Page 38 of Soldier, Tailor, Spy

“And well.”

“Where is Oscar? What’s this R.O.O.T. you’re talking about and what base?” Ethan looked at everyone in the truck, but his gaze landed on Declan. As much as the boy looked like Ginger, there were traces of Oscar there, too. He must have seen it.

“I could kill him, if it would make things easier,” Mr. Yamamoto said, drawing Jake’s attention.

“Later, old man. We have questions for him too. Mainly about Oscar. I’m finding the more cans we open; the more information falls out.” Jake hit the gas as he merged onto the freeway, heading toward the base.

When they exited a few miles later, they had to go through several checkpoints until he gained access to the underground parking lot. After parking his truck, he took his mismatched family to the elevator and called the car.

Jake dropped his family back in the same apartment in the family wing, with a plus one. He had to give Mr. Yamamoto credit. The old man knew shit was deep. He didn’t ask to see his son. Instead, he was keeping both Fawn and Declan occupied.

“If you need something, make a list and get it to the same people who assisted you the last time you were here.” He turned to leave; instinct told him needed to go to C&C as soon as possible.

“Jake,” she called out, stopping him from leaving. “Be safe.”

He chuckled. “Always am, Gingersnap.” He snapped his fingers at Ethan. “You’re with me.”

When the doors opened to C&C, it was mass chaos, along with personnel packing shit up. People were working two or three to a station. Noah stood off to Asher’s right, and for a second or two, he felt a moment of longing. That had always been his spot, and if he hadn’t acted like such a massive douchebag, he’d still be there.

Pulling up his big boy pants, he stepped onto the floor, catching Asher’s intense gaze immediately. The Commander of R.O.O.T. waved him over. He gave the man beside him a curious look. “We need to stash him somewhere. Says he’s looking for Oscar.”

Asher blinked. “The fuck?” He held up his hand while scrubbing his face. “Put him in the conference room. I’ll get one of the guys to sit on him for now.”

Jake grunted. “You heard him.” He strode toward the conference room and sat Ethan in the chair. “If you know what’s good for you, you won’t say another word until I come back.”

When he returned to Asher’s side, his boss clued Jake in to what had happened to his fellow teammates, in between barking out orders and taking information through the device in his ear.

“What do you need me to do?” he asked when Asher was done.

“Assist the other teams and run point with Noah.”

“On it,” Jake replied.

“Where is your early morning visitor? Here I hope?” Asher inquired.

“With Ginger and the kids,” he answered.

“Does he know we have his son?” Noah asked, even though his focus was on the computer screen in front of him.

“Told him on the drive-in. Figured if he was going to be here, best to know.” He focused on the many monitors on the main wall. “Didn’t want him doing something stupid, like trying to find his son, or even better attempt to break him out. He also said something about turning himself in. Couldn’t have that yet.”

Noah snorted.

“He’s a crafty old man.”

Asher smirked. “Which is why I told you to bring him with you.” Asher gestured to the black screen off to the right. “We captured a couple of guys. Alex and Maggie are preparing to interrogate them.”

“Asher,” Turner hollered from his station, drawing all their attention to where their teammate sat. “Did you call Duncan back too?”

“No need. His cover hasn’t been blown as far as I’m aware. Why?” Asher asked.

Turner rubbed at the back of his neck. “He’s at the gates, requiring assistance.”

Which was a fancy term for asylum.

“Who is with him?” Asher asked, his focus on the monitor as he cocked his head to the side as if he had x-ray vision and could see through the blackened-out windows.

“Enzo, Bella, and EZ are in the car with him,” Turner stated. “He said to tell you he had a visitor at their house in Florida who shouldn’t know what state he was in, let alone his fucking address.”

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