Risk and Rebel

28: THE BEGINNING OF A GAME PLAN

I refused to sit on a couch.

Not that that was really a problem, given that the one our guys sat on could only hold three people at best, and Gunner and Team Bravo had claimed it already. While there was space on the other two couches, that would mean sharing with Gray's mercs, and that would happen just as soon as pigs flew.

Rebel half-straddled an arm of the couch that the boys were on, and I stood on Rebel's other side with crossed arms. I was the only one — aside from Gray — who was standing, though so far as I was concerned, Rebel's position wasn't any more subservient than mine.

Still, Gray was side-eyeing me in a way that clearly communicated he disapproved of my behavior, though he knew not to let that stop him and begun his briefing nonetheless. "As you are all already acquainted," he began, "I am going to jump right into the matter at hand." He looked between all of us and the information wall. "The Kinetic is our newest enemy. Aside from the abrupt assault on LASAR's HQ, I've been trying to pinpoint what other goals they have."

He gestured to the wall then, and I shifted my focus away from him to actually take in the information laid out there.

Nearest the center there were dual headshots of Team Charlie, which were evidently unprofessional. They were both grainy, and seemed to have been taken mid-action, given the slight blur. "As best as I have been able to determine, the Kinetic are attempting to pick apart some of the world's more powerful governments." He turned back to us and clasped his hands behind his back. "This plan seems to have been in the making since before they attacked LASAR. From the information I acquired, it looks like they started with the infiltration of Russia. Several men of high standing in both the government and the military have gone missing — presumed dead — across the past several months.

"Then it appears that they moved on to Great Britain." My eyes followed the images on the wall as he spoke, tracing the clustered photographs of the Russians, down the string that led to Britain. "A new woman has recently been appointed Chief of Defense Staff, with the prior Chief's absence reported as undisclosed. Other minor incidents have occurred in Britain as well, some of which lead my contacts to believe that the Prime Minister's life could be at stake. In the least it looks like he might be a victim of blackmail.

"After Britain, they moved on to the United States—" Gray waved to that section of the wall, "then most recently, suspicious activities have begun to occur in China."

"Why world powers?" Gunner asked.

"Chaos," I suggested, looking back to Gray. "Throw everything into disorder, which gives the heavy hitters and power players the opportunity to come out on top."

"You think they're assuming they will be able to take over once everything is in disarray?" Rashid asked curiously, arching a brow at me.

Rebel snorted derisively at that. "Given Gambler's a pyrokinetic and Aim has advanced senses and reflexes, not to mention their years of advanced training, and their long-term plan and army-building, yeah. It's safe to say they're confident in their abilities."

Desmond paled visibly at that, while Ilga turned hard eyes toward Gray. "You did not inform us that they, too, are super powered," she said, her accent thicker than the other times she had spoken.

Gray shrugged. "In the past it's proved to be a factor that's easy enough to overcome."

"Sure, for Team Alpha," Sergeant scoffed. "For those of us normals — no offense, hooligans—"

"None taken," Rebel and I said simultaneously.

"--it proves to be a tad harder to take the rapscallions down," Sergeant finished.

"I'm not concerned," Charlotte said. The immediacy of her response drew my attention to her. She was leaned back on her couch, observing her nails, seeming unbothered by the entire conversation.

"Nor does a shark typically worry about predators," Legion said lowly, his crystalline eyes bright as he focused on her, "but that doesn't stop it from meeting its demise."

Charlotte made no move to respond to that, though the rest of Gray's mercs fell into quiet discomfort.

"Aim and Gambler's presences have been known factors to us since the beginning," Gray pointed out calmly. He turned his ever-steady gaze toward Rebel and I. "Your presence keeps them from being of concern."

"Flattering," Rebel drawled, sarcasm thick even in the one word.

Gray ignored him. "Back to the matter at hand. From everything I have gathered, it would appear that one of their most frequented meeting points — it could perhaps be considered a facility — is located in Munich."

"I'm guessing it's safe to say that's going to be our next move," Elliot guessed. "To go to Munich?"

Gray nodded. "Exactly. Rashid is a pilot," he said, gesturing toward the aforementioned, "and I have gained access to a private jet that should serve us just fine for the trip."

"Are we supposed to be leaving any time soon?" I asked, leaning my shoulder against Rebel's and focusing on Gray with a hard stare. "Because I need a shower. And I want to sleep."

Sergeant nodded with a slight smile. "She drove us all the way down here while we lucky ones slept."

"And I think we could all use a shower," Legion agreed.

"Speak for yourself," Rebel scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest and jostling me some in the process.

I side-eyed him with a ghost of a smile. "How 'bout I speak for you and say you, too, need a shower."

"I resent that," Rebel retorted with a smirk.

"But you can't deny it," I chuckled.

"How long do we have, Gray?" Gunner asked as everyone on the other side of the room watched us with various levels of curiosity.

"We'll leave at midnight tonight," Gray said. "That gives you plenty of time to shower ... and rest."

"Sounds great to me," Elliot said, getting to his feet himself and cracking his neck. "I haven't slept since I got here."

Charlotte rolled her eyes at that, but the other three got to their feet as well. "I ..." Desmond began to say, but that was all he got out at first. His gaze dropped to his feet, and he finished his sentence in a mumbled rush. "I'm going to go back to my room." That was all he said before he hurried out of the room. None of the mercenaries said anything, nor did anyone try to follow him.

As Bravo and Gunner got to their feet, Rebel and I exchanged a look. His brows arched pointedly, and I shook my head and jabbed my index finger his way. "Uh uh, buddy. I'm showering." I switched to Russian once Ilga was out of the room, well aware of Gray's ignorance where the language was concerned; "You want to play Nancy Drew, you can do that by yourself."

Rebel gave an over dramatic sigh, but he didn't protest. Instead he followed me in silence out of the room.

Though a part of me wanted to interrogate both Desmond and Gray, I knew I wasn't in any state to do so. I had heard myself described as rough around the edges on a good day, and this had not been a good day. I was on edge, my muscles tensing subconsciously from the stress build up, and truth be told I would've loved to punch something. Showering would give me time to relax, and to process the events that had unfolded in the past forty-eight hours. And it would give Rebel time to try and make a new friend.