Page 14 of A Dead Man's Pulse
“An orphanage?” Lindsey asked. “We’re not putting any kids in the line of fire, are we?”
Carter shook his head. “No. We wouldn’t do that. Sister Patrice has developed her own network of mercenaries, I guess you can call them, for lack of a better term. They’ll guard the orphanage, but we don’t foresee any issues. You’ll only be sleeping there for appearances. Just watch your backs coming and going from the area. It’s about ten miles from Diaz’s current setup—close enough for your cover to work.”
“Sister Patrice is a friend of mine,” Jordyn added. “It won’t be the first time the orphanage was used for a mission. She’s tough as nails and can take care of her kids.”
“Amen to that.” Ian’s gaze went back to the three agents going on the assignment. “CC will be flying you down to Argentina tomorrow. Polo is putting together everything you’ll need—IDs, communications, weapons, et cetera—while Nathan is fine-tuning an ironclad persona for you, Batman. It’s one that Deimos has been cultivating for years, in case the need ever arose.” Deimos was the agency Carter and Jordyn worked for, and up until a few months ago, none of the others in the room had known it existed. “Everything you need to know about ‘Glen Hamilton’ is in your file. The jet will be loaded and ready for an oh-eight-hundred flight. In the meantime, I put everything we’ve got on Diaz and his current right-hand man, Felix Secada, on your desks. You three can hit that now. Jordyn will fill you in on the details of Sister Patrice’s place in a few. Let me know if you have any questions.”
Dismissed, the trio stood and left the room to dive into what was probably a mountain of intelligence as Ian addressed the rest of them. “Moving on. Boomer and Egghead will be out of town for at least the next seven to ten days on an intel assignment. Devon is also heading out for a few days with Carter and Jordyn on another detail. Now, as you all know, the FBI is finally, finally, going to use us for the Kink Killer investigation instead of leaving us sitting on the sidelines looking pretty. It only took how many months? Whatever. Anyway, the higher-ups fucked Stonewall hard and dry for not utilizing all available resources. While he’s trying to get the plug out of his ass without using his hands, Parrish is in charge. I’ll put $10 in the swear jar later.”
Ian pointed to the remaining members of the Omega Team. “You four will be paired up with LEOs from Tampa PD and the FBI.” LEO was short for a law enforcement officer on either the local, state, or federal level. “Foster and McCabe, your partners have minimal training as submissives for this assignment, while Morrison and Reese, yours have been in the lifestyle for at least a few years. You’ll meet them later today, and then tonight, you’ll start basic Dom training in The Covenant with Polo. Foster and McCabe, I want you and your partners there too, so you all can get to know each other well enough to pass as D/s couples.”
Stunned, Logan managed to keep his outward appearance composed. Dom training? Partnered with a submissive woman who was also an FBI agent or TPD officer? He can’t be serious. Scratch that—he is serious.
As if he’d sensed his agent’s shock, Ian added, “The reason I’m not using the Alpha Team on this is that they’re too well-known in the lifestyle community. Foster and McCabe have only played in The Covenant, and you two haven’t played at all, so no one in the other clubs should recognize you. As for our club, there will be an Alpha Team member present during open club hours. With the security measures we’ve put in place over the past few months, I’m hoping we’ve given this bastard enough deterrents to avoid targeting one of our subs. Reese, your partner had issues with her last one from the FBI—which I’ll discuss with you later—so we’re switching the club she was assigned to. While it’s not unusual for subs and Doms to show up with a new one shortly after ending a contract with another, I don’t want to take chances the UNSUB would question her walking in with someone new. The first few shifts you’ll be doing will be on perimeter watch outside one of the clubs until Polo thinks you won’t be a dumb-dumb Dom. Same goes for you, Morrison. You’ll need to know how to act in there so you don’t draw any scrutiny—it’ll defeat the purpose of being there. Experienced Doms and subs can pick out a newbie like a shark zeroing in on a bucket of chum.”
He paused to check a text message when his cell phone chirped. “All right, that’s it for now. Reese, grab a fresh coffee and have a seat in my office—your partner should be here in a few minutes. Morrison, you’ll be introduced to yours tonight at the club. In the meantime, follow up on that embezzlement case you’re working on. McCabe. Foster. You two head over to the FBI office—Parrish will introduce you to your partners.” Ian stood, signaling the end of the meeting. “Reverend, I need you for a minute.”
As Jake Donovan followed their boss out into the hallway, the others stood and began to disperse. When Devon offered to take JD back from Jordyn, the petite woman shook her head, cuddling the baby closer. “Nope. I’ll keep him while I run over to chat with Angie and Kristen for a bit before we head to the airport. I don’t get to hold him often enough.”
