Page 47 of Dash

“Many have tried, ma’am. None have succeeded.”

“Yet.” I smirked. “Give me some time here.”

His earpiece crackled.

“Excuse me, ma’am.” He ambled to the windows and pressed his fingers to his earpiece. “This is Granite. Go ahead.”

His call sign was the best fit ever. The man looked and felt like granite, inside and out.

“Did you search them for weapons?” he asked and paused to listen. “Let them through.”

He ended the call.

“Let who through?” I asked, curious.

“Your makeup artist and your hair dresser have arrived to help you get ready for tonight, ma’am.”

“Oh, are May and Lou on their way?” I asked, scooping the last of the noodles from the bottom of my plate.

“Not May and Lou,” he said. “They’re not on the list, ma’am.”

I put my fork down. “What list?”

“The list of authorized assets allowed to make contact with you, under my direct supervision, of course.”

“Of course.” I frowned. “If May and Lou aren’t list approved, then who is?”

“Omega arranged for a qualified pair of beauty professionals to attend to you, ma’am. They’re thoroughly vetted and have security clearances.”

“Security clearances?” I drew back. “To do hair and makeup? Why?”

“They see to the vice-president’s wife, ma’am.”

“Wow.” I gawked. “Dash flew them from Washington? How did he manage that?”

“Omega is a thorough operator, ma’am.”

“He certainly is.” A small pause followed, one he didn’t rush to fill. It left me thinking about some of the things Dash had said yesterday. Did his argument have some merit? Was there a chance that maybe, subconsciously, I had blamed him for Nix’s death?

“Micah?”

“Ma’am.”

“Were you there on the day Nix died?”

“I was, ma’am.” He looked me in the eye, something I appreciated.

“Can you tell me what happened?”

“Sorry, ma’am.” A trace of regret fleeted across his stony features. “Our missions are classified.”

“I understand.” I hesitated. “It’s just that, you know, my father said…”

“Your father blamed Omega.” Micah surprised me by saying what I was thinking. “If the truth matters to you, Omega tried to save your brother by all possible means, ma’am. He risked his life to get to him.”

“He came back.” I studied the blotches of cream left behind on my plate. “Nix didn’t.”

“Hard to know who has it harder, the soldier who dies in battle or the one who survives. I only know the second kind.”

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