Leather & Lace- THE SPECTER SERIES [book five]

Chapter SEVEN

Ace Greyson

I sit in the small tent, fiddling with the coloured rubix cube that conceals my tracking chip, waiting for the computer to finish running background checks on Sarif's medical team..

The memory of her tiny hands furiously twisting the stupid toy, her delicate blonde brow furrowed in frustration, her nose crinkled in confusion, it makes me chuckle..
Yeah, I don't know if it gets much sweeter than Lacey Paxton..
The girl is all wide eyes and innocence in a way that I find intoxicating..

And I have been thoroughly warned to stay the fuck away from her..

Problem with that is, I've never taken well to being told what to do.. Or blindly following orders.. Call it a rebellious streak, a conscience, or an issue with authority.. Whatever way you look at it.. That shit has never sat particularly well with me..

Even if Lacey's brother is one tough Marine bastard, who most definitely has the capability to have me disappeared without a trace if he felt so inclined..

The guy is also my best mate, and boss.. So you'd think that would make following the rules easier, wouldn't you?..

No fucking way..

I can't act like I didn't jump at the opportunity to follow her halfway across the world, just to make sure she was safe..
I sure as shit did.. Because there's just something about Lacey.. Something that makes her different.. Something that I can't quite put my finger on..
But I'm gunna..

It's not like we even really know each other.. I've seen her around the Specter offices, usually when she's visiting her brother on her study breaks..

Occasionally I'd try to strike up conversation with the pixie-like doctor, but she'd barely let me get a few words out beyond 'hey' before she would blush bright pink and make an excuse to get as far away from me as possible..

I probably can't blame her.. I'm sure her brother has warned her about me.. About the things i've done.. Who I was..

But fuck, when she'd walk into the room, wearing those tight casual jeans and one of her enormous oversized sweaters, she looked damn good.. The combination relaxed and adorable.. And she's always in sneakers.. Because she's obviously a practical minded woman..

Nothing about the way she dressed seemed to cry out for attention, more like the opposite.. It was always like she was trying to hide beneath bundles of knitted sweaters so nobody would see her..

But I always did.. She was impossible to miss..

To be perfectly honest, when Lacey Paxton is in the room, she's just about the only thing I'm looking at..

Breaking me from my thoughts the sat-phone chimes beside one and I pick it up..

There's only three people who know where I am right now.. And only two of them have this number, which really narrows down the callers identity.. If I'm going to be stuck in the middle of nowhere in a crappy tent, I'm at least going to have some fun with it.. I accept the call..

"Greyson.. You there?.." Colt Knox grumbles down the line..

I tuck the coloured cube back into my jacket pocket.. "I sure am, brother.." And I put on my best impression of his thick Alabama accent.. Kind of a long running ribbing between me and Knox, from back when we served in the special forces together.. He fucking hates it.. And I find that, extremely entertaining..

"You're still fuckin' terrible at that.." He scoffs..

I chuckle, enjoying the reaction I double down, hamming it up even more.. "It worked on the Doc.. Sat next to her the entire flight.. Even talked about her new job.."

There is a pause.. "Bullshit.. No way you pulled that off.." He laughs, still sounding somewhat impressed..

Dropping the drawl, I take the piss.. "You're just jealous, cus that bumpkin-ass accent ain't never done you any favors.." I don't mention to him that Lacey was definitely high as a kite on Temazepam on that flight, which is more likely the reason she didn't recognise me..

The analysis checks finish running giving me the all clear on Priya Kareem, Mateo Iglesias and Fleur Lacroix.. They're all clean.. I mean, They're not saints or anything.. Nobody is if you ask me.. There are a couple blips here and there, A DUI, some formal complaints .. But nothing crazy.. they're good enough people..

Doctor Sarif on the other hand, is a little too clean for my liking..

"Kirby is losing her shit.." Colt warns me..

I grin.. Kirby Paxton was the one who sent me here.. Without her husband's knowledge.. So it doesn't surprise me in the least to hear that she's stressed out... After all she is caught in the middle of the siblings, lying to them both..

I can kind of relate.. Neither Paxton knows I'm here, and I don't suspect either of them would appreciate it.. "I'll bet.. You should talk her down off the ledge.. Everything is looking legit.. I haven't seen anything suspicious, the team checks out.. Iris seems to have actually done a good job on this one.. Though, don't repeat that cus--"

A blood curdling shriek pierces the quiet night, before the unrelenting stutter of assault rifle fire sounds in the distance.. A rebel attack... "Fuck..Somethings happening.. Gotta go.." I hang up the phone, Jumping to my feet while checking the magazine in my rifle as I set off at a sprint in the direction of the medical camp, towards the sounds of wailing cries and terrified screams..

....

I had to set up my own equipment far enough away that I wouldn't be seen by the medic's military escorts, after all, my history with the US Marines is a love/hate affair..
Mostly hate..

But now, as I make my way into medial the camp, I'm beginning to think that was a huge mistake.. Staying low and in the shadows I round the tents seeing corpse after corpse on the ground.. I've been to war, I've killed men.. But this.. This is a heavy scene..

My eyes fall on the doctor, standing there frozen in shock, drinking in horror around her.. Her skin white as a sheet, her eyes round and terrified, looking like she is about to hurl..

My first thought is.. How the hell did she survive this?..

I take a step closer, opening my mouth to call out to her when a lingering scout shouts from across the camp.. "HEY!"

There is barely a moment's hesitation before she takes off.. She's fast, way faster than I would have guessed.. I see the rebel turn a sprint after her as she disappears into the trees...

So, I follow, slinging my rifle over my shoulder, the light of the half moon barely illuminating the ground under my feet through the trees..
But up ahead I can hear the heavy footed pace of the rebel slow, as he comes to a stop..

I tread lightly, slowing to a stealthy pace behind him, continuing to prowl forward as he looks around, confused..

Lacey nowhere to be seen.. Slowly pulling the switchblade from my pocket I creep closer.. No sense making a whole bunch of noise when there is no need..

Whistling like a cuckoo bird once I get within a few feet.. "Woot-woo.." Caught completely off guard, he whirls around right as I swing the sharp blade at his throat..

The motion of him spinning causing him to impale himself hard on my knife.. He gargles in surprise as blood pools from his lips..

His face is covered by a ski-mask, but I can still see the fear in his eyes as I yank the blade from his neck in a slitting motion and the rebel crumples into a dying, gurgling heap at my feet..

I step over him, peering into the darkness..
Where the fuck did she go?..
"Lacey?.. Where are ya, Doc?.."