“I’ll be damned.” Tate said, looking upon the compound.

 

“Looks like a damned office building,” Kip replied, echoing Reese’s inner thoughts exactly.

 

“No way the guard change in that place is going to be inefficient,” Declan agreed.

 

They took in the six story grey and black building, its dark blue paneled windows breaking up the monochromatic look. It was sterile, almost lifeless, and looked as cold on the outside as the souls of its occupants on the inside. 

 

Reese tucked one gun into his pants, and strapped another around his ankle. “That’s why you’ve got to move fast. If you go in through the delivery entrance in the back, you can likely get to the basement without being spotted by too many Agents.”

 

“Except your boy.” Gideon said, one eyebrow raised like he was awaiting confirmation.

 

Reese nodded. “Nick will meet you guys in Corridor D, ten meters inside and to the left. He said he’s got one more defecting Agent, Jillian Barnes, on the inside waiting to help. She’s posted in front of the rescue holding cell, so she will be able to help him get you guys in and the rescues out.”

 

Declan checked his gun, and stuck extra clips into his pockets. “I thought we talked about the whole being careful who we trust thing.” He glared at Reese.

 

“We also talked about the whole trying to get out alive thing,” Reese threw back. “Nick has got our back. If he says Jillian is safe, then Jillian is safe.”

 

“And we trust Nick so much, why?”

 

“Dammit, Declan,” Gideon growled. “We don’t have time for this.”

 

“Because I tend to trust those who have saved my life, yeah? And Nick did just that, a few years ago when I had five Agents up my ass on a job and Nick hustled me out unscathed.”

 

Declan stared hard at Reese until Iris wrapped a hand around his forearm. “Let it go, cher.”

 

Reese looked over to Jared, Tate, and Rae. “The goal is to try to get all the rescues out at once. We might not have enough space to get them all to shelters at the same time, but at least they won’t be held hostage anymore.”

 

"What about the rescues you don’t have room for?" Jared stuffed as many medical supplies as he could into the pockets of his cargoes.

 

“We will take as many as we can to Logan and Lila, holed up in a safe house about ten miles south of here.” Iris assured. “Once we drop them off, we will come right back for any others.”

 

Jared faltered. "But while they wait for a ride, they're just sitting ducks."

 

Declan strapped an extra gun to his thigh. "Then we make sure we hide them well enough in the meantime.”

 

“I’ll be stationed here, ready to lead the rescues to the trucks once you get them out of the compound.” Gideon pointed to a spot on the map, then out towards the copse of trees beyond the compound. “It’s about a quarter mile that way. Trees should be thick enough to hide anyone we need to, and the sound of the river will help cover any extra noise. So if you need to drop back to hold off any Agents, I’ll get the rescues the rest of the way out.”

 

Rae nodded, pulling her hair up into a ponytail. “Let’s hope all the rescues can walk out on their own power.”  

 

“And that we don’t have any runners.” Tate added.

 

Declan turned towards Reese. "Lara and Kip should lead out the first team. I want them in the driver’s seats, ready to go while you and Iris load them up. Then you and Iris hop in your trucks while Rae and Jared load the second round. Tate and I will hang back to cover, and Gideon can take us out in the Bronco.”

 

“Copy.” He refrained from repeating that Nick would be on hand to help as well. Declan wasn’t in the mood to listen.

 

“Get over here, gorgeous.” Gideon grabbed Iris around the waist, dipping her for a kiss. “Let me give you a proper send off.”

 

Iris cupped his face. “You be careful, my man. Come back to me.”

 

Kip and Tate chuckled, then gripped arms in a tight handshake. Kip pulled his brother into a hug. “Be careful in there.”

 

“Always, brother.” Tate clapped him on the back. “See you on the other side.”

 

Reese watched Declan grab Rae around the back of her neck, pressing his forehead to hers. His mouth moved, whispering something to her that made her grin and lightly sock him in the stomach. Declan smiled and released her, looking around for Jared.

 

It was time.

 

Reese snagged Jared’s arm, tugging him up against his chest. "Be careful, yeah?" Reese carded a hand through Jared's silky soft hair and buried his face in it, memorizing the scent, breathing in the innocence and strength that was Jared.

 

Jared burrowed into his chest, his arms coming around Reese and holding on tight. "You too.” His fingers curled onto Reese's shirt, tightly fisting the fabric. “Don’t get shot again.”

 

Reese let out a laugh. He could feel Jared's heart pounding as if it were his own, but he was pleased not to notice any tremors in the hands that gripped his shoulders. He tipped Jared’s face up so he could look into those golden chocolate eyes. "You're a badass, sweetheart. Don't let them make you second guess that."

 

"I won’t.” Jared kissed Reese’s fingers. “I’ve been around Agents since before I could walk. I'm in my element here, remember?” Reese held him close, a pang of nerves shooting through him that he had never before felt on a job. Jared’s words were tough, but he buried his face against Reese’s chest. Reese hated the easy reference to the way Jared had grown up, hated that he was right.

 

“You sure are." He ran his hands up and down Jared's arms. Every protective instinct Reese possessed slammed through him so strongly he thought it would suffocate him. He wanted to yell and scream, to tell Jared no way in hell was he going inside that building.

 

But his boy could handle it, and Reese was so damn proud of him. "If any Agents come at you, for shits sake shoot first, okay?" Reese tried to keep his voice steady, but from the curl of Jared's mouth he could see he failed. "Keep that oversized heart out of it."

 

Jared gave him a wry look. "You sound like Declan."

 

"Aw, come on, sweetheart.” Reese grinned and let his familiar confidence slide back over him, because if he let in any kind of worry over what might happen once Jared disappeared inside Agent territory, Reese feared it would cut him off at the knees. “Don't leave me with an insult like that."

 

Jared distracted him, kissing the corners of Reese's cocky grin with small affectionate pecks that quickly turned into something deeper and more heated as the sounds of duffle bag shuffling and car doors slamming around them grew louder.

 

"Jare." Declan's voice was gentle, but urgent.

 

"Don't worry," Jared breathed against Reese's lips. He put his palm against Reese’s chest. "I got this."

 

He squeezed Jared’s hand where it lay over his heart before letting it go. "You damn sure do." His voice was thick with pride at Jared's efforts to comfort, when it should have been the other way around.

 

Jared walked backwards away from him as far as he could, and Reese took the moment to scan every inch of his lover's face, his body, imprinting into his brain what already had been stamped onto his heart.

 

“Alright.” He turned to Kip and Iris, catching a glimpse of Lara Cassidy pulling her truck alongside Kip’s. “Let’s do this.”