Frost
Snow lay packed on the sides of the roads, having been pushed aside by the street plows. Flurries lingered, dancing on the night’s cold, crisp breeze and the smell of exhaust and dampness filled the air. The hotel was nice enough. Not your fancy high end kind that could be found in one of Russia’s major cities, but the bed was nice and the room had heat. Seth stood in the middle of the room looking at the queen-sized bed.
“I wonder if he knows there’s only one bed?”
Frost snorted. “Why would it matter, we’ve bunked together before.”
“Yeah, well, that was before I decided to fuck your brains out.”
He choked on his spit and started coughing. Seth, the cheeky little bastard, walked over and patted him on the back.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah. Warn a guy, O’Leary.”
The brown-haired angel, or devil he should say, just smiled and went about unpacking his stuff.
“When do you want to scope out the place?” Seth asked.
“Tonight, hopefully when people are sleeping.” Lifting his cell phone, he called a number and put it on speaker.
“We’ve landed,” he said.
“Be there in ten minutes,” a deep voice declared through the speaker.
“How do you know where we are?”
Frost caught and held Seth’s gaze across the room.
“I know everything,” the voice answered, and then a click and silence.
“That guy’s fucking spooky.” Seth gave an exaggerated shudder.
“You have no idea.” He snorted, tossing the phone on the bed.
Seth slipped off his jacket and draped it over a chair before walking to the small counter near the bath and combing through the snacks. From there, Seth kicked off his shoes and climbed onto the bed.
“What’s his name?”
“Fear.”
“Anyone know his real name?” Seth asked around a bite of cracker. Wrappers from a scavenger hunt for food lay scattered around the green-eyed beauty. Frost traced the line of Seth’s throat with his eyes as the man guzzled half a bottle of seltzer water from the middle of the bed. Crumbs hovered at the side of Seth’s lip, and then his tongue peeked out to lick them away, Frost stifled a groan and fought to stay where he was across the room.
“No.”
“Why Fear?”
“Black ops, ex-special forces. He’s a legend. The story is that his unit was killed in combat. He and one other man were the only ones alive when the rescue helicopter landed. When they got there, the enemy lay scattered at his feet. Twenty some men dead.”
Seth’s eyes went wide and his mouth hung open. “What about the other guy?”
“He was wounded, badly. Couldn’t have helped if he wanted to. When the rescuers asked what happened, the soldier said that Fear killed them. Of course, the men asked what fear and the wounded soldier pointed to Fear. The name stuck.”
“Who was the wounded soldier? What was his name?”
Frost wondered how much to say, but figured Seth would find out eventually. “It was Lash.”
“Our Lash?” Something flashed in Seth’s eyes.
“You sound surprised.”
“I just thought he’d have shared this, is all.” Seth shrugged, not meeting his gaze.
A quiet knock on the door signaled Fear’s arrival and Frost quickly slipped to the door.
“Who is it?”
“Fear.”
He flipped the lock and pulled open the door enough for the man to step inside.
Fear wore all black. It matched the midnight hair that fell just short of the man’s nape. A chiseled jaw sported a very short beard and mustache that surrounded his upper lip and jaw. Small nicks and scars peeked through the warrior’s scruff. Cold, gunmetal-gray eyes studied them for a long moment.
Frost narrowed his gaze. The soldier stared right back. Neither blinked.
He introduced Seth. “This is Reboot Hell.”
“Two of you? Going soft, Frosty?” Fear sneered mockingly.
“Fuck you,” Frost growled.
Fear’s lip curled. “No thanks, I like my men slim. Kind of like cutie on the bed over there.”
“He’s off the market,” he replied, his gaze flat, deadly.
“Standing right here,” Seth pointed out and scooted off the bed to come closer. “Hello, I’m Seth. Code name Reboot Hell.”
“Phoenix’s hacker,” Fear rasped. “I’ve heard of you.”
“Much more, but that’s okay. I’m a damned good hacker too,” Seth quipped back.
The warrior looked past Seth and held his gaze. Frost squared off, they were the same size. He wasn’t giving an inch.
