“Kill me,” Pain rasped. “Kill me now.”
Peter kept silent, watching Dave with amused eyes, as if happy with the unexpected entertainment.
“Oh, come on,” Dave groaned. “It’s not like we have any other ideas. Don’t you think it might work?”
“Okay, okay.” Pain pulled on a serious face. “How do we do it? Who will carry out the mission? You think we should call Batman?”
The room exploded into booming laughter. Elena kept her gaze down but smiled all the same. Covering her grin, Jane saw Dave’s face turn red while Peter pressed a hand to his face, his whole body shaking silently behind Dave’s back.
Marco’s arm shot up in the air. “Operation Doggy Style! I called it!”
Peter shook his head, but the laughter raged even more loudly.
Marco flashed a grin and peered at the flip chart, his eyes narrowing. “What’s that, in the center?” he asked over the lingering laughter. “Looks like a… horse with horns, and it’s wearing a toilet on its neck?”
“It’s a dog!” Dave exclaimed, throwing up his hands. “With a camera.”
Pain swallowed her laughter and pointed her thumb at the door. “Go practice in your cave. Serious people need to talk serious business.”
Dave dropped his marker on the table and strode to the exit. “Okay, I think I have better things to do. And y’all can sit here till the end of time, trying to come up with an idea of your own.”
“We’re joking!” Pain called out.
There was no response, and she turned to Peter with an apologetic look.
“You’ll talk to him later,” he said.
“Me? Why me?”
“Because I said so.” He cleared his throat, his face serious once again. “Okay, let’s not forget that while we’re laughing here, Chris is in a coma, and a few more of our men are God knows where. We have to find them. Rooney will prepare the cameras tomorrow. You, Jane, Marco and Ryan… Take Chad and Elena for practice. Our squad will keep an eye on you, so you should be safe.”
Jane shot a bewildered look at her sister as Pain’s jaw dropped.
“Wait, we’re actually doing this?” Pain asked.
Peter’s shoulders lifted. “Why not? We already have those tiny cameras and trackers that will work. Just add collars and dog food. With some data and the software we have, we might just figure out their routes. You’ll try a few packs, and we’ll see where it gets us.”
Pain only blinked, speechless, while Marco stirred restlessly at her side. “That all? Gotta get my beauty sleep,” he said.
Peter stared at him. “It’s nine PM. And about Ryan—if he’s not good to go, take someone else to be the lookout.”
Marco waved a hand, standing. “He’s fine.”
Jane gave him a suspicious look as he left, sensing he had plans for the night, despite Peter’s order to stay indoors. Peter dismissed them with a nod, and Jane picked up the report and got up. Pain joined her in the hall.
“Any plans for tonight?” she asked Jane as they walked into the elevator.
Jane shrugged. “Gonna watch a movie and veg out with Marco and Ryan. You?”
“Kinda stepping on my duties there, no?” Pain smirked. “Was it that bad?”
Jane nodded. “I thought I’d seen everything. After this last job, not so sure anymore.”
Pain grinned as they walked to their room. “Just stay in the building and don’t drink what they drink, whatever they say. I’ll pass. Chad’s probably back already.” She eyed Jane with a dubious frown as Jane walked past her and reached for Ryan’s doorknob.
“I gotta show this to Ryan.” Jane wiggled the clipboard at Pain. Her other hand closed on the doorknob and pulled it open. “I can write it, but he’s gotta—OH, CRAP!” She slammed the door shut, Ryan’s naked figure disappearing behind it. “Sorry! I didn’t mean to—”
“It’s okay!” she heard Ryan’s voice.
Jane cursed, while Pain didn’t bother hiding her devilish laughter.
“Now you’ve seen everything,” Pain said with a wink and hid behind the door before Jane could throw the clipboard at her.
She sighed, muttering, “Just one side of everything…”
Ryan’s door flew open, making her jump.
“Oh gosh, I’m so sorry! I should’ve knocked. It’s all Pain, she distracted me…” she mumbled, but Ryan raised a hand, stopping her.
“It’s not your fault. Marco left the door unlocked. It’s just, getting dressed can be tricky if you only have one good arm.”
“I know.” She slipped past him into the room.
He was wearing gray sweats now and still no shirt. She was used to not staring.
“We always pester Marco about barging in,” she said. “And you’d think after getting flashed by him so many times I’d be blind by now, but unfortunately, I’m not.” She smiled and raised the report for Ryan to see. “I need you to sign this so I can…” She trailed off, her smile faltering, as Ryan ignored her and picked up his big gray sweater instead, struggling to stretch it over his shoulders.
She put the clipboard on his bunk and stood there awkwardly for a minute, watching him battle with the sweater. His lack of emotion from the moment he opened the door baffled her. It would take one second to sign the report, but for some reason, he suddenly needed to get dressed, like she’d never seen him shirtless. No small talk, not a smile, not even a look in her direction. Nice, what did I do wrong now?
An irritated sigh escaped her lips as she grew tired of waiting and went to him.
“You can ask for help every once in a while, you know?” she said, noticing how he stiffened when she caught his forearm and pulled his hand through the sleeve.
Ryan’s stormy blue eyes watched
