Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 109245 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 546(@200wpm)___ 437(@250wpm)___ 364(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109245 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 546(@200wpm)___ 437(@250wpm)___ 364(@300wpm)
“Roz, will you shut up for once,” he urged.
Chief Reyes didn’t seem to buy his denial either.
Reyes’s radio clicked. “Control, I have an assault on a Raven. Initiate Raven shield protocol and notify Jo. I want a SITREP on each unit, their handlers and personal staff, and a full scan of their quarters.”
Gage shook his head so hard it started to ache. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. This is crazy. It’s not that serious.”
“I’m sorry, sir,” Reyes said, “But an assault on a Raven is as serious as it gets. I’m gonna’ need you to come with me, no arguments.”
Before Gage could refuse, the command PA sounded in the building.
“Raven Shield Protocol activated. Facility lockdown. All sectors hold position. Security sweep in progress.”
Gage faced Roz’s direction, fuming so loud it made his ears ring.
This wasn’t how he’d planned to spend his night.
White Ravens
Scar
During the Browns’ briefing, Scar reclined in the executive office chair, listening with one ear while his mind kept circling back to the same thing since he’d left the villa.
Gage saying yes.
Gage wearing his ring.
Gage’s mouth on his—
The command PA came on loud enough to cut through his erotic daydream.
“Raven Shield Protocol activated. Facility lockdown. All sectors hold position. Security sweep in progress.”
The alert cut off a second before the door flew open and an army of men and women in tactical uniforms poured inside. SECURITY was etched in bold letters on their armored vests, and each one held an assault rifle resting against their chests.
They surrounded him—Ex, Meridian, Grace, Mirage, and Valor—with the disciplined calm of soldiers trained to protect lethal assets.
Jo stood so fast her chair flipped over. “What the hell is going on?”
The officer—whom Scar assumed was their sergeant—spoke up clearly and to the point. “We’ve had an attack on a Raven within headquarters.”
Scar’s heart lurched, a tight knot rising in his throat.
Meridian didn’t move or raise his voice. “Who?”
The only Ravens weren’t in the room were Gage and Zorion.
Scar didn’t need anyone to say the name. His heart already knew.
The officer said two words that made his stomach sink to his feet.
“The Saint.”
Scar tried to break through the wall of soldiers, but their unyielding barrier stopped him.
“We can’t allow you to leave until the building is secure, sir,” an officer commanded.
Scar saw red.
The thought of the only person in the world who’d ever said he loved him being hurt, hit him like a hollow point to the stomach, almost folding him over.
He had to get to him, but these armed guards wouldn’t get out his way. He looked back at his mentor, unable to form words through the panic.
Do something!
Meridian stepped forward, close enough that the officer’s posture changed. His voice dropped low, threatening and final.
“Move.”
They hurried out of the way as if a raging bull was about to charge.
Jo was already at the door. “Where is he?”
“Security wing,” someone answered.
“Do we have eyes on Zorion?” she asked next.
“Yes, ma’am. He’s in his quarters and secured,” the lead officer responded.
Jo broke into a jog with her crew following behind her.
It still wasn’t fast enough for him.
He barged through the security wing’s double doors like a wrecking ball. The sub-department was called Overwatch Operations.
It wasn’t security. It was the eyes behind security. The sector that watched the watchers.
Eighteen specialists sat in staggered rows, each with a wall of feeds, audio channels, maps, badge logs, and a fuck load of other technical stuff Scar didn’t care about.
He hollered out the moment he crossed the threshold.
“Gage!”
Staff flattened themselves against the wall to clear his path.
He found Gage in the largest room, sitting beside Roz in an oversized white robe with his head buried in his hands.
He ran towards him, gripped his shoulders and dragged his hands up and down his body checking for injuries.
Gage stopped his inspection, releasing a tired sigh. “I’m all right.”
“What happened?” Jo asked gently.
Gage turned his head toward her. “Adrian and I were having a disagreement when he tripped, hit his head, and fell in the pool. I had to pull him out.”
Scar frowned. So did everyone else.
Gage’s tone sharpened. “It was a heated conversation. He tripped, and I had to help him. Now can I go to my apartment? It’s late, and I’m exhausted.”
Roz shook his head and pointed at Gage’s back before he mouthed, “He’s lying.”
Gage whipped around and grabbed Roz’s wrist, shoving it away with enough force to almost throw him from his chair.
He got in Roz’s face and spoke in a voice Scar didn’t know he possessed.
“Don’t you ever do that again. Just because I can’t see, doesn’t mean I can’t fuckin’ see.”
The room went dead quiet.
Gage dropped back into the chair and buried his head in his hands again.
No one had ever heard him curse before. Scar wasn’t sure if Gage had heard himself curse.
That’s when he knew something was wrong.