“It’s been a long time, Frost,” Fear finally said.
Frost smirked. “That it has.”
They moved then, coming together, and Frost gripped Fear in a hard hug that was returned equally as hard.
“Wait, you two know each other?” Seth demanded, grabbing his seltzer from the nightstand and stepping closer.
“Yeah, we’ve met during a few missions.” Frost smiled and shoved the man. Fear swiped a hand at him, but he was quick and Fear missed.
“Stefano and the chief called. They said you’d need some gear when you landed,” Fear said, lifting the backpack from his shoulder and the massive duffle bag from the floor. He slung both on the bed and unzipped the bags. “Surveillance and weapons. I have both.”
“You should work for Phoenix.” Seth grinned.
“They wish.” Fear curled his lip.
“We’ve been trying for years, but he won’t come in from the cold,” Frost told Seth.
“He probably has his reasons.” Seth tipped the contents of the backpack on the bed and began assembling the items with quick, efficient movements.
“Beauty and brains.”
“You have no idea,” Frost told Fear.
“Still right here,” Seth cut in, screwing a suppressor on the end of a 9mm.
Fear held up his hands and backed away from the bed. The soldier prowled over to the mini bar and poured a drink.
“Seen Lash lately?” Frost followed the guy.
“No, why?”
“He’s MIA.”
Fear didn’t even blink. The soldier tossed back the drink before he shrugged. If Frost hadn’t been watching the man so closely, he would have missed the tick in Fear’s tight jaw.
“He’s a grown man. He can handle himself,” Fear grunted.
“I know. I just thought you might have run into him.” Frost shrugged and moved to the bed to pick up a recording device that Seth had assembled.
“Is he out of the country?” Fear stalked to the glass doors of the balcony. The man stood facing away from them. His wide shoulders set, he took another swallow of his drink.
“I don’t know. He could be in the U.S. Nobody knows or nobody’s talking,” Frost responded, setting down the listening device and picking up one of the Glocks on the bed.
Seth looked up and met his gaze. Frost gave a small shake of his head. Fear wouldn’t be pressured. But if the soldier thought Lash was in trouble, Frost had a suspicion that Fear wouldn’t stop until he found out what the hell was going on.
“Like I said,” Fear rumbled, “he’s a big boy.”
Seth
He tucked away his Russian visa under his alias name in his pocket and left his US passport in a secure place.
Fear had come and gone, leaving a small arsenal in his wake. The guy was all kinds of intense. Fear rivaled Asher and Storm in the intense category. Well, no, Seth took that back. Nobody rivaled Storm in intensity.
Seth hoped Fear located Lash. He missed him. They’d cultivated a friendship. He knew the tracker was going through hell. Thankfully, a few months ago, Lash had sent him a short text saying he’d be back soon. It was a good thing too, otherwise Seth might have called out the cavalry.
Seth took the vest that Asher handed him and slipped it on. It was lightweight, but more importantly, it could stop a bullet. Armed and dressed in all black, he pulled on his black running shoes. They were leather and would help keep his feet warm, yet flexible enough to run flat out if he had to.
Pulling on a thin jacket like the vest, he checked the lining. The jacket was designed with a special material that kept out the cold. It also had a Velcro pouch along the bottom he could use to store things like his knife and sleeping darts. When the pouch was empty, the bottom could be pulled out and down, and the coat became full length in order to sleep in if needed.
He tugged on insulated gloves because Russia’s weather could be brutal. When they’d arrived, the airport monitor said thirty six degrees, but that had changed with nightfall. Thankfully, it was March. And while there was still snow on the ground, the climate was changing for the warmer.
Asher was dressed similar and looking sexy in all black as he tucked the handgun into the jacket pockets. Seth wished they were away together under different circumstances. It would have been nice to have gone back to Asher’s together. Nice was putting it mildly, he had a suspicion that they’d ignite the sheets when they finally came together.
He pulled the black beanie over his head and adjusted it to cover his curls. Looking in the mirror, he saw Asher watching him.
“What?” He smiled and kept arranging his hair until it was tucked away.
