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Inside HQ, one of the guys worked a bottle opener like a bartender and passed out Cokes to the small croe clicked bottles and drank I drainedthe adrenaline breakdohich could make anyone feel nauseous I accepted a second bottle Then I thanked theain "Seriously, y’all I appreciate the sentiment But you do not abandon your post without specific orders or danger to the target I was in a Clan Pellissier ar but a rocket launcher, and even then, I’d have soht without intel For all you know, soto draw you out the door and take you all down"

"Yes,"Next tinized hioire’s new people from Atlanta, but I couldn’t recall his naet my title back, I’ll make sure of that upon order of the Enforcer," I said, this ti steel and some of the leftover adrenaline into my voice His eyes slid to the side "I was in an armored vehicle Afterward, I had an armored vehicle betweenvests" I poked his chest hard enough to leave a bruise, so he’d think about what a bullet ht have felt like "He could have mowed you all down Dead heroes are useless to me, people I need people who think"

I setmy arms out to the side "Inspect my weapons and add theuns currently on the preroup back from battle to proper protocol

Protocol Aardvark, Procedure B was still in effect, and I had weapons, which always made me feel better, even when I couldn’t use the the nine back into s out of the vehicle and ets the SUV See that a new vehicle is made ready for my use and placed out back"

A female said, "Yes, ma’am I’ll take care of it" She was blond, and I re shot at I forgave

I looked at the snarky man and said, "There’s an empty camera mount on the outer wall at the corner Find out why the cahtfall"

The hard- back in the way that only time in the military can produce "Yes, ma’am On it"

I let out an Eli-worthy s, thank you" With no further words, I picked up the Coke and a headset that would allow me to interact with security andbehind id air that chilled my sweat-damp body It wasn’t really cold I knew that But my body didn’t, not yet I shivered hard and finished off the Coke, leaving the e would put it in the recyclables

I stared into the elevator door’s reflective, polished surface I didn’t normally stare at myself in an elevator, or anywhere for that ood look I hadn’t rebraidedout everywhere I had dark circles under my eyes, and frown lines pulled down on ood word, co on fuer, and annoyance I smoothed ed with a text that said, The SoD was on fire when Brute and he fought The text was froh the data did nothing forand ended up as loose threads of information that never went anywhere

I stepped out on the main floor and dialed Del, Leo’s prih she sounded perfectly alert and composed when she answered I interrupted her pleasantries with, "I was just shot at in front of HQ I need Leo Get his butt out of bed and into his office, now" Face growing tight, jaw knotted, I ended the call and took the stairs to Leo’s office, not wondering why people were er

Leo’s office was locked, a proble the dead-latch plunger and the latch bolt free fro off changing out the cheap lock for one of the new ripe about not being able to get into his office easily Maybe the broken lock would change his mind

I stood in front of Leo’s desk and sla forward, supporting myself on one fist as I spread them for view A tapestry a pants and knit top ense An angry king

He race and took his chair, deliberately placing hiesture that clearly said he didn’t need bogus gestures of height to be more important than er stabbed the deed "Why didn’t you tell me Joses Bar-Judas, aka Joseph Santana, aka Jesreal St Anna, once owned this property?"

"I didn’t know, Jane Yellowrock, who is no longer my Enforcer," Leo said softly "Had I known, I would have so informed you"

Which took all the furious wind out of my sails and left ht the dying Son of Darkness here They knew that the European Mithrans would hold us all responsible if they found out what had happened and that we had their leader prisoner They would cast us into the day for the actions that resulted in his injury and imprisonment" Leo looked down to his hands and back to me, his face so very human and pensive It was either a very real and huo, and yet only yesterday, there ays to hide s that are ital caes"