and Devon dismissed the body.
He stuck the gun in his waistband before looking through one of the dead men’s pockets for the keys to the handcuffs. He dropped them beside the body along with the handcuffs before pulling one of the high-powered rifles over his shoulder. He took only a moment to yank the vest off the man who had carried him, looking for ammunition, before turning and running back down the road.
It was another thing he took to with ease, his heart and lungs performing well as he pressed himself faster and faster toward Kalin’s cabin.
He couldn’t be too late.
Not again.
Grace Campbell wasn’t much on conversation. She was dressed head to toe like any one of the Army Rangers lined up in the cemetery. Normally, her gloves set her apart. Today, only her petite frame did as the honor guard turned out in formal dress to lay Devon Ross to rest.
“Present arms!”
The honor guard performed perfectly, executing their order with a precise motion. The rifle salute rang out in the early morning air before the bugler finished the graveside ceremony with the lone, mournful sound of his instrument.
General Slynn gained a salute from everyone except for Grace. She wore fatigues instead of a dress uniform, set apart by Operative status. The gap was closing and the headstone of her fellow Operative bore more signs that they were no longer invisible members of the armed forces.
“There was a time I hoped you and Ross would pair up. Today, I’m glad that didn’t happen,” the general remarked in a low, gravelly voice.
“Because you hope this won’t be my last child, or because you don’t want to see me unhappy?”
The general’s attention dropped to her distended belly. There wasn’t much fat on her frame, making her advanced pregnancy look even more pronounced.
“Maybe it’s because I don’t want to watch another widow receive a flag.”
She nodded. “I believe you.”
He pulled his hat from beneath his forearm and sat it on his head again. “I’m sorry for your loss. I know he counted you among his friends.”
“Thank you.”
She meant it. Even if personal relationships were a new thing for her. At least when it came to the officers. “But I think it’s Major Gennaro who needs comfort more than me.”
The general cut a look toward Garrick Gennaro. The man was textbook perfect in his dress, every button gleaming and his back ramrod straight. Too rigid really—he looked ready to snap.
“He’s closed off,” Grace remarked.
“I don’t need your abilities to know that,” Slynn said. “But it’s something he’ll have to work through. No one can teach a man how to deal with losing those under his command.”
The general moved toward Gennaro anyway and Devon’s Commanding Officer turned to cut him a salute.
“I never thought Devon would be the one to go down.”
Grace’s fellow female Operative glided up beside her and flashed her a smile. Sonya Roberts was blonde haired and green eyed but her eyes were a light green compared with Grace’s emerald ones.
“You know, since you went and did that again, I’m working overtime.”
Sonya pointed at Grace’s belly, but her tone was teasing.
“I’m bored out of my skull,” Grace confessed. “Jacobs won’t let me do a thing.”
Sonya titled her head to one side. “I bet it’s more than your C.O. making sure you stay down. You do have a bit of a reputation for running yourself hard. Pregnancy doesn’t take too well to that sort of thing.”
Grace made a low sound under her breath. “I’ll be sure to remember your kindness when it’s your turn.”
“Yeah.” Sonya looked back at the casket. “I don’t think that’s coming anytime soon.”
There was a touch of doom in her tone that Grace understood. Devon had known it as well. They were Operatives. The men of their units did their best to safeguard them, but today was a harsh reminder of just how high the stakes were. Devon had enjoyed his role among the Special
He stuck the gun in his waistband before looking through one of the dead men’s pockets for the keys to the handcuffs. He dropped them beside the body along with the handcuffs before pulling one of the high-powered rifles over his shoulder. He took only a moment to yank the vest off the man who had carried him, looking for ammunition, before turning and running back down the road.
It was another thing he took to with ease, his heart and lungs performing well as he pressed himself faster and faster toward Kalin’s cabin.
He couldn’t be too late.
Not again.
Grace Campbell wasn’t much on conversation. She was dressed head to toe like any one of the Army Rangers lined up in the cemetery. Normally, her gloves set her apart. Today, only her petite frame did as the honor guard turned out in formal dress to lay Devon Ross to rest.
“Present arms!”
The honor guard performed perfectly, executing their order with a precise motion. The rifle salute rang out in the early morning air before the bugler finished the graveside ceremony with the lone, mournful sound of his instrument.
General Slynn gained a salute from everyone except for Grace. She wore fatigues instead of a dress uniform, set apart by Operative status. The gap was closing and the headstone of her fellow Operative bore more signs that they were no longer invisible members of the armed forces.
“There was a time I hoped you and Ross would pair up. Today, I’m glad that didn’t happen,” the general remarked in a low, gravelly voice.
“Because you hope this won’t be my last child, or because you don’t want to see me unhappy?”
The general’s attention dropped to her distended belly. There wasn’t much fat on her frame, making her advanced pregnancy look even more pronounced.
“Maybe it’s because I don’t want to watch another widow receive a flag.”
She nodded. “I believe you.”
He pulled his hat from beneath his forearm and sat it on his head again. “I’m sorry for your loss. I know he counted you among his friends.”
“Thank you.”
She meant it. Even if personal relationships were a new thing for her. At least when it came to the officers. “But I think it’s Major Gennaro who needs comfort more than me.”
The general cut a look toward Garrick Gennaro. The man was textbook perfect in his dress, every button gleaming and his back ramrod straight. Too rigid really—he looked ready to snap.
“He’s closed off,” Grace remarked.
“I don’t need your abilities to know that,” Slynn said. “But it’s something he’ll have to work through. No one can teach a man how to deal with losing those under his command.”
The general moved toward Gennaro anyway and Devon’s Commanding Officer turned to cut him a salute.
“I never thought Devon would be the one to go down.”
Grace’s fellow female Operative glided up beside her and flashed her a smile. Sonya Roberts was blonde haired and green eyed but her eyes were a light green compared with Grace’s emerald ones.
“You know, since you went and did that again, I’m working overtime.”
Sonya pointed at Grace’s belly, but her tone was teasing.
“I’m bored out of my skull,” Grace confessed. “Jacobs won’t let me do a thing.”
Sonya titled her head to one side. “I bet it’s more than your C.O. making sure you stay down. You do have a bit of a reputation for running yourself hard. Pregnancy doesn’t take too well to that sort of thing.”
Grace made a low sound under her breath. “I’ll be sure to remember your kindness when it’s your turn.”
“Yeah.” Sonya looked back at the casket. “I don’t think that’s coming anytime soon.”
There was a touch of doom in her tone that Grace understood. Devon had known it as well. They were Operatives. The men of their units did their best to safeguard them, but today was a harsh reminder of just how high the stakes were. Devon had enjoyed his role among the Special
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