“Nothing.” Asher walked up behind him and closed his arms around his waist. “You look so cute doing that.”
Seth rolled his eyes and pushed Asher away. “Stop. You’ll make me forget why we’re here.”
Asher huffed, and Seth laughed. He turned and kissed the operative on the lips before darting around the larger man and toward the door. “Later, if you’re good.”
Asher barked out a laugh. “I’m always good, O’Leary.”
“You can call me Seth.”
“I know.”
Perhaps, Asher felt that saying his name was too intimate. Like sex wouldn’t be intimate? He shook his head and grabbed the room key. “Come on. I think our ride is here.”
The car took them to the outskirts of the city. From there, they picked up a pre-arranged rental car Fear had left them, and made their way north. A few miles from the address, Seth parked and got out. Hiking through the snow wasn’t too bad at first, but after a while it grew freaking cold. The air was so frigid, his breath came out in white puffs and ice crystals formed around his mouth.
The driveway stretched a good five hundred feet. The human trafficking business sure paid those bastards well. It was sickening to think any part of the massive mansion had been built on the backs of men, women, and children.
Two guards stood inside the gate, bundled up in snow clothes, sharing a cigarette.
Seth whispered. “Guards to keep people in or guards to keep people out?”
“Both, probably.”
“How do you want to do this?” he asked quietly, watching the guards through the cover of bushes for a moment before he pulled his mask down over his face and turned toward Asher.
“We may not have to do anything,” Asher whispered back. Crouched next to him, Asher pulled out his own mask and pointed toward the gate.
Seth’s head snapped around. One of the guards dropped the cigarette and moved into the other man. In seconds, they were kissing hungrily.
“Well, that helps. Maybe they’ll stay distracted.”
The two men did one better. One of the guards pulled the other into a small shed that stood off to one side and closed the door behind them.
Asher snickered.
“Hey, that’s love.” Seth bit back a smile.
“More like lust with some added sex,” Asher countered.
His smile faltered. Was that how Asher thought about romance? Would it be just sex between them as well?
“Let’s move.”
Asher shot him a quick look, but Seth didn’t stop. He could tell the man was curious about his sudden mood change, but he really didn’t give a shit right then. Let Asher wonder what the hell was up. He shouldn’t have assumed that Asher wanted the same things he did. It was just that he thought they were starting to share a connection. That was his bad.
He darted toward the fence, slipping a bit on the icy snow, but when he reached the fence, he scaled it easily with the rope attachment Fear had supplied. He went first, leaving Asher to follow.
All appeared quiet, but that could be deceiving. He stayed near the tree line to keep his tracks hidden, and Asher followed suit. But it was work pushing through the thigh-deep snow. He paused with Asher at his back to let the search light swing on past. Once it moved, he sprinted, leaping through the snow and along the side of the mansion. He flattened against the building, with Asher so close, the man’s arm brushed his.
Asher touched his shoulder and pointed to a snow-covered path that wandered to just beneath a set of patio doors on the second story balcony. There were several sets of foot prints in the snow that clearly marked the path as well used.
A convenient wood trellis ran up the side of the wall near the balcony and Seth spider climbed to the top. Chunks of snow fell with each grip of his hand on the whitewashed wood. Pulling up and over the railing, he leaned over. Asher turned his head to avoid the falling snow, then resumed climbing. Hunching down, Seth stayed low and moved to the darkest part of the balcony.
They each took a side, crouched, and waited. Most of what they did on a job like this was observe. They'd fight if they needed to, but Stefano wanted information, and dead people didn’t really give up much information. Hopefully, they wouldn’t be discovered. If they found victims tonight, they would call in a clearing team.
Seth cupped his gloved hands to his mouth and gently blew hot air into them so it would melt the ice forming around his exposed lips.
Through the doors, a dimly lit lamp sent a small glow in the bedroom and from what he could see, it appeared empty. He lifted his gloved hand slightly to get Asher’s attention, and then pointed to the next patio over.
