Page 22 of Operation: Reckless Angel

“Well, even though I really want nothing from you, I’ll take another cup.”

Roth stood and circled the table. He could have grabbed her cup across the table. He reached for the cup as he stood beside her. He dropped his head, so his lips were beside her ear. “I’m sorry I met you under these circumstances. God, how I wish it was different,” he whispered. He wanted to tell her the kiss was more than just keeping her occupied while the team moved in.

“Me too, but it’s not,” she whispered in reply.

Roth moved away to make the tea. “You want a cup?” he asked Tessman.

Tessman’s face wore an amused smirk. His gaze shifted to Briana and then back to Roth’s, as if to tell him he’d heard what they’d just said to each other. “No, thanks though.”

Lambchop and Burke returned after their conversation with Shepherd. They once again had the siblings sit beside each other on the couch. This time, Lambchop dragged a chair over and sat facing them. “I reported in to our boss and told him everything. What you’re doing is reckless. You don’t have the training, the support network, and proper resources to conduct the operation you’ve been running.”

“We’ve done fine so far,” Briana argued.

“You’ve been lucky you hadn’t fallen on law enforcement’s radar before now and you’ve been even luckier that one of these dangerous men your clients are running from haven’t found you yet,” Lambchop countered. “We’re not going to turn you in for prosecution, but our organization will be keeping an eye on your activities. Find another way to help these women if that’s your calling, an established women’s shelter or some other legal organization. And stop drawing those identities from the CIA database. That’s another place you’re going to run out of luck.”

“Have they been tipped off?”

“No,” Lambchop replied. “Our boss isn’t going to do that, but he also knows that periodic audits of all databases belonging to the alphabetic organizations take place. There may not have been one in the past five years, and it could be another five or six before they get around to it, but it could be as soon as next week. It can’t be predicted. Don’t risk it.”

Briana closed her eyes and nodded. She knew what she could do. She could pull forty or fifty now to hold. That should get her through a couple of years. What she was doing was too important to let these guys stop her. She was trained, and she was very careful. She wasn’t lucky. And they didn’t understand the need for her services, just how desperate a lot of women were. If they did, they would have offered an alternative.

“Okay, all we need is for both of you to promise that you’re done with this and your dark web activities,” Lambchop said.

Briana’s eyes popped open, and she could feel the smile spread over her face. “You’re serious? We’ll be free to go if we give you our word?”

“Yes,” Lambchop said. “I’ve read your service jacket. Your word means something. And we believe the same holds true for your brother. But as I said, our organization will be keeping tabs on you. It won’t end as well for you next time if you go back on our agreement.”

“You have my word,” Cameron spoke up immediately.

Briana glanced around, making eye contact with each of the men. Her gaze settled on Lambchop’s before she spoke. “Yes, I promise.”

“Okay, we’re done here,” Lambchop said and then came to his feet. “Share your cell phone numbers with Sebastian. He’ll be your point of contact with our team. If he calls or messages you, you better get back to him.”

Briana didn’t like the tone of voice or the underlying meaning in that warning. And she wasn’t sure how she felt about Sebastian having her phone number with an expectation that she would reply to him when he summoned. The part of her that was attracted to him, though, liked that there was a chance at further communication with him, as contradictory as that was. “Understood,” she said. She waited a beat, but no one said anything. “Are we done here?”

“Yes,” Lambchop answered. “I hope you do find another way to help other women, such as your previous clients, without putting yourself in danger. Good luck to you, Briana.”

She was surprised by his words and his softer tone. “Thank you.”

Roth remained standing where he was as the rest of the team filed out of the house. They would go back to the unit on loan to them, pack up their gear and tidy the place in preparation to leave. He’d sleep in his own bed at his little one-bedroom apartment tonight, a place he rarely slept.

He turned his attention to the Woods' siblings when it was just the three of them remaining. “For the record, I’m glad my boss made the decision he did. I really like both of you and didn’t want you to be arrested.”

“The only reason we weren’t is that there is no crime to prosecute,” Briana said. “I’ll admit that what we’ve been doing isn’t completely legal, but it’s not completely illegal either.”

“It’s unwise and unsafe,” Roth said. “But I’m not going to argue with you.” He pulled his phone from his pocket. “Your phone numbers. I’ll add you as contacts.”

“Answer one question first,” Briana said. “I was right about you, wasn’t I?”

“Right about what?”

“Special forces?”

Roth hesitated for a moment, deciding what to tell her. “Yes.”

“Delta or Green Beret?”

“SEAL.”

---