Tough Love

Chapter One Hundred Seventeen

Chapter One Hundred Seventeen

Eli's P.O.V.

When all the guys are settled, I say, "Right, we're lead team on this one. No one else knows where the raid is taking place. They'll find out right before we leave. Security is so tight on this and I will be asking everyone to hand their cells in before the briefing tomorrow afternoon. I have to include you all in that as well so it doesn't look like I'm favoring you guys. It's going to be a tough one to breach, so we all need to be on the ball one hundred and fifty percent. No mistakes, no day dreaming. Everything has to be accounted for and planned for. I'm sure it's not going to go like a routine raid, so keep on your guard at all times..."

I proceed to point out all the armed guards, keeping watch, and then let Arrow talk them through the route we're taking, the best way to breach and all of our backup plans. We've planned four ways to enter the building, just in case something goes sideways. We're not losing this opportunity because we probably won't ever get another one like it.

Once Arrow is finished, I say, "Everything by the book, guys. If we don't get this right, they'll shut down this place and use somewhere else but they'll be even more careful and we'll have completely lost our chance. We need to make this right for Dani and for our whole team. Everyone must be careful and watch each other's backs. Let's do this without any casualties. We're still gathering intel, so we'll brief again tomorrow."

After the recon meeting is done, we get to the new house at 10pm. The lights are on, so my mom must still be there. I smell food as we walk through the door and I turn to Dani, "Did my mom say she was staying until we got home?"

She shrugs, "Not to my knowledge."

"Ma?"

"In the kitchen, guys."

I know my mom can be pushy and interfering, but she's also pretty amazing. She's unpacked the kitchen boxes and has cooked us dinner. Just as I'm about the thank her, my pops appears in the doorway.

"Connie, all the boxes are in the right rooms... Oh, hey guys. We weren't expecting you back til really late."

"Did you two seriously do all of this work?"

My mom smiles, "Of course we did. We know you can't take any time off yet, so we thought we'd help you out. The place has been cleaned and all the boxes are in the correct rooms. We haven't unpacked anything except the kitchen and the bed hasn't been made yet. Your pops thought you guys would want to build that yourselves."

"Of course they do. It's character building."

I chuckle, "I don't think building a bed is going to ruin what we've got, do you Dani?"

"No sir."

Then she whispers, "Have you ever built one before?"

My heart clenches at the innocence of her words. She's never had to build any furniture? I don't comment on it right now; not with my parents here.