Page 101 of Stealth Mission

Willometa emerges wearing a withering scowl. “What the hell is going on out here?”

Scout holds up an envelope. “I’m here to pay this guy’s bail.”

The packet is bulging.

Holy smokes, how much bail did he need?

Now I know why Chief Willometa said I couldn’t afford it. There must be thousands of dollars in there.

Regardless, I’m not sure this announcement by Scout sits well. Or maybe the head of Karma’s very small police force has heartburn.

It is one of those days.

Or maybe he didn’t like what he found out about Evan’s background.

Or, god forbid…maybe he found out that it’s a fake name.

My heart sinks to the pit of my stomach.

It only takes a second for my thoughts to turn dark. What if there is something bad in his records?

But then I realize his glare is aimed at Peter, not Evan or his friend.

A weird tension crackles between the two older men—two figureheads in Karma.

Do they have some kind of problem?

When I can’t take the glaring silence any longer, I speak up. “Is everything okay?”

Peter, never taking his eyes off the chief nods. “I’m sure it will be.”

The tension grows until I’m about to peel out of my skin.

“A word with you, Willometa.Outside.” Peter’s tone leaves no room for mistake—this isn’t an option.

After that, the only sound in the entire building is the wobbly ceiling fan. That and the whooshing of blood in my ears.

If this were an old western movie, any second one of these two would quick-draw on the other in an old school style shootout.

Clutching my throat, I lean against the wall. “Can someone please do something before the building melts from all this tension?!”

I swear, I may never leave home after today.

After slicing a sharp look at each of us, Chief Willometa hitches his pants and follows Peter out of the building.

The second they’re outside, Scout deadpans, “That was fun.”

“Oh, my god, what is going on in this town?” I sag more against the wall. “I didn’t know what was going to happen. For a minute there, I thought I was going to pass out from the tension.”

Scout looks totally amused. “I don’t know what’s going on here, but it’s got my interest. Storm, man, it didn't take you long to get yourself in hot water, again.”

Storm?

I must look confused again because Evan says, “Remember, Storm is my nickname from the Teams.”

“The Teams, what’s that?” I ask as I hurry across the jail.

“The SEAL Teams,” Scout says loudly enough for me to hear him.

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