Read Online Operation Zulu Redemption: Hazardous Duty - Part 3 by Ronie Kendig - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Ronie Kendig
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Trace gave a slow nod. “That’s one way of looking at it.”
“Do the girls know?”
“No, and they won’t. We’re making progress, but we need to speed things up.” Trace stretched his neck. “We need to get the Lorings back to the bunker and get every mote of dust out of their brains about Misrata.”
“Still don’t get why they weren’t listed among the survivors.”
“There was a lot wrong with the information provided,” Trace countered.
“True.” Boone nodded, lips pursed as he seemed to think through things. He sighed and met Trace’s gaze. “Kinda strange, the way The Turk sent Mr. Loring to Téya, don’t you think?”
“Definitely. She’s going to answer for that,” Trace said, a warning in his words.
“Think The Turk will be a problem?”
“
I’m
going to be a problem. She broke the rules. She stepped outside to do what she wanted. She put everyone in jeopardy,” Trace said.
“And if she hadn’t, we wouldn’t have found Loring.”
After shooting him a look, Trace pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’m getting too old for this stuff, Boone-Dawg. I feel like I’m trying to corral second-graders.”
Up the aisle a bit, the Squid scooted across the seat. Angled around to face Annie. He said something softly to her, and she slowly met his gaze. She seemed to be considering something. Maybe he’d asked a question. Or commented on something. Her expression seemed pained, what with her knotted eyebrows and tormented eyes. That’s when she finally shook her head and looked away.
“What about the Squid?” Boone asked as the Squid sat straight and pushed his gaze out the night-darkened window. “Annie didn’t give him the reception he expected.”
“She never does,” Trace muttered.
“What’s that about anyway?” Boone muttered. “Why’s she ignoring him?”
“Annie compartmentalizes. She’s an ace at it, which is why she’s good at ops.” Closing his eyes, Trace leaned back against the white leather seat. “He stepped into the wrong box, and she can’t cope with him being in this part of her world.”
“So, what? They’re over?”
Without a word, Trace pushed out of his seat. Away from the Squid. Away from the girls who sat two seating groups up from Boone. Away from Boone and this conversation.
It didn’t take a genius to see the pleasure Trace took in Annie’s cold shoulder toward the SEAL. But Boone struggled to figure out why his buddy didn’t make the move he so clearly wanted to make. To fix that bridge he’d wrecked five years ago.
Maybe that’s what perturbed Annie, too. Not so much the compartmentalization but the fact that with Squid back in the picture, the chances were rickety that she could figure things out with Trace. Even now, her gaze trailed Trace to the rear of the plane.
They’d set the girls loose on an unsuspecting populace five years ago, and each of them had found a romantic interest at one time or another—well, all except Noodle. The pretty little thing didn’t lack for looks or sweetness, so he wasn’t sure why she stayed single. Maybe the men she met were afraid of the siren who could slay with looks and a Remington 700. Boone found himself grinning. Noodle’s pale blue eyes came to his and something in his chest knocked funny.
Annie
Annie saw Trace stalk to the back of the plane and hurried after him, careful to slide by Sam without looking. She hated herself. Hated being
right here
with him and wanting nothing more than to jump out the nearest emergency exit. He confused her. Mixed her up too much by being on this mission.
With his back to her, Trace stood at the small galley fridge guzzling a bottle of water. He lowered the bottle and met her gaze, lowering it the rest of the way slowly.
In her periphery, she could still see Sam, so she took a step forward, though it put her almost toe-to-toe with Trace. “
What
is he doing here?” she demanded.
After swallowing the rest of the water, Trace tossed the
“Do the girls know?”
“No, and they won’t. We’re making progress, but we need to speed things up.” Trace stretched his neck. “We need to get the Lorings back to the bunker and get every mote of dust out of their brains about Misrata.”
“Still don’t get why they weren’t listed among the survivors.”
“There was a lot wrong with the information provided,” Trace countered.
“True.” Boone nodded, lips pursed as he seemed to think through things. He sighed and met Trace’s gaze. “Kinda strange, the way The Turk sent Mr. Loring to Téya, don’t you think?”
“Definitely. She’s going to answer for that,” Trace said, a warning in his words.
“Think The Turk will be a problem?”
“
I’m
going to be a problem. She broke the rules. She stepped outside to do what she wanted. She put everyone in jeopardy,” Trace said.
“And if she hadn’t, we wouldn’t have found Loring.”
After shooting him a look, Trace pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’m getting too old for this stuff, Boone-Dawg. I feel like I’m trying to corral second-graders.”
Up the aisle a bit, the Squid scooted across the seat. Angled around to face Annie. He said something softly to her, and she slowly met his gaze. She seemed to be considering something. Maybe he’d asked a question. Or commented on something. Her expression seemed pained, what with her knotted eyebrows and tormented eyes. That’s when she finally shook her head and looked away.
“What about the Squid?” Boone asked as the Squid sat straight and pushed his gaze out the night-darkened window. “Annie didn’t give him the reception he expected.”
“She never does,” Trace muttered.
“What’s that about anyway?” Boone muttered. “Why’s she ignoring him?”
“Annie compartmentalizes. She’s an ace at it, which is why she’s good at ops.” Closing his eyes, Trace leaned back against the white leather seat. “He stepped into the wrong box, and she can’t cope with him being in this part of her world.”
“So, what? They’re over?”
Without a word, Trace pushed out of his seat. Away from the Squid. Away from the girls who sat two seating groups up from Boone. Away from Boone and this conversation.
It didn’t take a genius to see the pleasure Trace took in Annie’s cold shoulder toward the SEAL. But Boone struggled to figure out why his buddy didn’t make the move he so clearly wanted to make. To fix that bridge he’d wrecked five years ago.
Maybe that’s what perturbed Annie, too. Not so much the compartmentalization but the fact that with Squid back in the picture, the chances were rickety that she could figure things out with Trace. Even now, her gaze trailed Trace to the rear of the plane.
They’d set the girls loose on an unsuspecting populace five years ago, and each of them had found a romantic interest at one time or another—well, all except Noodle. The pretty little thing didn’t lack for looks or sweetness, so he wasn’t sure why she stayed single. Maybe the men she met were afraid of the siren who could slay with looks and a Remington 700. Boone found himself grinning. Noodle’s pale blue eyes came to his and something in his chest knocked funny.
Annie
Annie saw Trace stalk to the back of the plane and hurried after him, careful to slide by Sam without looking. She hated herself. Hated being
right here
with him and wanting nothing more than to jump out the nearest emergency exit. He confused her. Mixed her up too much by being on this mission.
With his back to her, Trace stood at the small galley fridge guzzling a bottle of water. He lowered the bottle and met her gaze, lowering it the rest of the way slowly.
In her periphery, she could still see Sam, so she took a step forward, though it put her almost toe-to-toe with Trace. “
What
is he doing here?” she demanded.
After swallowing the rest of the water, Trace tossed the
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