She pushed aside a nasty feeling and looked up into his eyes as the sweater slid down his body. “Are you okay?”
He shrugged and walked past her to his bunk. Once again, she was left to stand there in confusion, her head blank. Hearing a rustle of paper, Jane turned around and found him right in front of her with the report in his outstretched hand. Silent.
“I thought we could watch a movie or something.” She fell quiet as Ryan squatted over his bag and started rummaging in it.
She was about to scream in frustration when his voice finally broke the heavy silence. “I’m just gonna go to sleep.”
Jane blinked but only said, “Okay.”
Grabbing the clipboard, she stalked to the door without another word. Her foot was already over the threshold when she sensed him behind her.
“Jane, wait.”
“Yes?” She spun, jumping when she bumped into him.
“You dropped this at the stairs when we got attacked,” he said in the same cold voice, handing her a small knife.
“Oh,” she breathed, feeling her heart sink. “Cool. Thanks.”
She walked out and shut the door in his face.
Chapter 4
Pain shivered and shoved her hands deeper into the pockets, stalking down a dark street. Her eyes were on Dave a few steps ahead as she muttered, “If one of those damn dogs gives me rabies, I’ll kill him first.”
“Don’t you already have it?” Dave said over his shoulder.
“Ha-ha.” She turned to scowl at Chad. “What is he even doing here?”
Dave halted, turning around and spreading his arms. “Seriously?” He was wearing gear, his first time taking it outside and not to the training hall.
Chad stared at her. “Because you asked Peter to let him come?”
She slowed down, confused, then vaguely remembered the conversation back at HQ. Peter had allowed Dave to come because the whole mission had been his idea, after all. And then she had also bribed Rooney to offer Dave a spot on the new surveillance team. All because an hour before that, she’d tried to talk to Dave, as Peter had ordered, and it ended in another fight and Dave storming out of the canteen.
In her case, bribes worked better than talking when it came to relationships.
She shrugged, walking by Jane’s side as Chad caught up to Dave, and Elena followed him, quiet as usual.
“Why did she even do that?” Dave grumbled.
“She probably hopes that you won’t find your way back home,” Chad said, patting his shoulder.
Dave’s reply was indiscernible.
Jane sniffled at Pain’s side. “You think they’re watching us?”
The only thing Pain was watching was Chad’s ass. Some people are born for gear.
“Wha—who? The Commandos or our squad?”
“Both.”
Pain shrugged. “Who cares?” She turned to Marco, who’d been scouting ahead. “What’s the situation?”
“All clear.” He took the bag with their equipment from Chad and slung it over his shoulder. “Let’s keep it quiet. People do wander around here.”
Pain pulled up her collar, glad that at least it wasn’t raining or snowing. They crossed an open space, and after another short alley, ended up at a moonlit intersection between a few warehouses. A single street lamp shone in the distance, casting yellow light on a path that circled the area behind a rusty fence. And on the other side of the intersection, a few dirty dogs were rummaging in a heap of trash.
“I forgot my gloves,” Marco grumbled.
“You said that twice already. Go get that big brown dog,” Pain said.
“And y’all just gonna stand here? They’ll run off if I grab just one.”
“He’s right,” Chad said. “Let’s get those three big ones. Then we’ll be done with this sector.”
Pain shrugged, following the two of them. “Makes no difference. This is a bullshit idea.”
Ten minutes later, they were done with one dog, the girls were in the middle of their third attempt to put the collar on another, and Marco and Ryan were still trying to lure out the third dog after the two previous ones had run off, probably scared by their size.
Pain made sure the tiny green light was glowing on the camera and patted the dog’s head.
“Someone’s watching us,” Chad said, crouching at her side.
“Yes. Rooney and Peter. With popcorn.”
Jane grinned, but Chad only frowned. “No. Here. Don’t look. He’s on the path, behind the fence.”
Pain tossed another handful of dog food to the half-starved creature and looked at Chad. “Can you see what he looks like?”
“A young man. Looks civilian. No tactical wear, if that’s what you mean.” He moved to the side, making space for Dave.
“What are we gonna do?” Dave crouched next to him, eyes sparkling with excitement.
Pain raised her mask, straightening up. “Stay here and watch how professionals deal with it.”
She winked at Jane and Elena as the guys followed her with curious eyes, and turned to look straight at the civilian. Chad had been right—he was young, and obviously confused by their appearance and what they were doing here. Not much could be done about that.
Slowly, she prowled toward him. The boy watched her with big eyes, frozen to the spot. When she halted a few yards from him, making sure to stay in the shadow, his jaw dropped.
“Who are you people?” he asked, blinking.
Pain’s hand reached for the katana, and she raised the sword above her head dramatically. Then she spoke, loud and clear, “We are the children of the night! How dare you speak to us, worm?”
Jane cracked up behind her, and Pain didn’t bother to hold in her own laughter when the boy disappeared down the path in a cloud of dust. The katana slid back in its scabbard
