TREX HQ

Bailey fixed Jake’s collar for the third time. He grabbed her hand and lowered it as he met her gaze. “I’m fine.”

“It’s your first field assignment.” As if she needed to say it aloud. She’d been chanting it all day. Not only was it Jake’s first field assignment, it was also the first field assignment of the program. She didn’t know if either cadet was ready.

Sure, Ryan retrieved intel daily, but that was all done behind the safety and anonymity of a computer screen. They’d only been partners a week. It could take years for field agents to trust their intel agents. With the data. With their life. They needed more time.

Unfortunately, they were out of time and had to move.

Now Jake would be front-and-center at a fundraiser full of rich bureaucrats—some of them more crooked than the famous Lombard Street in San Francisco. If he didn’t do everything exactly as planned, say everything exactly right, he could expose the entire agency. TREX was taking a huge risk sending in a couple rookies. She hoped the director knew what he was doing when he gave the order.

“And you’ve trained me for this assignment.” Jake straightened his tie and faced the mirror to inspect himself. Sharp suit. Shined shoes. Dazzling smile. Jake Swanson definitely looked the part. She only hoped he acted it.

Ryan walked in wearing his typical jeans and T-shirt. As soon as he spotted Jake, he chuckled, earning a glare from his partner. “You look like a tool in that suit.”

“You look like an asshole,” he countered. With a grin, he added, “No suit required.”

“You’re such a dick.”

“Ooh, solid burn.”

“Boys,” Bailey interjected, pissed neither of her recruits had enough sense to keep personal feelings out of the mission. “You’re both pretty. Can we try to be a little more professional?”

“Sorry,” they offered in unison. She doubted their conviction in the combined apology, especially when they stole sideway grins at each other. Maybe there was hope for them as partners yet.

She handed Jake his false credentials, followed by the invitation. “Your name is Jake Greene, the nephew of billionaire philanthropist Vic Greene. Uncle Vic was pulled away on business at the last minute, so he sent his nephew in his place.”

“Vic Greene?” Jake stopped adjusting his tie and faced her. “Isn’t he the head of the agency?”

“One in the same. He receives hundreds of invitations like this every year. Most he ignores. Some he responds to but never attends.”

“What makes this invite so different?” Jake asked.

“The names on the guest list.” Ryan pulled out an iPad and swiped at the screen before handing it to Jake. “One, in particular. Recognize the highlighted name?”

“Gerald Murphy.” He shrugged and returned the tablet. “What’s his deal?”

“Didn’t you read the briefing I put together? Or can’t you read?”

“I read the briefing,” Jake fired back. “I don’t remember anything about a Gerald Murphy.”

“He’s the reason for this mission.” Ryan’s mouth fell open, clearly annoyed. “There was an entire section on him. I even flagged the pages. He’s got properties across the state, some inherited from his brother, others donated anonymously. It’s the anonymous properties we’re most interested in, or rather the donor.”

“I must have missed it. Or fell asleep. I mean, it read like a page from your diary—boring and dry. Like your dates.”

“Sit,” Bailey barked at them both. When they blinked at her, she followed it up with, “Now!”

They sat.

She focused on Jake. “You’re about to go into the field armed with nothing more than what’s in that file. A briefing is more than words. It’s your weapon against the target. Without it, you’re just as defenseless as an unarmed man in a shootout.”

When she heard Ryan inhale sharply, squaring his shoulder in arrogant triumph, she re-centered her attention. “Your briefings aren’t just spouting facts. They tell a story. We’ve talked about this. If you want to graduate into TREX’s Intel Division, you must engage your field agent. You’re his lifeline, his only connection outside the field. You’re his greatest weapon when he’s on the inside.”

“She’s right, as usual.” Jason walked in, a grin from ear-to-ear. Bailey jumped to her feet and stopped herself from running into his arms. With him here, she’d no longer need Jackson as her protection.

“What are you doing here? I thought you were still overseas.”

Despite having an audience, he swept her into his arms and kissed her before hugging her tight. “I missed you, baby.”

She let herself get caught up in his touch for a few seconds before separating them. “You remember Ryan.”

Jason reached across the table and vigorously shook his hand. “Hey, dude. ’Sup?”

“Good to see you again. How was your trip?”

“Oh, you know how it goes. Too many assholes, not enough time. They never seem to want to give us what we ask. Good thing TREX can be very persuasive. You and Emma still a thing?”

“Hell, yeah.” Ryan lifted one side of his mouth to flash a cute, lopsided grin.

“That girl is crazy-ass crazy.” He snagged Bailey with an intense gaze. “All the best ones are. Hold onto her.” He then turned his attention to Jake, giving her a chance to recover from that look. “Are you Swanson?”

Jake stood and offered his hand. “Yes, sir. Cadet Jake Swanson.”

Jason accepted it and shook harder than necessary. Jake grit his teeth in a frozen smile. Apparently, Jason’s grip was harder than necessary, too. Great, the TREX agent wasted no time establishing himself as the alpha in the room.

Jackson walked in, took one look at Jason, and skidded to a stop. “What the hell are you doing here, Bowman?”

“I’m going to a party.” He eyed Jake’s suit. “Nice digs, now take them off.”

“What?” Jake regarded Bailey. “I thought I was going into the field.”

