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“Merrick, you know you cannot jump two ranks, but dang, son…” Bradford was saying, just before the door shut.
“… And we need to go,” Paradox chimed in quickly, grabbing Sparky’s arm and dragging him into the nearest room – and the others followed immediately. “We don’t want to be caught eavesdropping on Bradford – especially if Reilly is in trouble. I’m going on vacation, and I’ll be darned if I lose my trip out of sheer curiosity.”
“What do you think just happened?”
“I think we are getting a new leader.”
“Reaper?”
“Depends if Bradford actually bumps him two ranks,” Ricochet said openly, looking at Paradox. “You just made rank – and Reaper got bumped two years ago, but he’s still BPZ.”
“You think he’ll do that with Reaper being ‘below promotion zone’?”
“Let’s just say that I would prefer if Reilly didn’t return.”
“I think we are all in agreement on that one…”
“Reaper would be fantastic, truthfully.”
“… But he’s not staying. I think he’s got a year or two left.”
“We can get the dirt from Maestro when he gets out of there…”
“No,” Ricochet said quietly. “He’s very closed-mouth when he wants to keep his secrets. None of us knew about his son until recently.”
“True.”
“I’m shocked.”
“I’m not. Reilly’s been horrible to everyone. Remember Handsy? What kind of jerk has someone stand there for hours on end in a salute just to be petty?”
“Reilly,” Paradox muttered, shaking his head, and held out the bag. “Popcorn?”
“How did you know to pop that?” Ricochet asked bluntly.
“Hasn’t communications security been here yet?”
“Not that I know of… why?”
“Well, I was kinda mad yesterday after having to run for having simply agreed with you two,” Paradox admitted, rolling his eyes, causing Sparky to laugh and rub his hands together as the rest of them smiled at each other knowingly. “So,someonemight have put classification stickers on Reilly’s desk phone and computer.”
“You’re kidding me.”
“Nope,” Paradox said easily, tossing up another kernel of popcorn and catching it in his mouth. “I was hot – both in temperature and attitude.”
“They’ll seize his computer…” Riptide said, stunned.
“And his phone,” Paradox added. “I figured I was about to get caught when I heard the screaming. Soooo, I immediately popped a bag of popcorn before checking the hallway. I was pretty sure I’d start laughing if they were lugging his equipment out of the building.”
“You’ll get busted for this, Paradox.”
“I think that my stunt is the least of Reilly’s problems right now.”
All of them grew quiet as voices were heard once more.
“… Man, that felt a little too good, and remember – say nothing,” Reaper was speaking to someone, and the four men looked at each other, unmoving.
No one wanted to get caught snooping, especially while tensions were high. They could hear nervous laughter, and Ricochet saw recognition flicker in all their eyes.
