frank had heard I’d tendered my resignation, which I doubted, given TJ’s promise of discretion.
“I understand the latest issue of JAMA Surgery has some scintillating articles,” Frank told me. “This seems like a perfect day to catch up on your reading. Now if you’ll excuse me, I prefer to do my own pre-mission inventory.” He stepped aside and indicated the door, inviting, or more precisely, ordering me to leave.
But he hadn’t precisely ordered me to stay out of the IT room. He’d only suggested. That thought buoyed my spirits until I reached the first floor and watched Alpha Team, with the addition of Evan and Bennet who fit in so well, gathering.
I didn’t belong here anymore. I’d made my decision to leave. And as arrogant as Frank was and as peeved as he’d made me, he wasn’t wrong. Alpha Team had to realize they would continue unaffected without me. And I had to come to terms with being a cog in a wheel that would keep turning long after I was gone.
* * *
Evan
By the timeI finished showering and made my way to the ground floor, Red had already completed the pre-mission medical check on Li, who I met in the kitchen. She was dressed in black from head to toe. Come to think of it, she always wore black, but today her outfit included spandex and Kevlar, and she looked like a tall, badass Ninja.
“Trés chic,” I said.
She struck a mock pose. “All the coolest sharpshooters are wearing it this season.”
“Lucky you, not wearing funeral garb,” Kessler said, joining us.
She wore a black dress with a collared shirt and pleated skirt, black tights, and high-heeled black boots.
“You look pretty chic yourself,” I said, and it was true.
“But it’s depressing,” Kessler said. “I can’t stop thinking about how young O’Dell was, and how in love it sounds like he and Jenna were. When I was getting dressed, I realized they started dating about the same time Derek and I got back together.”
My mood turned somber and didn’t improve as the rest of the team gathered. Bennet was already in the IT room, getting wired up by Jensen. The logistics crew preceded Red down the stairs, which meant medical checks were complete. We all met in the first-floor conference room and TJ reviewed last-minute details while X listened in over a video conference call.
“Li, you’ll be on the sixth floor of this apartment building.” TJ pointed to a surveillance photo on the large wall screen. “The team as a whole will have a 360-degree view from that height, but you’re our only sharpshooter, so be prepared to shoot and move if I give the order. Sparks, you’re in charge of schematics. Kessler, Bennet, Li, any of you need to move, Sparks will tell you when and where to go. You’ll all be on the main channel with me. Penn, you’ve got oversight of every person on the extended team and their locations. You and the rest of the log crew will be on a separate channel from tactical, but you’ll have my ear.”
“Roger that,” Penn said.
“I’ve got a dozen secure channels set up and ready to go,” Jensen said. “And I’m also monitoring everyone. Anyone needs a direct line to TJ, Penn, whoever, tell me, I’ll set you up.”
TJ nodded. “Thanks Jensen. Bennet and Kessler, your buttonhole cameras will be running at all times, and Alder will capture screenshots of every face and run it in real-time. Get in front of every person in that funeral home. That includes staff, O’Dell’s family, everyone. I want every warm body accounted for.”
He stopped speaking and we all went silent. Kessler wasn’t the only one who had been thinking about how young and vital O’Dell had been. Now he was gone and HEAT—and probably their mortal enemies—were infiltrating the poor kid’s funeral.
“Shit, that was insensitive,” TJ said. “Sometimes…” He shook his head and glanced at Red. “This fucking job. Okay, any questions?”
“Where’s Frank?” Red asked. “I know he’s in the building. We spoke ten minutes ago.”
