Page 101 of Rescuing Mia

“I suppose it is.” I rock back on my heels and return the fierceness of his stare with a harder, colder, and more resolute one of my own.

“Is that a yes?” Blake glances anxiously at me. “You gonna join the team?”

“Depends.”

“On what?” Ethan asks.

“What are your orders? What are your plans? What will you do with Mia now that you have her?”

Ethan’s gaze hardens, not aggressively, but rather calculating.

Assessing.

I know what he’s thinking.

Hell, I know what they’re all thinking, but there’s no way in hellI’m letting Mia out of my sight. I’m also not so stupid as to ignore the help these people provide.

“Our plans depend upon you.” CJ fixes me with a stare. “What’s your answer to our job offer.”

“Nah, that’s not how this is going to work.”

“What do you mean?”

“Only that Mia’s my priority. I’m grateful for the job offer—extremely grateful—and it sounds like exactly what I want to do, but I’m not accepting an offer like that without a hell of a lot more information. Information like what are your orders? What are your plans? And what are you going to do with Mia now that you have her?” I repeat my previous questions.

“Well, if you’re looking for a little excitement in your life, you came to the right place,” Hank says with a grin. “Stick with us, and you’ll never be bored.”

Forest and CJ exchange glances, then nod as if making a decision.

“Things will be easier if you’re on our team.” CJ’s not letting this rest.

“I say, kill two birds with one stone,” Ethan jumps in. “Charlie team is a man down. You’re obviously not going to leave Mia, and we could use a sixth man. Work this mission with us, get an idea of what it means to be a Guardian, and when this is all over and done, we can talk about making things permanent.”

“Well, one thing will answer a lot of my questions.”

“Ask away.” Ethan spreads his arms, welcoming my questions.

“How does a private organization get involved in something like Mia?”

“The embassy in Manila contacted us.” Forest leans forward, answering my question, the seriousness of the situation etching deeper lines into his stoic expression. “A critical asset was in danger. An embassy operative lost his life while trying to bring Mia in. They needed to make the impossible possible while not appearing to be aiding and abetting the defection of a Chinese national. That’s where we come in. Hostage rescue is our forte, and making the impossible possible is right up our alley.”

“How did you orchestrate Mia’s extraction? I can only imagine the miles of red tape.”

“We cut right through red tape.” Blake tugs on his ear. “Seriously, when I told you we’ve got crazy tech on our side, it wasn’t an exaggeration.”

I digest this in silence.

“The operative’s death in Manila put Mia at immediate risk,” CJ says, “and sad to say it, but it proved her value.”

“To the U.S.?”

“To the world.” Forest clears his throat and crosses his arms. “We’re predominantly a hostage rescue operation. Yet, our scope often broadens to assist the FBI, CIA, and other agencies, requiring our unique skill set for rapid, covert actions. Things that can’t go into any books.”

“What’s your understanding of Mia’s situation?” CJ asks.

The question hangs in the air, charged with an unspoken challenge. His tone is as frigid as his ice-blue eyes.

“Enough to know that people are after her,” I respond firmly, my gaze unwavering. The simplicity of my answer disguises the depth of my knowledge, a strategic choice to gauge their response.

---