rather have on real clothes and running shoes. She headed to her room and changed quickly, slipping the stun gun into the back of her waist band.
Laura’s eyes quickly adjusted to the dimness of the bar as she entered and took a seat along the long polished wood. The bartender gave her a knowing look and she ordered a soda. No sense in allowing alcohol to dull her wits. He had no sooner placed the drink in front of her when a short, brunette woman sat beside her. “You’re no wolf.”
Laura sipped at her drink and took in the woman’s reflection from the mirror behind the bar. “And you’re no brunette.” She set her drink down and tried not to act nervous. “I’m surprised you’re still here.”
“You mean after that big oaf came and stomped all over the place looking for me?” She snorted a quick laugh. “If he had any kind of nose, he’d have known I was still around.”
“How’d you know about me?” Laura asked, contemplating how quickly she could pull the stun gun from behind her back.
The shorter woman paused and gave her a ‘duh’ stare in the mirror behind the bar. “I smelled you the moment you arrived.”
“And you remembered it from the hangar?”
“From the day I woke up, cold, shivering, dripping wet, and freezing my ass off, yes. Your scent was all over the place down there.” She raised her hand to the bartender and ordered a piña colada. “And now here you are in my little piece of tropical heaven. Care to explain before I rip your liver out?”
Laura grunted a condescending laugh and raised her brows at the woman. “So now you want an explanation?”
“You did come all this way.” She glanced around the bar, “Apparently alone.”
“Yes, I am alone.” Laura finally turned and faced her. “But if you want answers, we need to get one thing clear.”
“Really? And what’s that?”
“Just because I’m not a wolf and came alone, does not mean that I’m defenseless.” Laura gave her the coldest stare that she could muster, one that she reserved for staring down the operators when their tempers threatened to boil over. She watched coldly as the shorter woman appraised her.
Slowly a smile spread across her features as she studied the taller, dark haired woman. “I’ll give you one thing, you got a set on ya, lady.”
“In my line of work, you have to.” Laura turned back toward the bar and picked up her drink. “How about we go someplace a little less busy so we can talk?”
The shorter girl shrugged and slipped off the barstool. “After you.”
*****
Mitchell’s intercom buzzed and Jericho’s voice came through the speaker, “Colonel? Mr. Thompson is on the horn for ya.”
“Jack? Patch him through.” Colonel Mitchell waited for the button on his phone to light up then punched it. “Chief, how’s married life? Have you made me a grand…err, an uncle yet?”
“Negative, sir. Still waiting on the package to arrive.”
“Well, I’m sure it won’t be long now.” Mitchell poured another cup of coffee while listening. “What can I do ya for? I’m sure this isn’t a social call.”
“You’re right on that one, sir. I need to call in a favor.” He didn’t sound as confident as Matt was used to hearing him. He assumed the favor was large.
“Spill it, son. I can’t tell you yay or nay if I don’t know what it is.” Mitchell sipped the coffee and waited.
“I know this may seem a bit unorthodox, sir, but I’m hoping to be able to borrow one of the squads.” Jack sounded more than just hopeful. He sounded nearly desperate.
Mitchell sat forward and stared at the phone, “Run that by me one more time.”
Jack audibly sighed and Matt could hear him shifting something on the other line. “I know this is probably a wasted effort, Colonel, but I need trained men. Men that can handle a HALO jump.”
“I see. And may I ask just what in the hell you intend to do with these men?” Mitchell set his coffee cup down lest he dump
Laura’s eyes quickly adjusted to the dimness of the bar as she entered and took a seat along the long polished wood. The bartender gave her a knowing look and she ordered a soda. No sense in allowing alcohol to dull her wits. He had no sooner placed the drink in front of her when a short, brunette woman sat beside her. “You’re no wolf.”
Laura sipped at her drink and took in the woman’s reflection from the mirror behind the bar. “And you’re no brunette.” She set her drink down and tried not to act nervous. “I’m surprised you’re still here.”
“You mean after that big oaf came and stomped all over the place looking for me?” She snorted a quick laugh. “If he had any kind of nose, he’d have known I was still around.”
“How’d you know about me?” Laura asked, contemplating how quickly she could pull the stun gun from behind her back.
The shorter woman paused and gave her a ‘duh’ stare in the mirror behind the bar. “I smelled you the moment you arrived.”
“And you remembered it from the hangar?”
“From the day I woke up, cold, shivering, dripping wet, and freezing my ass off, yes. Your scent was all over the place down there.” She raised her hand to the bartender and ordered a piña colada. “And now here you are in my little piece of tropical heaven. Care to explain before I rip your liver out?”
Laura grunted a condescending laugh and raised her brows at the woman. “So now you want an explanation?”
“You did come all this way.” She glanced around the bar, “Apparently alone.”
“Yes, I am alone.” Laura finally turned and faced her. “But if you want answers, we need to get one thing clear.”
“Really? And what’s that?”
“Just because I’m not a wolf and came alone, does not mean that I’m defenseless.” Laura gave her the coldest stare that she could muster, one that she reserved for staring down the operators when their tempers threatened to boil over. She watched coldly as the shorter woman appraised her.
Slowly a smile spread across her features as she studied the taller, dark haired woman. “I’ll give you one thing, you got a set on ya, lady.”
“In my line of work, you have to.” Laura turned back toward the bar and picked up her drink. “How about we go someplace a little less busy so we can talk?”
The shorter girl shrugged and slipped off the barstool. “After you.”
*****
Mitchell’s intercom buzzed and Jericho’s voice came through the speaker, “Colonel? Mr. Thompson is on the horn for ya.”
“Jack? Patch him through.” Colonel Mitchell waited for the button on his phone to light up then punched it. “Chief, how’s married life? Have you made me a grand…err, an uncle yet?”
“Negative, sir. Still waiting on the package to arrive.”
“Well, I’m sure it won’t be long now.” Mitchell poured another cup of coffee while listening. “What can I do ya for? I’m sure this isn’t a social call.”
“You’re right on that one, sir. I need to call in a favor.” He didn’t sound as confident as Matt was used to hearing him. He assumed the favor was large.
“Spill it, son. I can’t tell you yay or nay if I don’t know what it is.” Mitchell sipped the coffee and waited.
“I know this may seem a bit unorthodox, sir, but I’m hoping to be able to borrow one of the squads.” Jack sounded more than just hopeful. He sounded nearly desperate.
Mitchell sat forward and stared at the phone, “Run that by me one more time.”
Jack audibly sighed and Matt could hear him shifting something on the other line. “I know this is probably a wasted effort, Colonel, but I need trained men. Men that can handle a HALO jump.”
“I see. And may I ask just what in the hell you intend to do with these men?” Mitchell set his coffee cup down lest he dump
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