Against The Grain (THIRDS 5)

With that she disappeared, leaving them all stunned stupid.

Dex turned to them. “What do you think she wants to talk to us about?”

“I don’t know, and I don’t care.” Ash put his arm around Cael. “Let’s get the fuck out of here.”

Cael paused. He went to Fuller and crouched down by his corpse. Ash joined him, speaking quietly.

“He left you no choice.”

“He was going to kill me,” Cael said. “I’ve never killed anyone before.” The thought hadn’t occurred to him until now. He’d fired his weapon plenty of times, tranqed perps, and shot in self-defense, but he’d never killed anyone.

“Whatever you need,” Ash said, pulling Cael to his feet with him, “we’re here for you, okay?”

Cael nodded, following Ash and the rest of his team out of the subbasement. Cael didn’t know what to think about what had happened. He was still processing a good deal of it. But it also occurred to him that he’d stood up to Fuller. He’d stood up for himself and proved he was as fierce a Therian agent as any other Felid THIRDS agent. Cael felt a huge weight lift off his shoulders. He was capable, always had been. Smiling to himself, he put his arm around Ash’s waist as they walked out of the facility.

He was going to be fine.

Chapter 12

CAEL STOOD at attention inside Sparks’s office with the rest of their team. They hadn’t seen her since the facility. Last night after they’d showered and gotten into bed together, Cael and Ash had talked for some time, both wondering if they’d see Sparks again after that, considering who she really worked for. Yet here she was, carrying on with her lieutenant duties as if nothing had happened.

The office was in privacy mode, and Sparks sat calmly at her desk, stoic as usual in her signature white pantsuit.

“This team seems to have trouble obeying the rules. Why do you think that is, Agent Brodie?”

Dex held a hand up. “Lieutenant—”

“I believe I was addressing agent Brodie.”

Dex quickly shut it.

“Could you be more specific?” Sloane asked, his expression giving nothing away.

Sparks cocked her head to one side before tapping her desk. The large screen on the wall above her head flickered to life. It split into numerous smaller screens showing different footage. To Cael’s horror, he realized it was digital footage of their team, one of them time-stamped over a year ago of Dex and Sloane going at it in the parking garage. He did not need to see that.

Although the angle didn’t catch them with their hands on each other—or rather in each other’s pants—there was no question what was going on, especially with all the sucking face happening simultaneously. Another screen showed Calvin kissing Hobbs back when Hobbs was in the hospital, while a third screen showed Ash kissing Cael in his office, which had supposedly been on privacy mode. Jesus, when she said she knew everything, she hadn’t been kidding.

“Did you honestly believe I wouldn’t notice? Then there’s this.”

She tapped the screen, and Cael recognized the footage as “borrowed” camera feeds. Who the hell was behind all this? The screens changed, this time showing footage of them at various locations around the city as they went after Hogan. The ballroom, their surveillance van, the grain terminal.

“I believe Destructive Delta was put on leave.”

Dex opened his mouth, and Sparks cut him off.

“I’m not going back on my word, Agent Daley. Seb will remain in his position. His work during this case, despite your interference, is still commendable, as is his solidarity. I’ve wanted to promote him for some time.” She turned her attention back to Sloane. “Now, I ask again, Agent Brodie. This team seems to have trouble obeying the rules. Why do you think that is?”

Sloane seemed to think about it. “My team operates to the best of their ability within the limitations set by the laws they uphold, laws violated by the perpetrators we’re tasked to detain. There are times when in the pursuit of justice, the rules are bent, but only as a last recourse.”

Sparks didn’t look convinced.

Dex held a hand up, and Sparks let out a heavy sigh. “Yes, agent Daley?”

“The THIRDS is the

only agency that allows family to work together. Why?”

“Research showed agents who belonged to a positive family dynamic had a higher rate of success in all areas of performance than the general employee population. Agents who had this type of positive support system at the workplace outside of their teams seemed to cope better with stress and produced higher results during psych evals. The THIRDS decided to allow it as long as agents were in different departments. It’s been very effective.”