Page 8 of Leading Conviction
“Yup, one and the same. He’s young, but good. Cool, icy calm under pressure. I trust him with my life.”
Eagle’s brows raised at the blond Viking’s words, shocked the guy was chiming in at all. It wasn’t every day the man spoke, let alone vouched for someone. After a stunned second, Eagle grinned his approval.
“Excellent. Reach out to him. Feel him out as to whether he’d be a good fit and would even want to join.”
Draco grunted his assent just as the conference room door opened to reveal General Richard Smithers standing within the frame. Eagle’s hand shot up to his forehead in salute, and all his men stood at once to do the same.
General Smithers had a not-so-subtle smile as he marched toward Eagle at the front of the room. It wasn’t until the General turned with his hands settled behind his back and his perusal of the room was finished that he finally spoke.
“At ease. Take your seats.”
At the command, Eagle’s shoulders relaxed along with the rest of his team, except for Hawk. The man was always on alert at work. He’d be a great team lead for MF7 if it ever came down to it.
“Soldiers… welcome to MF7.”
The men replied their thanks nearly in unison.
Eagle beamed at his new teammates as General Smithers continued, “Your training begins tomorrow. It will be brutal, but what I hear from your new team lead—Captain Greene, here—you can take it. The missions you’re about to embark on will be dangerous, for you and any loved ones you’ve left back home. Take it from me. I’ve already had to distance myself from my own daughter in order to protect her. If you have any ties, it’s time to cut them now.”
Eagle’s lips parted in shock. He shot his gaze to his new boss, but General Smithers’s eyes were focused entirely on Hawk as he made the order. Hawk had been holding out on breaking the news to Hannah that he was leaving but breaking it off entirely had never been the plan.
“Cutties?” Hawk spat out, as if the words were as bitter as the acrid taste on Eagle’s own tongue. His best friend’s burning charcoal eyes snapped to his. “Eagle, you never said anything aboutendingthings. Delta Force doesn’t even do that.”
Eagle opened his mouth to defend himself, to assure his friend he’d thought it was just a goodbye, too, but General Smithers butted in.
“MF7 is a top-security clearance, off-the-books team. What you’ll be doing is even more under the radar than Delta. That’s why I wanted the best of the best. Cutting all ties, essentially being dead to the world as you know it, is how you’ll ensure the safety of good citizens back home. The clandestine nature of this operation is the only way you’ll be able to eradicate human trafficking outside and inside this country.”
Athumpresounded against the carpet as their pilot, Phoenix, dropped his chair back onto all four legs after sitting in it balanced on two.
“Wait,thiscountry?” he asked. His tan face had paled slightly and he turned his ball cap backward as if doing so could help him see better. “As in the United States of America?”
General Smithers rolled his eyes. “Obviously, Officer Santori. And remove that godforsaken hat. Do you think I wore my uniform just to see you dressed like a slob?”
Even as Phoenix complied and tossed the hat onto the table, he scowled, muttering something about uniforms and being a secret organization.
But their comms sergeant, Snake, didn’t let it go. The guy had black hair and looked like an even more buttoned-up version of Clark Kent. He even acted like the comic book reporter with his drive to learn everything.
Snake pushed up his glasses and frowned as he continued the line of questioning. “But the military doesn’t engage in conflict on our own soil. Our job is to defend this country, not fight it. We’re not meant for domestic affairs…”
“Of courseotherunits aren’t. But you will be.” General Smithers sighed his annoyance, as if the smartest guy in the room hadn’t just made an extremely valid point. “That’s why I said your team is ‘off-the-books.’ This is the big leagues, boys. You’ve got the highest security clearance possible in the land. Human trafficking operations are insidious and can rot our very own chain of command. There will be no records kept after a mission is completed, and what will be documented will be doctored in all government accounts to show you were on routine jobs. Meanwhile, you’ll be making and picking off enemies left and right, powerful ones that could lash out at all the people you love. Cutting loose ends is the only solution.”
Anger welled in Eagle’s chest and he opened his mouth to argue, but Hawk beat him to it. He leapt up from his chair, one hand balled into a fist at his side and the other pointing accusingly at the General.
“Hannahis not a ‘loose end.’ I know you hate the fact that I’m dating your daughter. You made it clear when I asked for your blessing.”
His blessing?The phrase dropped like a stone in the pit of Eagle’s stomach. He’d had no idea Hawk was going to finally pop the question. Eagle gulped back the urge to vomit and focused on the anger in Hawk’s deep voice.
“You’re a great soldier, Captain, but not good enough for my daughter. The fact you thought I’d ever bless a union between you and my Hannah was delusional.Nooneis good enough for my Hannah,” General Smithers hissed.
Hawk shook his head and stepped back, dropping his hand to his side. Even with several feet between them, Hawk was formidable in his own right and still towered over General Smithers.
“Make no mistake, General. I only wanted yourblessingto marry your daughter because it’s the right thing to do. But, we don’t need your permission. No matter what you said, I love her and I’m not fucking going anywhere. If this is your attempt at getting rid of me—”
General Smithers lunged forward to get in Hawk’s face, or at least tried to. Eagle’s friend had several inches and about thirty pounds on the guy. Hawk never flinched, but Eagle’s adrenaline was off the charts. If Hawk fought his own commanding officer, what the hell would happen to him? To Hannah? She’d be left all alone…
The thought lit a forbidden flare of hope in his chest, but he snuffed it out. Hawk was lucky enough to have the type of love Eagle had always selfishly pined for. Unfortunately, Hawk was also the very reason he could never have it.
“You think I’m fucking around?” The General stabbed his finger into his own chest. “That I won’t be doing the same exact thing when one of these trafficking bastards tries to come afterme? Don’t be a fool, Captain Black. Your affiliation with MF7 will only endanger Hannah. Youwillend things with her. That’s what you signed up for when you committed to this team. Backing out now would be desertion. Trust me, I’ll be the judge, jury, and executioner in that court martial and you wouldn’t like the outcome, soldier.”
