Leather & Lace- THE SPECTER SERIES [book five]

Chapter FORTY

Ace Greyson

Donald Redlend stands there beside a ghostly pale Iris, looking every bit the smug prick I remember.. Seeing her now, I feel like a complete asshole for not noticing how unwell the bosslady has been.. Now I feel like maybe we had all taken her for granted, not quite appreciating everything she does to look out for us, even with all the messes our dumbasses have made over the years..

Like a proud lioness, Iris had stood behind each and every one of her agents, fought for us, backed us uo and gone to bat for us time and time again.. And we failed her..

Hunter takes the news hard.. And while I can tell he's pissed about Redlend being back in command of our lives, he is shaken by the truth..

In our line of work, questioning your own mortality often comes in the form of a sudden death, a bullet.. But this.. A slow, drawn out suffering at the hands of an invisible enemy that can't just be beaten into submission.. The sobering reality is rattling, even for guys like us.. And I'd imagine, for a woman like Iris, its hell..

"What is it with the women around here and all their fucking secrets!?" Axe paces the bullpen floor in front of where we all stand around, waiting for the bosslady to continue filling us in on the conditions of her leave, and Redlend's temporary enstatement as Spectre's Chief Director..

She leans tiredly against the edge of one of the zeta agent's desks, her oversized sunglasses covering half her ashy face, her bony hand clasped around a crinkled plastic water bottle that she sips like a sparrow from every few minutes.. "I felt it was better for you all to focus on your assignments.. And after the alloted twelve month period, if I am still not fit enough to return, Donald will find a suitable stand in so that he may return to Langley.."

Ellerie Devereux, the tiniest, deadliest woman in a pink pantsuit to ever exist, folds her arms across her chest.. As Iris' second in command, it's no surprise she is shitty about being left in the dark.. But I say nothing, not giving away any sign that I has known all this was coming as I lean against the wall..

Lacey had told me about Iris in confidence, and there is no point in disclosing the timeline of my finding out here..

Lacey stands beside me, her tiny fingers tucked possessivly into the belt loop of my jeans as she watches the tension unfolding around us, her concerned grey eyes fixed on Iris..

"I don't see what we need HIM for?!.." Devereux glares at her competition.. Clearly displeased with Redlend being selected over her..

I don't really blame her, between Alpha Team, Delta Force and the Bravo Boys, she is the hardest worker at Specter.. Hunter grumbles.."We fucking don't need him.. And you should have told us, Iris.. Goddammit, woman!.. I wouldn't have given you so much shit.. You know that.."

I understand his irritation.. In all our time at the CIA, Redlend had been Axe's handler.. And he had sent him out for some pretty fucked up shit.. It took him years to tell me anything about his time undercover in the Bratva and once he did.. Well, I could understand his want to get out of the CIA after that..

I think the guy is a lot like his sister in that respect.. Full of secrets that he keeps around just to haunt himself with..

I get it.. I used to be the same way.. But something about taking a beating within an inch of your life, and being told you'll never walk again provides a new perspective on everything..

Things you hadn't appreciated before, suddenly seem like this vibrant blessing.. And things that had weighed you down.. Well, they dont seem as important..

Iris sighs.. "Perhaps.. But what is done, is done.. I expect you all to fall in line and not make this anymore of an inconvenience than it already is.. Redlend comes highly recommended and--"