When she left the room, Devon looked at Carter and laughed. “Do I hear a biological clock ticking?”
The spy shrugged as they headed for the door. “I asked, but she wants to wait at least another year or two while we work out the logistics, so we can both continue to take assignments. I just need you guys to continue with the procreations, so she can get her baby fix every now and then.”
Logan was the last one out the door. Taking Boss-man’s advice, he turned left and walked into the small employee kitchen to refill his coffee before ambling back down the long hallway in the other direction to Ian’s office. He’d just sat in one of the guest chairs when Ian strolled in, shutting the door behind him.
“How are things with Doc Dunbar?” his boss asked, taking his seat behind the large, dark wood desk.
Logan had expected this—it had been a while since Ian had asked how the therapy sessions were going. “Good. No problems have popped up lately. But I’m sure she’s already told you that. I like her—she’s as good as Dr. Tennyson.”
“Glad to hear it. I’ve known Trudy for a few years, and she’s helped us with some situations and cases in the past. The doc is also one of the psychologists we refer club members to.”
Logan’s eyebrow shot up in surprise. “She’s into the . . . um . . . lifestyle?”
“No, she’s not, and I wouldn’t have outed her like that without her consent if she were. Members of the BDSM community like their privacy. It’s one of the reasons for the non-disclosure contract you all had to sign.”
The team had also been told if they saw anyone who they knew was a member of The Covenant out in public, they were to act like they didn’t know them or as if they knew them from somewhere else. Ian sat back in his chair. “Look, I know you’re about to get pushed out of your comfort zone, but I think you might benefit from it in addition to dealing with the case. But if you’ve got a problem with it, now is the time to tell me.”
Before Logan could respond, the intercom on the desk buzzed, and Colleen’s voice came through the speaker. “Ian, Officer Swift is here.”
The boss stabbed a red button on the device. “Send her in.” Ian stood and pinned Logan with a stare. “Give it a shot. You’ll have a week or two before you’ll be going into one of the clubs. If you find you can’t do it, let me know—we’ll move people around and leave you on a perimeter detail.”
Unsure of what Ian had meant when he’d said Logan would benefit from learning to be a Dom, Logan figured the assignment wouldn’t have been given to him if it was expected he would fail. Taking a deep breath, he let it out and nodded. “Okay. I’ll give it a try.”
The door behind him swung open, and he glanced over his shoulder to get his first look at the woman he’d be seeing a lot of very soon—literally. A brunette walked in, and not just any brunette, but the hot little number from the coffee shop, who’d basically told him to mind his own fucking business. The woman he’d been thinking about since he’d pulled out of the shopping center and driven to the compound. While her attitude had pissed him off at first, the more he thought about how she’d stood up to him, the more it turned him on. If they’d been in Hollywood, it would have made for a great meet-cute—the scene in a movie when a romantic couple meets for the first time.
Logan grinned as he stood. The day is about to get a lot more interesting.
Chapter Nine
Pulling up to the guard shack and gate in the fence surrounding the Trident Security property, Dakota handed her license and department ID to the man on duty. It was her first time here, and she wasn’t surprised the company with high government clearance had more than adequate security measures. The physically fit guard had to be former military or law enforcement by the way he carried himself. Dressed in tan cargo pants and a navy-blue polo shirt, his eyes were sharp and assessing, even though his demeanor was friendly. Strapped to his hip was a holstered Smith & Wesson .40 caliber handgun. Dakota imagined he could easily handle any problems that may arise on his shift.
After confirming her identity, he opened the gate and waved her through. She drove further up the long driveway until the trees on either side revealed the compound. Sawyer had told her to drive through the second gate on the interior fence that separated The Covenant from the other buildings. If she hadn’t been told what to expect, she’d never have believed the über private kink club was behind the metal and concrete walls of a warehouse.
The second gate slid open as she approached. Glancing around, Dakota spotted several security cameras. Someone had known her vehicle was there and had granted her access to the inner sanctum. She parked next to the first building on that side of the fence as the text message with directions to the compound she’d received had instructed. The place was huge, with two other warehouses further down. In between the buildings, she’d spotted an obstacle course and a helicopter pad with—holy shit.
If Dakota wasn’t mistaken, that bird was an MH-X Silent Hawk. They have a fucking stealth chopper! That is so freaking cool!
Ric was an amateur helicopter pilot who always showed her books, magazines, and internet articles about the latest aircrafts with all the bells and whistles. Her friend and co-worker would be salivating right then if he was there.
