like I taught you. You’ll be too low for the cameras to catch. It’s a known blind spot.”
“We know, Tarron,” Macie said, rolling her eyes at me.
“Watch it, short stuff. I don’t think I like your attitude.”
“Shh, you’re gonna get us busted,” Zander said. He was all business now.
I walked slowly as they quickly slithered across the floor.
I swiped my badge and stepped inside while they crawled through the door at my feet and then to the guard desk. I stopped and talked to the guy for a minute as I discreetly motioned for them to get moving.
I set the alarm on my phone for the six minute countdown. I always gave them an extra minute just in case. Then I stood there making chit-chat with the guard as we went over some new protocol stuff.
Movement in my peripheral vision caught my attention but I knew better than to look in that direction, instead I stayed focused on the guard. I leaned over the desk to see his computer screen as I waved the munchkins over.
Thirty seconds later they were in place and my alarm was going off sounding like an incoming phone call.
I pretended to answer it. “Yeah, babe. I’ll be right up.”
“Apparently I left something upstairs. If one of the guys comes looking for me, tell them I’ll be right back down.”
“Sure thing, Tarron. It was great talking with you.”
“You too, man. Catch you later.”
We retraced the steps out, as the kids followed protocol to the letter until we were back in the elevator. I rode it up to the ground floor. They each high fived me and left.
I was never certain how they got down to the Lodge or back up to San Marco. I was fully aware they both should have been in school at that moment. The less I knew the better.
I hurried back downstairs as an insistent text rang through with a two-minute reminder from Silas.
I gave the guard a wave as I double timed it to the briefing room.
Silas wasn’t there yet, and everyone was standing at attention. It wasn’t something we did every meeting and usually signaled someone important would be in attendance, usually Kyle. I clearly missed that memo and said a silent prayer that whatever prank I’d just been a part of was truly as innocent as the kids had insinuated.
Kyle Westin walked into the room with Patrick and Silas flanking him. He went right to the head chair and nodded. When the Alpha was in attendance, we showed respect and waited at attention until he sat first.
Kyle nodded and smiled as he walked in, then right to his chair and sat down.
Pfffft!
My jaw dropped open. The entire room went silent. Kyle started turning red in the face. I thought Baine was going to lose it, but only a small snicker escaped.
The kids! I couldn’t believe they’d managed to pull that off with such perfection.
I looked around the room at the others’ reactions. Silas took a small step away from Kyle. Painter just stood at attention; his eyes focused on anything in the room except us. Taylor’s lips were pursed, but her eyes were watering. Ben and Grant simply grinned.
Kyle managed to muster up all the dignity he could, and his chin lifted in challenge. No one dared make a sound. “Take a seat please.”
Bllltttt!
Pfffft!
Fisssss!
Poof!
Pfpfpfpfpfpf!
Puuuuuhhht!
All around the room, the sounds of farts filled the air like we’d consumed nothing but beans. They weren’t the musical fruit anymore; it was full on symphony.
Everyone exploded in laughter. Baine was the first to check the seat and there between the cushion and the frame was a whoopie cushion.
“Looks like our prankster has struck again. Baine, see me after the meeting,” Silas barked.
“I swear to you, I had nothing to do with this.”
Baine was always pulling shit over on the rest of us. I didn’t feel bad in the slightest that he was going to take the rap for it.
“Well, that was certainly entertaining, but down to business now,” Kyle said.
He went over some things Jake had reported back with. Things were getting rough in the Raglan base in Colorado.
“I think it’s time we shut them down. Make sure you pull Jake first and rescue as many shifters as you can. Honestly, but the way Jake is describing things, I’m not sure how many viable shifters we’re going to get out of this. Tarron, he’s doing all he can to keep your mate’s sister safe, but it’s bad.”
The lights went out and the project