style="font-size:15px;"> IT WAS MADDENING. After his explosive announcement, Lieutenant Williams had been called away and Alessa had been assigned to a bed and instructed to get some sleep and report for duty at 0700. At least he’d relented on the one-week leave. Exhaustion eventually won over curiosity and she managed to get some good rest on a top bunk with a threadbare mattress.
She woke early and joined a group of soldiers on a predawn run. It was early spring, and after years in Kuwait she enjoyed the feel of cool, dewy air that smelled of flowers and grass rather than dirt and exhaust fumes. Reveille played around 0600. After ending her run, she went back to the barracks and took a shower and changed. She loved the routine, no matter where in the world she was.
“Sergeant Parrino.”
Rodgers was standing at the entrance to the warehouse she’d been instructed to report to. She almost didn’t recognize him because he wasn’t in army fatigues but was wearing jeans and a dark brown T-shirt that matched his hair and eyes.
A wave of disappointment hit her. She’d been expecting to see Lieutenant Williams. To find out why he thinks his brother is still alive. There was absolutely no other reason.
“Welcome to the unit. I’ll be giving you the tour and explaining the assignment.”
She nodded. “Thank you for going easy on me yesterday, Sergeant.” Rodgers was three years younger than her but the same rank. Experience had taught her that men didn’t like to be beaten by a woman and it was advantageous to put them at ease. A little trick she’d learned from her mother.
“I didn’t go easy on you. In fact, I gave it my best. You won fair and square, and I don’t mind admitting it.”
This is a first. “I appreciate that, Sergeant.”
“Call me Dylan or Rodgers. We’re equals. In fact, Luke isn’t into formalities—he wants us to call each other by first or last names. The point of this unit is to not follow our traditional training.”
“And why is that?” Despite her preparation for the assessment, she knew very little about the unit or its mission. Lieutenant Williams, Luke, had given her nothing. The papers she’d signed didn’t even have a designation for the unit.
“We are like secret internal investigators for the army,” Rodgers explained. “There have been some issues with treason, but we can’t seem to get to the root of the problem because we’re fighting an enemy within, one who knows how we work. There might even be some Special Forces involvement, which is why none of the unit members are Delta. Ethan started this no-rank business—he didn’t want the enemy to know how we operate, so first thing he wanted us to do was stop thinking like army grunts.”
Alessa couldn’t help but smile. She’d fit in perfectly.
“Did Ethan hire you?”
He nodded. “I was one of the first, so I’ve pretty much done all the jobs on this unit. You’re the sixth, but I understand you’re filling the logistics position.” He shot her a quizzical glance.
“Yes I am, Sergeant—I mean, Rodgers.”
“That makes no sense to me.”
She raised a brow. “Me neither. But it was either this or nothing at all.”
He shrugged. “My guess is it was Colonel McBride. Luke can’t stand up to him the way Ethan did.”
Aren’t you just a fountain of information. “How come?”
“He’s still feeling his way. Only got the gig because of General Williams. McBride wanted to put his own man in, so he’s looking for a reason to get rid of Luke. This unit was Ethan’s baby.”
“What’s your impression of Lieutenant...of Luke as a leader?”
Rodgers shrugged. “It’s too early to tell. He’s not his brother, that’s for sure, and that’s been hard on the unit. He looks just like Ethan, talks like him, but he’s a different man.”
“How so?”
“He’s not regulation army.”
“Didn’t you just say it’s not supposed to be?”
“Yeah, but he’s not an army man. The rest of us are here because we love the military, and we believe in the mission of this unit. Before Ethan died, he was lamenting the fact that Luke was quitting. So why take over his brother’s unit?”
“Because he wants to complete Ethan’s mission?”
Rodgers shook his head. “They weren’t tight like that. Anyhow, I’ve said too much to the newbie. Part of the training... We’ve been encouraged to fight our instincts. Do what doesn’t come naturally and be more transparent—whatever that means.”
He led her through a maze of boxes and random equipment, then opened a door to the area they’d been in yesterday. Luke wasn’t in his office. Rodgers stopped outside a door marked Men and went inside. Alessa followed.
“Heads-up.” Rodgers yelled, and Alessa averted her gaze as four men in various stages of undress quickly pulled on clothes and slapped on towels.
“This is Alessa Parrino.” He turned to her. “What do you prefer to be called?”
“Parrino is fine.”
“You the one who kicked his baby bottom yesterday?” one of the men asked.
Rodgers took it in stride. “Yep, so I’d watch myself if I were you guys. She’s mightier than she looks.”
Each of the men stood in turn and introduced himself. The tall African American man showing off a set of perfect abs over low-slung jeans was Boots. The baby-faced man with freckles on his nose and a mop of curly red hair was Steele, the dark-haired, dark-eyed man with a pockmarked face was Dan, and the skinny man with the easy smile was Dimples. They each gave her a hard handshake with a warm welcome in their eyes. She also noted that they were all around her age.
“There’s no women’s locker room. You’re welcome to use ours or use the bathroom in Luke’s office while we’re here.”
“What, Luke doesn’t have a nickname?”
The men looked at each other. “Not one he knows about.”
Alessa put a hand on her hip. “Out with it. Remember, I’m the one who’ll be planning where you stay and what you eat.”
The men exchanged another round of glances.
“All right, then, roach-infested motels and MREs it is,” Alessa said, crossing her arms.
Rodgers held up his hand. “It’s Fabio.”
Alessa laughed and the men joined in. “That’s perfect for him.” While Luke’s golden locks were cropped short, he had the kind of swoon-worthy looks that could grace the covers of romance novels. With his playboy reputation, the name fit.
“What do you guys think of Colonel McBride?” If the collective nose-scrunching and eye-rolling was anything to go on, they felt the same way