“Let’s try that one,” he whispered, and stepped over the railing onto the next balcony. Asher silently followed. This balcony was bigger, covered, and held a heat lamp that surprisingly was turned on. The glass doors were centered and each side held windows with curtains. No curtains on the doors though. From where they stood, a thick, brown vine trailed up the side of a small side wall blocking them from view. It was a good thing because the patio door suddenly opened.
“Stop it, Mother,” a masculine voice said in English. The man sounded irritated as he stepped out onto the balcony. The guy looked to be in his mid-thirties from what Seth could see in the faint light coming from inside.
“I’m only saying that you need to take more precaution. All we need is your stupidity to get in the way.” A woman followed him out. She was older, her bleached-blonde hair pulled into a tight bun. A too-tight sweater and spandex pants hugged a body that looked like money had been spent on it. Her English sounded American. The woman moved to the heater and lifted her hands up to the warmth.
“Don’t call me stupid. What happened in Suzdal wasn’t my fault.”
The Russian city Suzdal, he knew was twenty-five miles from their location. Seth barely dared to breathe when the guy walked over to the railing.
“The American Consulate was asking too many questions about the missing Americans. I couldn’t take the chance that Suzdal would be discovered.”
“But to kill them all?” the woman huffed.
“Yakov agreed with my decision,” the man snarled. “And, it wasn’t all of them, just… most of them.”
“But all the money,” the woman moaned.
“Oh, for god sakes, Mother. Doesn’t Yakov put enough into your bank account?”
She sniffed. “I needed more for my trip to Spain. And I wish you wouldn’t call your father by his first name.” The woman turned back toward the room, tossing words over her shoulder. “It’s so disrespectful.”
“Why? He was never around when I was growing up.”
“But he was when it mattered,” she said, disappearing back inside.
“This will be the last god damned thing I do for him. I’m through,” Yakov’s son snarled after the woman.
They were the lowest form of scum. Trading lives for money and then killing them to avoid detection. Seth squeezed his hands into fists. He so wanted to explode and take them out. If ever there was a time when he didn’t mind killing a female, this would be it. A gentle nudge from Asher shook him out of his rage. Angling his head down to keep his frosted breath hidden, he took a few slow, quiet breaths.
Somewhere inside, a door slammed.
“Fucking bitch,” the son said beneath his breath and headed back inside, closing the patio doors.
Asher motioned to him and Seth nodded. He couldn’t get out of there fast enough. His hands shook when he grasped the trellis and lithely hopped over the balcony railing and made his way back down.
He headed back the way they came, crouched in the darkness, running through the snow to the rope and climbing back over the fence. Still no sign of the guards. Reaching the rental car, they were on the road in a matter of minutes. Not soon enough for Seth. He was frozen solid, inside and out, and thankful Asher had driven.
Quiet filled the car. Seth didn’t know what to say. All the lives lost. He gazed out the window. What a devastating situation, all the families waiting for loved ones that would never come home. He rubbed his forehead to ease the headache starting just behind his eyes and swallowed around the tightness in his throat. The lengths people went to for the almighty dollar was fucking revolting.
They arrived at the rental place and while Asher returned the keys to the drop box, he used his phone app to call an Uber to take them back to the hotel. Entering silently, he found himself standing in the middle of the suite, breathing harshly. As if all the air had been sucked out of his lungs.
Strong arms closed around him and he leaned gratefully back against Asher. He wanted this man. He wanted to relish in the fact that he could make love. That he was alive.
Turning, he cupped Asher’s unshaven face and pressed his mouth to his. With a rough sliding of lips, Seth stroked his tongue along Asher’s bottom lip, nipping and tugging until the man groaned. In a sweeping tangle of tongues, the kiss turned earnest. Asher tasted so good. Seth had been waiting forever to have this moment.
“Come take a shower with me,” he murmured against Asher’s lips. “I need to wash the ick away,” he admitted. “I need to be warm.”
“Wait…” Asher caught his hand, stilling him mid-turn. Seth couldn’t bring himself to look at Asher. The man would see too much. Fingers beneath his chin tilted his head up and he couldn’t avoid Asher’s searching gaze.
“Are you okay?”
“I will be,” he whispered, rubbing his hands up and down his own arms.