“Not anymore,” Jason answered as he helped the cadet out of the jacket and slipped it on. It was tight in the shoulders but still looked good. Then again, Jason made anything he wore look good. With playful blond hair and devil blue eyes, he had Bailey weak with nothing more than a smile. Add in a suit jacket and she was a goner.

She recovered and stepped in front of Jason before Jackson attacked. “Jas, what’s going on?”

“Director’s orders.” He reached for Jake’s tie.

“Bullshit.” Jackson swatted his hand and stepped in front of Jake. “I’m running this op. If Weber had wanted the agents swapped out, he would have told me.”

Jason challenged him, squaring his shoulders. “Are you calling me a liar?”

Jackson challenged him right back. “That’s one of about a dozen four-letter words I use for you.”

Bailey jumped between them and placed a palm on each hard chest. “Stand down, you two.” When neither of them moved, she shoved them both, sending them farther apart. “Ryan, set up a com link to HQ. We need to get this sorted out before we send the wrong agent into the field.”

As soon as Ryan had the link patched into TREX’s HQ in Seattle, Jackson and Jason stood shoulder-length apart as they faced the giant screen, arms crossed, similar stony expressions.

To Bailey’s surprise, Charis walked onscreen and sat at the director’s desk, folded her hands in front of her, and regarded the camera. “What’s the big emergency?”

“Where’s Weber?” Jackson barked.

She lifted a dark eyebrow as she regarded him. “Visiting a friend.”

“Then where’s Allen? He’s one of the assistant directors.”

“That’s the friend. What can I do for you, Agent Banks?”

“No offense, Snyder. You have no authority on this find. You’re not in the position to do anything for me.”

“But I am.” David Snyder moved into view. He stared down every person in the room before returning his attention to Jackson. “If this is about Bowman taking the cadet’s place, that’s on my order.”

Jackson set his jaw and straightened. Clearly, he didn’t like the order, but since David was his superior and an assistant director as well, he didn’t have a choice in the matter. “Why wasn’t I informed?”

“I’m telling you now.”

“May I ask why?”

“I’ll do one better.” He regarded Jake. “What’s your primary objective on this find?”

“To seek out Gerald Murry,” Jake answered without hesitation. Bailey muttered a curse. He couldn’t even get the name of his target right.

David didn’t hesitate on the misstep as he continued his line of questioning. “And when you find him? What are your orders?”

“To, uh…”

“I’m still waiting, cadet.” He didn’t look all too happy at Jake’s answer. When Jake couldn’t come up with the answer, Ryan stepped forward, drawing a smile from Bailey’s BIL. “Hey, kid.”

“Sir.” He nodded. “Cadet Swanson and I were just starting the briefing. We didn’t cover everything, yet.”

David clearly didn’t believe him. “Is that so?” Ryan swallowed hard and nodded again. David then turned his attention to Jason. “Bowman, what’s the primary objective on this find?”

“To get close enough to the target to clone his phone.” He glanced at Jake. “Not to engage. It’s what we call a quick in and out. Always best to go in undetected so you can slip back out without any questions.”

David bounced his gaze between Jake and Ryan. “Why is it Agent Bowman can recite the directive on a find he hasn’t been briefed on, yet the agent we were about to send into the field couldn’t even get the name of the target right?”

“Sir, I—” Jake snapped his mouth closed when David shook his head.

“Save it, cadet. You’re not ready.” He regarded Bailey. “Never send them into the field when they can’t even recite the objective.”

“Yes, sir.” Humiliation flamed her cheeks. Being reprimanded in front of the recruits embarrassed the hell out of her. She’d have to have a word with her BIL about this. Undermining her when she was supposed to be running the program shook her confidence, let alone hurt her credibility.

But he was right. She’d been so eager to prove the internship program to the rest of the agency. Sending ill-prepared agents into the field rarely worked to anyone’s advantage but the target’s.

“Anything else?” No one answered. “Then I suggest you get moving. The fundraiser starts in an hour.” He killed the feed, leaving everyone in the room speechless and awkwardly silent.

Jake finally spoke up in a feeble whisper. “I’m sorry.”

To her surprise, Jackson slapped him on the shoulder. “Shit happens, cadet. Lick your wounds and move on. Snyder wants Bowman on this, but he never said you couldn’t tag along.” When everyone but Jake protested, Jackson brought up his hand. “Until I’m relieved of SAC on this find, I still have a say. Bowman, give the cadet back his jacket and find your own suit. Ryan, you’re his intel on this op. It’s your job to make sure he knows his mission inside and out. I’ll be back in one hour to pick you up in the Town Car.”

Bailey caught up and pulled him out of earshot. “Are you sure about this? You heard Snyder.”

“I heard him say he wanted Bowman in the field. Swanson can go with him as his secondary.”

“He’s not ready—”

“—to be on his own,” Jackson finished. “Give the kid a shot at shadowing someone who is.”

Did he just pay Jason a compliment? Before she had the chance to ask, he walked out. She turned and addressed those still in the room. “You heard the SAC. Jason, Jake will shadow you in the field. Ryan, make sure he’s memorized every word of that briefing. I’ll be back.”

“Where are you going?” Jake and Ryan asked in unison.

“To find Jason a suit.”