Hell & High Water (THIRDS 1)

Agent Brodie had neat black hair and when he turned his head just enough, Dex could see scruffy stubble, which, despite his age—Dex estimated maybe late thirties—was sprinkled with gray. He was also fit. The muscles under his black T-shirt flexed and shifted as he moved, his biceps causing the sleeves to stretch. He had powerful legs and a mighty fine ass. Dex hoped Agent Brodie kicked the tar out of Agent Ash. He didn’t know why, but the bigger Therian rubbed him the wrong way.

Dex was expecting a few punches to fly between them, not the epic, Bourne-like close quarter combat that ensued. The two Therians didn’t look like they were playing around, except for the lack of broken bones, which Dex was pretty certain they could have easily provided had they wanted to. Ash was bigger, fiercer, and meaner, but Agent Brodie was calm, focused, and fast as hell. Dex tried to keep track of the moves, looking for vulnerabilities and signs of predictability. The way Agent Brodie blocked Ash’s punches was impressive, because it was clear the larger Therian was a pro at fighting up close and personal.

Ash twisted his body to get out of Agent Brodie’s chokehold. Ash landed beside Brodie and threw an arm around Brodie’s neck, forcing Brodie to bend over before delivering a blow to the ribs, or at least attempting to. Ash’s fist was smacked away, and Agent Brodie quickly retaliated by throwing his elbow up, making contact with Ash’s face, sending him reeling back with a bloodied nose. Ash wiped at his nose with the back of his hand.

“Fuck! Come on, Sloane. I got a date tonight.”

Agent Sloane Brodie finally turned around, and all Dex could think was, well, hello there.

Shit, his Team Leader was hot. What was the likelihood that he was as big of an asshole as Pearce said he was? Dex made it a rule never to judge anyone based on someone else’s opinion of him, especially someone he had yet to meet. So far, there didn’t seem to be any signs of it, but then again, he was sure the agent hadn’t been promoted to Team Leader at the THIRDS because he gave the best hugs.

Sloane caught a towel the petite female agent tossed to him. “Thanks, Letty. Ash, tell her what you tell all your dates. That you got hurt saving some kittens from a burning building.”

“Surrounded by ninjas,” Cael added suddenly, a dopey grin stretched across his face. So his brother was paying attention.

Ash thrust a finger at Cael. “Don’t encourage him.”

Everyone laughed as Ash cursed them all out. The camaraderie among the team was evident in the way they ribbed each other and cursed at each other. Even when they were angry or annoyed, it was clear there was nothing spiteful or malicious behind it. They were a family, and Dex was about to intrude on that sanctity.

It wasn’t only the whole family unit thing Dex was worried about. As he quietly turned and headed back toward the lounge, he couldn’t stop thinking about Sloane Brodie and Ash. The level of skill they showed during their sparring session spoke volumes. Ash’s form had been better than Sloane’s, denoting close quarter combat as one of his proficiencies. He hadn’t had to think about the moves, he simply reacted, no doubt from years of practice. It was his temper that let him down, whereas Sloane had experience in determining what was coming his way. His level of concentration in considering the surrounding variables had been impressive. He observed, adapted, and applied himself without hesitation.

Dex dropped down onto one of the empty couches in the lounge. He was so out of his league. After a few minutes of wallowing in his own misery, he mentally shook himself off and stood up. Okay, so maybe he was out of his league at this particular junction of his career, but it was only his first day.

You can do this, Dex. His team had been training and working out in the field for years. As much as he hated to admit it, Tony was right. He was a rookie. If he wanted to be up to par, he’d have to work damn hard. Of course, working damn hard would be a whole lot easier after something to eat. He joined a number of the other agents in the large snack bar lined with wall-to-wall vending machines providing everything from energy bars to gummy bears. Spotting one of his favorite snacks, he stepped up to the shiny machine and tapped the digital screen, watching as the last packet of Cheesy Doodles flopped down into the tray.

“Mm, cheesy goodness.” Dex had just picked up the orange and black foil packet when a shadow loomed over him.

“Hey.”

Turning, Dex’s greeting died on his lips when instead of being met with an average-sized individual, he was met with a Therian who made Ash look like a hobbit. “Um, hey.” He peeked at the mark on the Therian’s tree-trunk of a neck. Ursus arctos. Fuuuck. “How’s it going?” Dex smiled brightly and took a small step to his right. Near-black eyes pinned him with a glare and a hefty finger pointed at the Cheesy Doodles in Dex’s hands.

“That’s the last pack.”

“Yeah. Sorry, man.” Dex moved away a little more, aware of how the other agents in the room were either staring at him wide-eyed or snickering quietly. He appreciated the way they were doing nothing to help him, bunch of pricks. Okay, Dex, time to grow a pair.

“Hand it over,” the Therian growled.

Or not. Dex blinked up at him. “I’m sorry, what now?”

“Everyone knows those are mine.”

Therian or not, Yogi Bear needed to learn some manners. “Considering I paid for them, I don’t see how that’s possible.”

“All of them are.”

“Seriously? You’re calling dibs on a vending machine’s worth of Cheesy Doodles?” Dex looked from the sneering Therian to the Cheesy Doodles in his hands and back. He arched an eyebrow at Yogi before reaching into the packet, plucking one and popping it into his mouth, followed by a wide grin. The room erupted into laughter and catcalls.

Yogi made a swipe at him with one massive hand, but Dex dropped to the floor before he could get clobbered. He scrambled to his feet, shoved the packet into his roomy back pocket, and bolted from the room, yelling out behind him, “Bastards!

Yogi was fast on his heels as Dex sped through the lounge, down the busy corridor, and past the training bays. “Excuse me! Coming through!” Shit, shit, shit! Who’d have thought Yogi would like Cheesy Doodles as much as he did?

“Give them here!” Yogi growled.

“Go find your own pic-a-nic basket!” The deep feral growl he received in response was most likely a “no.”

Dex ran into the training bay hoping to get help from his little brother or at the least use him as a shield, when he slammed into something hard, bounced back, and hit Yogi who shoved him harshly into the first hard body Dex had hit. An arm came around him as the three of them crashed into a large martial arts display. As he fell, Dex braced himself.

This was going to hurt.