Technical Threat (Westin Force #4) - Julie Trettel Page 0,75

that happen often?”

Shelby shrugged. “It seems to go in spurts. Ben says they’re working on something big right now and so they could be gone off and on for a bit. Hopefully, there’ll be a dry spell for a bit after that.”

“What are they doing that has them on the road so much?”

They both shrugged.

“Just remember that wherever they are, they’re doing good. I’m Painter’s mate. We met on a mission too, so I get what you’re going through. He rescued me from the Raglan. They’re the good guys, Susan. You should be proud of your mate.”

My eyes nearly bugged out of my head. I swallowed hard. “The Raglan?”

She nodded. “I know it was your sister they had. I’ve already told the team everything I know. I haven’t seen her in over a year, but I remember her. We were together for a while. I was in my gorilla form only and refused to shift for them, so she didn’t really know me, but I knew her.”

My mouth dropped open. “You’re a gorilla?”

“What, you thought you were the only oddball in a wolf pack?”

I grinned. I instantly liked Emma. As the night progressed and I got to know the other ladies there, I realized that I finally felt like I belonged somewhere, and for the first time in my life, I was accepted for me, exactly as I am. There was no pretense, and when they invited me back for their next ladies’ night, I couldn’t wait to go mark it on my calendar.

Tarron

Chapter 23

When Silas changed our plans and sent us on an emergency mission, I was not pleased. Susan had been gone when I went home to tell her. I was a little grateful for it. I hadn’t called her because of that. Instead, I’d left a stupid note. I did feel bad for that.

I’d never had to worry about anyone else before. As a courtesy I would call Nonna to let her know when I got called out on a mission. Mostly that was just because I knew she’d give me shit if I didn’t. I hadn’t called her this time either.

I had thought the mission was taking us back to Colorado bear country to extract Sonnet, but this one wasn’t about that. The team was being sent down to New Mexico to rendezvous with Echo team.

Silas hadn’t come with us. He was acting a little stranger than usual and was determined to have a clean extraction. He was working closely with Jake and being hush-hush on why we were being delayed. The rest of us headed down to meet up with Elliot and his team. That was the only instructions we had.

“What is this shit?” Baine asked. “What’s the mission?”

“I honestly don’t know,” Painter confessed shortly after takeoff. “I’m assuming Elliot does. Our only instructions are to meet up with him and obtain a package. I don’t know any more than you guys just read.”

“What is Silas playing at?” Ben asked.

“Why would he send all of us down for this?” I chimed in. “Is surveillance even needed?”

“Doesn’t sound like it,” Taylor admitted.

“We’ve been cleared to land inside the base he’s stationed at. It’s a human top secret highly secured base in the middle of the dessert, so I’m assuming surveillance is covered,” Painter confessed.

“This is the weirdest mission ever, or the easiest,” Grant said.

“I don’t like it,” Baine said. “I brought a little of everything just in case though.”

“You can’t blow up a human military base,” Taylor informed him, causing the rest of us to chuckle.

“There’s no plans of the area here. I’ve tried to pull them up on satellite, but they have it blocked out. I can’t even tell how big the place is or what terrain we’re walking into. If I knew that I could at least parachute out and set up eyes just outside the parameter in case a quick exit is needed,” Ben supposed.

I pulled up my laptop. “Read me off those coordinates again.”

I punched them in as Ben read them off. Sure enough, it brought up an encrypted image. It took me all of two minutes to crack that. I turned my laptop around to face the others.

“They can’t stop the satellites from capturing the images, only blur out and encrypt them. According to those numbers, here’s where we’re headed.”

It was easy to make out heavy rooftop artillery. Security was high which always gave us concerns but also a thrill of excitement.

Ben and I spent an hour going over worst-case scenario