Like Sloane would have stayed behind regardless. Sparks had to know that. He wasn’t about to let Dex out of his sight, especially around TIN or Shultzon.
“What do you want from us anyway?” Ash asked.
“In time.”
Ash let out an exasperated sigh. “In time, what? Why all the training?”
Sparks gave him a pointed look. “Dex would have been killed without it. Wolf is exceptionally skilled. Not only was Dex able to hold his own against him, but he escaped.” She moved her gaze to Sloane. “You should be proud of him.”
“I am proud of him, regardless,” Sloane snapped. “That won’t change the fact you’ve dragged us into this mess.” Of course Sloane was proud of Dex. He was no longer the rookie he’d once been. He was skilled, resourceful, lethal, and unwavering, but most importantly, Dex had accomplished so much at the THIRDS without losing himself. No matter what he suffered, what he went through, how much he evolved as an agent, he never stopped being the warm, kindhearted, playful man Sloane had fallen in love with. Dex could roundhouse kick a threat one minute and be singing one of his big-hair-band songs and playing air guitar the next. He still enjoyed annoying the hell out of Ash, lived to tease and coddle his little brother, and drove his dad crazy. Sloane hoped the man never changed.
“You and Dex were always going to end up here, with or without me,” Sparks replied offhandedly, sending Sloane’s hackles up.
“Christ. Why can’t you just give us a straight answer?”
“It’s the way it has to be. Information is only useful when it’s relevant.”
Fuck it. There was no point in arguing. He’d dealt with enough bureaucratic bullshit in his life to know when he wasn’t going to get anywhere. Sparks would offer intel when she was good and ready.
“He’s asleep now and most likely won’t wake up for a few hours, but you can go in.” She turned back to Cael and Ash. “You can stay here or return to your homes. We’ll have operatives safeguarding you.”
“I’m not leaving without my brother,” Cael replied firmly.
“It will be hours before he wakes up and another day before he’s released. He’ll be on recovery for another week at the very least. You should go home and rest. I’ve already taken care of things with Sergeant Maddock.”
Cael cocked his head, his eyes narrowed. “Meaning you lied to him.”
“This is TIN business.”
Cael let out a laugh. “Are you kidding me? Not anymore it isn’t. The second my dad sees Dex, he’s going to demand answers, and if he doesn’t get them, he’ll go looking for them. When he finds out about Dex’s parents…? Gina and John were like family to him. He won’t let this go.”
“Maddock is being handled. The rest of you are to use the cover story I’ve provided. Now, are you staying or leaving? Your brother and Sloane will be escorted home after Dex is released.”
Cael turned to Sloane, his big gray eyes filled with worry. “Will you have him call me as soon as he’s home and settled?”
“You can go in and stay with him,” Sloane proposed. As much as Sloane craved to be at Dex’s side, Cael was his brother, his famil
y. When all was said and done, Cael and Tony had the last word on any legal matters pertaining to Dex.
Sloane trusted them with his life, with Dex’s life, but the thought that ultimately Sloane had very little say where the law was concerned didn’t sit well with him. He’d already had it happen with Gabe, and it had crushed him. Isaac had taken everything, leaving only Sloane’s memories of Gabe, and the bastard would have taken those too if he could.
Cael and Tony would never be as vindictive as Isaac, but the thought of having Dex stripped from his life in any way was unimaginable. His eyes landed on Cael, who was clearly struggling to keep hold of his emotions.
A shaky smile came onto Cael’s boyish face. “He needs you. Not that he doesn’t need me, but you know. I need time to get myself together after…. He was so….” Cael pressed his lips together, tears welling in his eyes. “There was so much blood.”
Sloane drew Cael into his arms and held him tight, doing his best to soothe. Cael buried his head against Sloane’s chest, clutching at Sloane’s arms.
“It’ll be okay. He’s safe now. I swear I’ll take care of him.”
Cael pulled back, his cheeks flushed with embarrassment. “Thanks.”
Sloane gave him a nod before turning to Ash, who spoke quietly. “You need anything, you just call. Whoever’s behind this, we’ll find them.”
“Thanks.” Sloane gave Ash a brief hug, enough to convey how very grateful he was to have Ash at his back.
Sloane left them to Sparks, who had a few more words of warning for them. He left the room, escorted by the operative who’d spoken to him earlier, and followed him through a set of swinging doors into a long corridor. Sloane hated hospitals, but this was worse, like some kind of underground bunker, though he had no idea whether they were underground or not. At least hospitals had art on the walls and plants, painted murals, anything to help brighten the place up and make it look less like somewhere people were hurt and in pain.
Here the walls were bare concrete, as was the floor. Every few feet there was a steel door, some with small windows and some without. He might not know where he was, but he recognized a covert medical facility when he saw one. How many injured or recovering operatives were behind these doors?