There was a stark pause and then, “Ethan Michael McAllister, please tell me you aren’t serious.”
“Whoa! Why you middle naming me?”
“Apollo, the entirepremiseof this mission’s success begins with your team swimming to the island one mile northwest of the one on which you’re about to land. And you just told me you forgot your freaking wet suit!That’swhy I’m middle naming you.”
“Actually, I posed a hypothetical question. You assumed I was making an admission of guilt.”
Shadow waited a beat before asking, “Et, tu, Apollo?”
Beckett laughed along with Apollo and Falcon before doing his best to ease the sweet woman’s damaged ego.
“Look at it this way, Shadow.” He softened his tone. “You’re like our little sister, and as such, it’s our big brotherly duty to tease you every once in a while.”
“You really expect me to buy that line of cra?—”
She started to call him on his shit, but Shadow never got the chance thanks to Digger’s growled interruption.
“She’s not our sister, and this isn’t a fucking family reunion. So how ’bout you guys shut the hell up and let the woman do her job so that we can do ours.”
The cabin grew silent as Beckett and the others shared a collectivewhat the helllook. The guy had never been the happy-go-lucky type, but this felt like something else. And unfortunately, Beckett couldn’t catch a bead on what that something was.
“Sorry about that, Shadow,” he offered sincerely. “Please…continue.”
“Thanks, Bones.” She cleared her throat and resumed their mission review. “As I was saying, after you swim to the target location, both teams will work together to eliminate the threat and ensure the safety of the hostage. And in case any of you need a refresher on him, too, the hostage’s name is Isak mar Rahal. He’s a billionaire software designer who happens to be the tenth richest man in the world, and he’s also one of our clients.”
“Exfil still on as planned?” Falcon double-checked with their resident genius.
“Affirmative,” Shadow confirmed. “Once the property has been secured, the other team will swim back to point A, get their chopper, and then fly back to pick you guys up. After that, you and Mr. Rahal will bring that bougie jet of yours back home. Any questions?”
“I have one.” Beckett decided to go for one more playful shot before the woman disconnected the call. Sitting up a bit straighter, he asked her, “You ever gonna tell us your real name, or do you plan on keepin’ us guessin’ forever?”
Digger’s intense gaze shot his way about a half-second before those of his other two teammates. They didn’t really talk about the fact that no one knew who Shadow was. It was like this unwritten rule or some shit.
But one of these days…
“Nice try, Bones.” Shadow sounded more amused than anything. “But it’s gonna take a whole lot more than some smooth-talkin’ cowboy to uncover my deepest, darkest secrets.”
“Yeah, Bones,” Falcon joined back in. “Besides, if she was going to tell anyone on the team her real name, it would be me.”
“You?” Beckett shot the man an incredulous stare. “Why the hell would she tell you over me?”
“Or me?” Apollo looked over at them both.
From beneath his breath, Digger released a few grumbled curses as he shook his head in obvious frustration. He opened his mouth, probably to chew their asses for starting shit again, but Shadow never gave the man a chance.
“You know, Falcon,” she spoke to their lead sniper directly. “I get that you and Apollo were just following Bones’ lead at the beginning of this cute little game of yours. But while I expect that kind of boyish and immature behavior from the likes of those two, hearing you join in is just…” A click of the woman’s tongue preceded a dramatic exhale. “Well. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed.”
The steady humming of the plane’s high-tech engines was the only sound filling the otherwise silent cabin. Two full seconds passed before Beckett lost the fight and started to laugh. Apollo and Falcon joined in almost immediately.
Digger refrained, as usual. But even though the big grump didn’t laugh, Beckett could’ve sworn the man’s lips twitched with a ghost of a smirk.
Maybe there’s hope for him yet.
“All kidding aside”—Shadow got back down to business—“you’ll be landing in like fifteen minutes. Does anyone have anyrealquestions before your wheels touch ground, or are you good with the plan as it sits?”
Sitting up a little straighter, their team leader asked, “What about the pirates? Any change where they’re concerned?”
“Satellite feed is still showing a total of eighteen active heat signatures in and around the targeted location,” the woman who served as Tac-Ops’ overwatch shared. “Twelve are positioned around the perimeter of Rahal’s mansion…two tangos at each of the structure’s four main corners, two at the front door, and two in the rear. According to the blueprints, the others are inside the mansion near the home’s great room. As of right now, I’mnot picking up anyone else on or around the entire island, so between the ten of you, it should be a quick in and out.”