Page 22 of Protected By The Green Berets

Wishing there was a way for me to find out for sure, I sighed. Then again… Alden’s words drifted through my mind. What had he meant about a new set of rules here? The image of the four of them standing over me forced itself into my mind. I had to shake it off for fear of melting on the spot.

There wasn’t time to think it over because as soon as we stepped off the last step all eyes were on us. Brandon smiled in welcome and I hurried over to sit next to him.

My team was quiet for the first half of dinner, listening to Brandon and I trade war stories. We’d only worked together on missions a few times.

“Heard you got permanently assigned to D.C.,” he said, shoving some noodles into his mouth.

“That’s right. I’m the Army Liaison Agent.”

“Fancy,” he joked.

I laughed along with him. “Boring. Nothing but a bunch of pencil pushers around the office. I miss being out in the field.”

They were all staring at me, I could feel it. I hadn’t mentioned to them it’d been years since I’d been on assignment. It wasn’t so much that I was hiding it… Yeah, okay, I had been. I hadn’t wanted to give them a chance to back out and send me back to D.C. It was too late now that we were already in Seoul.

There were surprised looks on Rush and Torque’s faces, but Keller just looked thoughtful. Alden had slipped his blank mask back on, though every once in a while when our eyes met, heat entered his eyes.

“You must be worth it ‘cause you were a damn good field agent,” Brandon said, shaking his head in disappointment.

Keller spoke for the first time in half an hour. “We’re here to talk about what we discussed on the phone.”

I looked back and forth between the two men, my curiosity raging.

Brandon nodded. “Yeah, I got the information you sent. I had no idea Colby was a U.S. Soldier.” There was something in his tone and I narrowed my eyes. He was lying. We knew each other well enough that I was sure of it. The guys all wore matching expressions so I was also sure they knew it.

“Why are you lying to me, Brando?” Keller said, matter of factly. His tone carried a sharp edge.

He sighed and leaned back in his chair, folding his arms over his chest. “Look. She saved our asses in Tikrit. Dismantled a dirty bomb Roj had left there. Would have taken out the whole city, not to mention the biohazard.”

“Okay,” Keller replied. There was a clear indication in his voice that he was waiting for more information.

“Why didn’t she find the nearest base and explain what had happened?” I was dying to know exactly whathadhappened.

He opened his mouth, then shut it again. Sighing again, he looked pained. “It’d be better to let her explain that to you.”

My eyes widened. “You know where she is? Is she okay?”

“She’s fine,” he responded. “You have time to take a drive before you leave tomorrow?”

“No, but we have time now.” There was no arguing with Keller when he used that tone. Or so I’d learned. Brandon must have realized the same thing.

“Let me check if now works,” he said. He pulled out his phone and tapped away at it. “She came here of her own free will, knowing I was going to be meeting with you.”

“She’s considered AWOL, so right now works.” Alden said, standing up and planting his hands on the table, speaking up for the first time since dinner started. It was a threatening move, though I wasn’t sure why he was acting this way with Brandon. “Why would she agree to meet with us if she wasn’t willing to come back to the Army?”

“They want Roj caught and Colby wouldn’t leave it alone. She knew their information could help you guys find him.”

“They…” Rush interjected. He looked curious and I had to admit, so was I.

Brandon’s eyes shut briefly and he nodded to himself. I knew he was mentally calling himself a dumbass for letting that slip. His phone beeped. Opening his eyes and reading the message, he smiled. “They have time now. Come on, I’ll take you.”

“We’re not going anywhere unless we know what we’re walking into,” Keller told him.

“They’re friendlies.”

“Kind of think we’ll make that determination, Brando,” Torque said.

Brandon gave each of them a disgruntled look. The macho routine wasn’t going to work on him. Even with Alden towering from across the table, looking all intimidating. “You trust me?” Everyone nodded. “Then trust me when I tell you, you have nothing to worry about.”

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