Page 19 of Tempest

Joel turned back to the hangar. “I have a telephone call that I need to return. The FBI team leader has a couple of questions for me.”

“They were kept in the loop during the op. Lance fed them intel as we uncovered it, and Lucky forwarded them the security tapes from the campus that helped us identify the men,” Harris reported. “I didn’t tell them about the help that Katie gave us in narrowing down their probable movements after they snatched her.”

Trevor stood proudly as he slipped his phone out of his pocket. “I’m going to call Katie and tell her that we brought her home.” As he held the phone to his ear, he grinned at the group. “I’m damn proud of my wife.”

“Do you notice that he says wife as often as he can?” Grady asked.

“Your jealousy is showing.” Ryan laughed. “Don’t be bitter because Sara is in no rush to plan a wedding.”

“I told her we could go down to the courthouse and then she wouldn’t have to worry about anything.” Rubbing the back of his head, he kicked his boot against the tarmac. “It didn’t go over well.”

The group laughed and moved into the hangar to get rid of their kits. Harris’s locker sat next to Ryan’s, and they silently divested themselves of their equipment. “Hey, you want to grab a beer and catch the game?” Ryan asked as he unloaded his weapon.

“Sounds good, man. There are only a few of us single guys left, so we’d better stick together. One by one, men fall. The married guys are starting to take over, and the place is going to be overrun by munchkins before we know it.”

“So, are you a committed bachelor?” Ryan asked.

“For now. I see how happy the married guys are, and it’s made me rethink the possibility that someone is out there for me. I guess when it’s supposed to happen, it will.”

“It’s all timing,” Ryan replied. He thought about Ivy and wondered if he was going to have to break every damn clock in the world to make their timing work.

“What happened to you and Ivy? I thought you guys had something going on.” Harris asked.

Peeling his T-shirt over his head, he wiped his face. “Not sure. Haven’t heard much since she went back home. It’s been radio silence for a couple of days, and I don’t want to intrude.”

“Solid move. The last thing you want to do is crowd her.”

Ryan nodded his agreement and took his bag out. “I’m going to grab a shower and then I’ll be ready to go.”

“Roger that,” Harris responded.

Ryan strode over to the locker rooms that had just been installed and wondered for the hundredth time how Ivy was doing. Maybe he’d try giving her a call tonight. After his last unanswered call, he’d backed off. If he could just hear her voice for five minutes and know she was doing okay, then he could relax.

Laughing to himself, he realized that somehow that tiny Texas dynamo had come into his life and taken over his world.

***

Hanging out with Harris had been fun, and he was glad that he was starting to connect with the men at SAI. The only way to be successful in this occupation was to work with men you trusted implicitly. Today had proven that he was starting to become part of the group.

As he drove down the street and parked in front of his house, he saw Gladys and Agnes sitting on their porch with a pitcher of martinis. Those two had more fun than most people half their age. When he got out and waved, they raised their glasses and saluted him. Laughing, he walked up to his house and slipped inside. It had been a long day, but a good one. To be back at it gave him hope that he could cobble together a life worth living. He hoped like hell the girl they saved today would make a full recovery.

As he dumped his bag in the living room, he heard a knock on the door. It must be the ladies from across the street. He opened the door and saw Grady standing there with a serious expression. Nothing good was about to happen. He’d been on platoons with Grady, and if his face looked like that, then shit just got serious. “Should I grab my bag?”

Grady walked past him and remained silent. “I have some news that you’re going to want to hear.”

“Fuck…spit it out.” Ryan walked into the kitchen and leaned his hip against the counter. Crossing his arms, he prepared himself. For what, he didn’t know. But by the looks of it—it was going to be serious.

“Ivy has some problems at home.”

Standing up straight, Ryan felt a cold chill run down his spine. “What kind of problems?”

“Someone took a shot at her.”

Exploding, he moved forward and grabbed Grady’s shirt. “What the fuck? I need to get on a plane.” He looked around frantically and tried to get his brain to function. As he tried to figure out what to do first, he noticed Grady’s look that suggested he get his shit together ASAP.

“For a fucking sniper, you sure are high-strung. Where in the hell is that cool operator that I’ve known for years?”

“Someone just took a shot at Ivy. I don’t have any cool in me.” Ryan huffed.

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