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Lachlan could see he meant every word.
The elevator door opened and they walked in. Much like the wall panel, there were no buttons but James had little issues operating it. He hit a button on the middle of the panel and the elevator began ascending so smoothly that it took Lachlan a moment to realize they were moving. It was the Rolls Royce of elevators.
The doors opened and they were greeted with the sound of jazz music. “Samuel is here,” James said then stepped out.
Lachlan followed, his eyes sweeping over the rooftop making note of the five people who were already here. Lachlan felt a twinge in his chest, but he wasn’t sure if it was nerves or excitement. This meeting had been nothing like what he’d expected, and he felt the pull, back into a world he promised he’d never return to. His excitement faded at that thought, but as he continued to walk forward, he realized this was not the world he’d left behind. This was something entirely different.
A man looked to them and stood. He wore a black shirt, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows and black jeans. “Lachlan,” he said with a warm smile. “I’m Deacon Thomas. Thank you for coming.”
Lachlan shook his head, surprised at the warmth in his voice.
“Let me introduce you to the crew,” Deacon continued. “This is Cami, Jarrod, Kimberly... and Samuel whom I understand you’ve had some interaction with in the past.”
Lachlan looked to Samuel, who looked nothing like he expected. He was much younger, for starters. He wore a white and navy striped T-shirt and clear framed glasses sat atop his nose. He looked... surprisingly cool. Lachlan had stereotyped him as a computer nerd with no style, but Samuel seemed the opposite of that stereotype.
“Hi, Samuel,” Lachlan said, taking a step toward him. He extended his hand and Samuel shook it.
“So we meet,” Samuel said, almost shyly. Lachlan hadn’t expected that either, as Samuel had spoken confidently on the few occasions Lachlan had spoken to him, and his emails were sometimes quite humorous.
“We do. It’s been quite an interesting day,” Lachlan said, raising an eyebrow.
The woman next to Samuel smiled knowingly. “Hi, I’m Kimberly, Samuel’s apprentice and right-hand woman.”
Lachlan grinned, shaking her hand.
“And I’m Cami. Ex-CIA too... James has a habit of recruiting their agents,” she joked. “Welcome.”
“And last but not least, I’m Jarrod—the brother-in-law, also ex-CIA... yet another recruitment.”
Lachlan shook his hand and looked over them. James had said they were family and Lachlan had assumed he’d meant in the loyalty sense, but it seemed some were actual family members. Lachlan liked that.
“Well, it’s a pleasure—I think—” Lachlan joked, “to meet you all.” This was truly nothing like he’d expected, these people were nothing like he’d expected, so although he hadn’t made a final decision, he was willing to keep his mind open at least. And that was a far cry from where he’d been a few hours ago.
JAMES
CHAPTER – JAMES
“Thoughts?” Deacon asked quietly as Lachlan sat talking with Samuel and Kimberley.
“He’s continuing to surprise me,” James said.
Deacon raised an eyebrow. “Lachlan or Samuel?”
James chuckled softly. “Both, actually.”
Samuel had changed a lot over the past few years. While he didn’t love meeting new people, it didn’t terrify him as it once did. James knew that Kimberly had helped him a lot, as had their new sense of security with a new headquarters and the backing of the CIA. Samuel’s phobias had eased to the point where he lived a fairly normal life. He still didn’t leave the headquarters much, but he did occasionally adventure out and he came to their gatherings on the rooftop—something he’d hated years ago. But now, at least with people he’d had some interaction with, he could maintain a conversation and looked at ease.
“He said he’d give me his answer in the morning,” James said, his eyes on Lachlan.
“I was a little surprised he turned up at all, and the fact that he’s here now is a good sign,” Deacon said.
James nodded. “He’s struggling to reconcile his mind. He promised he’d never come back to this life—never go back to the man he was. I told him the same thing I tell all my agents: it’s in our blood... it’s a calling. Someone who operated at the level he did... you never leave that behind. He just needs a team he can trust.”
“What did he say about the case he’d been working?” Deacon asked.
“Little. He didn’t dispute that Fred had him working on an unclassified case, nor did he reveal any details. He doesn’t trust us yet, nor should he. But once we’ve proven ourselves, I think he’ll talk,” James said, swallowing a mouthful of his soda.
He looked to Lachlan again. He knew there was a chance, a very small chance, that Widow had gotten to him first. He could be playing a role—he could be working with her. But all he knew about Widow indicated she worked alone. Samuel had vouched for Lachlan and run every check on him they could. He’d made no suspicious calls, hadn’t left Redwater in months, hadn’t changed his daily routine, nor had his wife, Bethenny. Nothing indicated she’d gotten to him. And if she had, it was unlikely he’d still be alive. Widow left death in her wake, not partnerships. But still, he couldn’t rule it out completely—not given that list.
