“I’d heard Navy training was getting soft these days, but I just didn’t realize how much so,” deadpanned Carson.
“Everyone’s a comedian today, aren’t they?” Hawk asked.
As he neared Littleton’s table, Hawk glanced around the room to see if anyone was paying him any attention. They weren’t. Satisfied that he was clear to proceed, he turned and feigned a stumble, splashing the red liquid all over Littleton’s pants and white dress shirt.
Littleton shoved his chair backward with his knees as he stood. Staring slack-jawed at his drenched clothes, he tried to dab his pants with his napkin.
“I’m so sorry, sir,” Hawk said. “Let me help you with that.”
Littleton drew back as his eyes widened. “I think you’ve done enough already.”
“Sir, please. I insist.”
Hawk whipped out his pocket square and began mopping up the excess liquid on Littleton’s pants. However, the engineer jumped back.
“Do you mind?” Littleton asked before muttering a slew of expletives.
“Let me show you to the restroom,” Hawk said.
Littleton sighed and looked at his lunch guest. “I’m sorry. It’ll only take a moment for me to clean this up.”
The man nodded and leaned back in his chair. Meanwhile, two waiters rushed over to attend to Hawk’s mess that had attracted the attention of nearby diners.
Hawk gestured toward the restroom with an extended hand and scurried after Littleton. Embarrassed by the stain, he used his napkin to keep the spot on his shirt hidden.
When they reached the restroom, Carson was mopping the floor, appearing disinterested as he bobbed his head to the music blaring through his earbuds. Hawk flashed a faint smile at Carson who kept easing his mop across the wet ground. In the event that they had to resort to their backup plan, Carson was prepared, stocking his cart with a stain remover. Hawk hustled over to his partner and grabbed the cleaning solvent.
“Let me help you with that,” Hawk said as he took the front of Littleton’s shirt and sprayed the cleaner all over it. “Again, I’m so sorry, sir. I should’ve been more careful.”
Littleton stopped and studied Hawk closely. “Is that a Texas accent I detect in your voice?”
Hawk nodded and held up his right hand as if he was being sworn in. “Guilty as charged. American by birth, Texan by the grace of God.”
Littleton chuckled at the response. “Nice to hear a familiar accent over here. We Texans need to stick together.”
Hawk nodded. “No question about that. Where are you from? East Texas? West Texas? God forbid one of those sprawling metropolises that’s just ruining our great state.”
Littleton shrugged. “Houston, though I grew up just outside of Lubbock.”
“So, you’re not a transplant?”
“Born and raised,” Littleton said. “I only leave the state to deal with pressing business matters. Regardless of where I go in the world, my mind is always back home in the Lone Star state. It’d be foolish to live anywhere else.”
Hawk extended his hands toward Littleton’s coat. “Let me take that for you and see if I can clean it up. I saw a little bit splash on the sleeves there.”
“Sure,” Littleton said, his tone sufficiently softened by their connection. He handed his jacket to Hawk, who wasted no time in slipping his hand inside Littleton’s coat pocket and palming the device.
Carson eased past them and snatched the flash drive from Hawk’s hand. Hawk shot him a knowing glance before Carson disappeared into the far corner of the room.
While Hawk would’ve scrubbed furiously if his intent had been to remove the stain, he worked his way methodically across the sleeve with his rag in order to give Carson enough time.
“How’s it coming, Carson?” Alex asked over the coms.
“I’m having a little trouble cracking the encryption on this thing,” Carson whispered.
“We don’t have much time, so hurry it up, will ya?”
Hawk listened to the banter in his ear and wished Alex had been able to accompany him on the trip. However, due to the nature of the mission, Carson was chosen because of his computer wizardry. And being a man in a Muslim country also contributed to the decision to pass over Alex.
Come on, come on. I can’t stall forever.
“This shirt almost looks spotless,” Littleton said. “Just a faint stain here. It won’t save the shirt, but at least I won’t be embarrassed the rest of the day.”
Hawk stopped what he was doing and peered at Littleton’s work. “Nice job. Maybe you can show me how to work such magic on this sleeve. I’m not making as much headway as you did.”
Littleton frowned as he looked over the top of his glasses and surveyed the spot on the sleeve. “No need to be so ornery,” he said, directing the comment at his coat.
Without hesitating, Littleton dipped his rag beneath the water and went to work.
“Looks like you’ve almost got it,” Hawk said, encouraging Littleton while simultaneously alerting Carson that time was almost up.
“Carson?” Alex said. “Where are you at with this thing?”
Carson sighed. “I’m still having trouble with—”
After a moment of silence, Alex sought answers. “What is it?” she asked.
“I just got in,” he said. “Give me a minute.”
“I don’t think you’ve got a minute.”
Hawk cringed as he listened to the news. Carson had told him that he needed at least a minute to download the designs from the flash drive and upload dummy files as well as a faux encryption key. And based on how Littleton was moving, Carson was going to have thirty seconds at best.
Littleton held up his coat and studied the sleeves for a moment. “Now no one will think I’m a slob.”
“That’s always a good thing,” Hawk said. “It definitely increases your chances with the ladies. They like men who are put together.”
Littleton shook his head. “Never had much luck with the ladies no matter how neat I am. Perhaps if I knew how to carry on a conversation without stumbling over my words, I might get a second date once in a while.”
Hawk smiled.
