all have family, we all have people who count on us. Let’s make sure we finish our mission, or possibly multiple missions, and then retire the right way, where we get old and gray, fat, and get to sit on porches with our grandkids.”
“I’m not getting old,” Eyes said, his smile cocky. Hmm, the first to speak up, Chad thought. He’d been wise in choosing him for a leadership role.
“Alright, before you jokers start in on the fish stories and measuring, let’s get the official crap out of the way. Then we get to have some fun.” He was between fifteen and twenty years older than these men, but being with them was taking him back to the good old days. They might not think they’d get old, but age was just a number. He could still swing his wife around the dance floor . . . and the bedroom.
“Memorize those packets, because they will be destroyed. We get rid of all paper trails as soon as possible. That’s where Brackish comes in. He’ll keep track, and he’ll get the correct info into the hands needed when the time is right.”
Chad moved on. “Your official jobs are as listed in those packets,” Chad pointed out, holding up his fingers and wiggling them. “We have an official office for a fictional shell company where your false jobs will be filed. That’s how you get your paychecks. We have to keep the government happy, so they know you’re still working and paying them your hard-earned money.” That elicited a bunch of groans. Chad had yet to meet anyone who liked taxes. Military men hated them more than most. They were fighting for people’s freedom while the government continued to hold its hand out for more and more for its pet projects a lot of citizens didn’t want to participate in but had zero choice in the matter.
“Something’s wrong, Chad,” Sleep interjected while papers lay scattered before him.
“What is it?” Chad asked.
“Well, it’s kind of embarrassing,” Sleep began. He kept his face pointed at the papers as if he was looking for something. “I see my beneficiary, and see my bank accounts, and then this crap over on this line, but I peeked over at Eyes’s paperwork, and it’s clear I’m not the beneficiary on it. There’s a mistake because this sorry loser has no other friends. I figure since Eyes is such a pain in the ass, these other men you’ve pulled into this have to be just as burly, having no friends, either.” He dramatically swept a palm face up, showcasing each man at the table.
Chad waited, knowing there was more — and he wasn’t wrong.
“I haven’t saved a dime in all my years working, since the government takes half and the rest goes to hookers and whiskey. I want to make sure my retirement plan is in place before we head on out into the big bad world.” A huge grin overtook his features as he attempted to innocently bat his eyes — he wasn’t pulling it off.
“Shit, Sleep, everyone here knows I’ll live at least forty years longer than you,” Eyes replied with a grin, then slapped his friend hard enough on the back to send most people sprawling. Sleep didn’t move an inch, and didn’t flinch, though the sting was felt all around the table.
“I’ll get on that right away, Sleep. HR will be notified, and the paperwork changed,” Chad told him. He was grateful he’d gotten the two friends involved in the project. They’d make a great icebreaker for the rest of the team. Men who liked each other were stronger and smarter.
“Don’t worry, Sleep, I’ll make sure that work is done just right,” Brackish said with a wink that had a chuckle exploding from the whole table.
“Never mind. I take it all back,” Sleep quickly said, holding up his hands in surrender. They’d each read one another’s profiles, and all of them knew Brackish could erase them in a matter of seconds if he chose to. Sleep’s quick retreat caused another round of laughter.
“Alright, alright, let’s get this show on the road,” Chad said. He wanted the men to bond, so he wasn’t going to reel them in too much on this first meeting. But they did have a lot to get through. They were still relaxed, a lot more relaxed than when he’d first entered, but they were also paying attention. Good.
“As you can see, this conference room will be our main operating center. The