Page 127 of No Mistake

“Sam? Everything alright?” Ryan asked.

“Nothing that can’t wait until tomorrow.” Sam took a sip of beer.

“Which means something is up. It won’t be the first time we’ve talked business here. If you need to tell us something, spill,” Dex pushed.

“I can leave.” Ryan went to walk away.

“No need, Ryan. You’re all going to know soon enough. You really want to do this here?”

“We do now. Clearly, whatever it is, isn't good,” Dex said.

Sam sighed and walked a little further away from everyone else; Dex and Ryan followed.

“Mira has been digging through all the intel on Reborn.”

“You made her work on barbecue day?” Dex raised his eyebrows.

“She asked for the work. Something about needing a distraction. I’m not that much of a hard ass.”

Ryan glanced in Tyler’s direction. Nothing going on, my ass. He focused back on what Sam was saying.

“Anyway. There are a lot of mentions of this team. Well, Alpha team. They don’t know about Onyx. There have been a few attempts to access your files.”

“What do you mean access our files?” Ryan asked.

“As in your Navy records, trying to find out more about all of you.”

“Just Alpha?” Ryan didn’t like where this was going.

“Yes.”

“Did they get anything?” Dex asked.

“No. We have protocols in place for this sort of thing, but you guys know as well as I do that won’t necessarily stop them. We need to be extra vigilant for ourselves and everyone we care about.”

“Which means everyone here today,” Ryan muttered, looking back toward the house where everyone was having a good time. “Reborn’s making this personal. They’re coming for us.” Ryan turned back, facing Sam. “We need to know who is in charge now.”

“Yeah, Mira’s been looking into that, too. She thinks she’s worked it out.”

Ryan waited, watching Sam meet Dex’s eyes. “Reyes Lazir’s wife.”

“What? No way a fucking woman is being allowed to run that terrorist organization.”

Ryan thought the same. He didn’t doubt a woman could run it. But Reborn did not allow women in power, ever.

“No. But her very rich, very influential father can.”

“Ah, fuck. Do we know him?” Ryan asked.

“No. Mira is putting a package together. We will be getting to know him.”

The three men stood in silence for a moment.

“Now you wish I hadn’t said anything until tomorrow, don’t you?” Sam attempted to lighten the mood. “Come on. Enjoy the rest of the day. There’s nothing you can do right now. Tomorrow, we’ll make sure everything is locked down and, who knows, maybe we get to go kick down some doors.”

“Now, I like the sound of that.” Ryan grinned, despite feeling anxious about the new threat.

“You need to pass physical first,” Sam mocked.

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