Protecting Dallas

The whole thing was a can of worms. A filthy, shit-stained can of rotten worms, that nobody really wanted to touch.

But the can was open now. And there was no closing it.

“Ever think of telling us?” I needled Kane.

“Telling you what?”

“Oh I don’t know…” I sneered. “That maybe you had SEAL Team Four showing up?”

“Nah.”

“Why the fuck not?”

“Didn’t wanna get your hopes up.”

I still couldn’t believe it. Still couldn’t comprehend how everything could get this messy, this fast.

“There’s enough on Connor’s data chip to take down some very high-level operators,” Austin vowed. “And way too many people here tonight, for it to get swept under the rug.”

Thank fucking God, I thought to myself.

“So shit’s about to get hairy?”

Dallas jerked her thumb over her shoulder. “That wasn’t hairy?” she exclaimed.

“Hell no,” I teased. “We had the whole thing under control… that is, until you took the wheel again.”

Austin couldn’t suppress a chuckle. Even Kane smiled.

“Yeah, somebody take her keys away already?”

While the laughter died down I studied Dallas’s expression. Even now she was still flush with heat and adrenaline. But she wasn’t sad. She wasn’t upset, or shell-shocked, or distressed, or anything like that at all.

Considering what she’d been through, and what she’d just done, it was almost a miracle.

And that’s exactly why you love her.

I realized that it was. Dallas had brains, courage, and strength. A rare and wonderful combination in any person, much less a soulmate. And that wasn’t even taking into account the rest of her assets.

“So that’s it?” Dietz asked finally. “We’re all done?”

We stared at each other for a moment, all five of us in a circle. The only sound was the low hum of the Sikorsky going through its pre-flight.

“Seems like it,” Austin shrugged.

Kane spat a gob of blood through a split lip. “Better be,” he added.

Dallas was kicking at the ground. Not saying much of anything.

“I can go home,” Dietz said. His voice was different now. Softer. “I’m finally out.”

I reached out and laid a hand on his shoulder. “Gonna be some loose ends,” I offered. “A lot of them, probably. But nothing that can’t be tied up.”

Out on the horizon, the first hint of pink was cracking the sky. Dawn was coming. My stomach rumbled.

It was Austin who spoke up at the end.

“Anyone for pancakes?”