TWENTY-SEVEN

Zarek

"Help us take Garret down and we might be able to collaborate for Gao Ling takedown. I can ask Callahan if we can bypass Interpol," I said. "By the way, why isn't Interpol on this?"

Sebastian shrugged, "They're probably busy with the Russians. But that's a conversation for another year."

"What do you need from the squad?" I asked.

"I need you to operate from New York. I have intel that their next shipments are landing in Florida, New York and Nova Scotia in two weeks. They know you can't target all. New York is the biggest one and it won't just be the tiny little Crazon. If we can locate their holding warehouse, we can find and use Jerome to get to Garret."

"We have confirmation that Jerome is in New York. How many operatives can you spare?" Kabir asked .

"It'll be me, Delara Booth and Zane Cruiser. We're locked in for this assignment. What about you?"

I saw Leora shift nervously.

Nodding at Sebastian I replied, "The whole squad and a trainee. Leora will be a part of this. I can't leave her here and I can't spare personnel for protection."

"I have bodyguards that can look after her, if you want," Sebastian raised a brow.

No. I won't leave her under any protection I didn't fully trust.

Before I could express my opinion Leora jumped in.

"No. I'll be joining you guys," she said firmly.

"Bold woman you snagged there, Rivera," Sebastian smirked.

I gave him a small smile and continued, "Squad Six. Buckle up. We're going to New York in 24 hours."

Sebastian nodded, "I'll get my private jet to collect you all. Kabir? I'll send you the details."

Kabir gave him a curt nod and Sebastian left through the main door as silently as he came.

How did he even arrive here?

I gave the squad one last look and headed to the bedroom. I heard Leora's faint footsteps following me and I smiled to myself.

She was so damn confident today. Her questioning, her steady voice, her defiant eyes, all had my cock throbbing.

???

"God, Sebastian gives me the chills," she mock-shivered as she closed the door behind her .

I caged her against the door, "The way you talked today. The confidence. It's a massive turn on, baby."

Her shiver was definitely real this time.

I whispered against her neck, "I was half hard the whole time. I'm glad others didn't see it."

I caressed her bare thighs, drawing circles over her smooth skin.

"Zarek," she breathed.

"God, why do you wear these tiny little shorts? Showing off these legs to everyone. All I can think is how they'd look wrapped around my face."

"I guess I can manage that," she smirked.

God, this woman.

I knelt down to my knees and in one swift motion, I removed her shorts and panties.

"I need to taste you, Mi Corazón," I looked up at her, "I didn't have my breakfast properly."

She giggled and that soft sound went straight to my cock. I put one of her legs on my shoulder and kissed her inner thigh until Leora's hands were in my hair.

"You tease," she whispered.

I smiled against her glistening pussy, taking her in, and then lapped up her juices. She tasted like heaven.

God, I could do this forever.

I could love this pussy, her moans, forever. Fuck, I could love her forever.

Sucking and nibbling her clit, I slid a finger inside her and her moans grew into grunts. When her legs started to wobble, I picked up my pace and gently put my teeth on her nub and sucked hard.

She quaked under my arms. One more thorough flick and her release found her. She moaned my name and her legs wobbled so hard that I was afraid she'd fall. I kissed her once more and she shuddered against my smile.

Pulling up her panties and shorts I stood up.

"You're it, Leora. I once told you that I was afraid you might be it," I cupped her cheeks, "You're fucking it."

Her cheeks flushed a beautiful pink and she smiled lazily.

"Zarek Rivera. You're it for me too."

I made love to her then, with all my might. Leora was everything to me. I'd damn the mission if it meant she was mine. I'd damn the consequences if it meant she was safe.

I was in love with Leora Mateez, and I'd damn myself if I let her be hurt again.

???

After an uneventful short flight to New York, we landed on a private strip at the Newark airport. I looked out the window and saw black SUVs meticulously parked right at the tarmac.

Sebastian gave us the cover of being a private security unit from Toronto, out here in New York for business. No one on the plane, staff or the pilot, knew that they had just flown one of the deadliest Alpha squads of the past decade. We were the last ones left. Other squads were either dissolved, non-operational or dead. The missions we had completed, the devils we had killed to save innocent lives, all were a quiet mark on society that we had left. I was incredibly proud of my squad, and now Leora for joining it.

Logan dramatically yawned and stretched as he descended the stairs of the aircraft. I followed behind him and Leora and others descended shortly after.

"Zarek," Zane Cruiser held his hand to me.

"Zane," I shook his hand, "How have you been?"

"All better after the nasty mission a month ago."

"Heard about that! I'm glad you're doing better, Zane. This is my team, I'm sure you remember."

I gestured to my squad standing beside me.

"Of course!" He nodded and greeted them all.

"And this is my Leora," I tucked Leora in my arms.

"I heard. Delara would be disappointed now that you're taken, Zarek," he eyed Leora and smiled, "Lovely to meet you, Leora."

I smiled when I saw Leora was scowling and I couldn't resist dropping a kiss on her lips.

"Yeah, she is a bitch," Leora whispered as we followed Zane, and my smile quickly turned into a laugh.

We headed towards the non-descript cars and Zane asked the staff to load our duffle bags in.

Soon, we were on our drive to Brooklyn. When the Blackthorn Security building fielded into view, I heard Leora gasp. Hell, even I was in awe of the modern brick warehouse that spanned a full two blocks. The three-story structures in each block connected through multiple bridges over the street below.

"Don't let the floors fool you. Underground operations are more… high-end cases. We officially have three levels below these blocks," Zane said.

"And unofficially?" I asked.

Zane just smiled and shrugged like he didn't know the answer. We all got out of the cars in the first-level basement parking and Zane asked us all to follow him through a massive elevator that very well could carry a vehicle inside. The elevator required a thumb print and a code to enter.

Right. A security firm.

The elevator doors opened to a beautiful lobby, with high ceilings, exposed bricks, glass partitions and floor plants adorning every corner. I took in the beautiful space. A massive arch window looked at a covered courtyard right in the middle of the complex.

"We have guest rooms on this floor. Here are the keys you'll need to enter them. The room number is tagged right here on the card," Zane's voice interrupted my shameless exploration, "Settle in, freshen up, and I'll have someone pick you up from right here in an hour."

He nodded at me and stalked off. I saw six keys lying on the reception desk. The woman behind it gave me a nervous smile, tucking a loose hair behind her ear.

I slid one key back towards her, "We won't need the sixth room."

I encircled my hands around Leora's waist and watched the woman's smile falter.

Yeah, Logan was right. I'm oblivious sometimes.

The squad had their keys, and I walked Leora to our room, unlocking the door to reveal a flood of light from the floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the courtyard. The room boasted a massive king-sized bed framed in gold metal, set against dark teal walls—luxury far beyond our usual safehouse digs.

"Nice job, Blackthorn," I muttered under my breath.

Leora, unable to hide her delight, flopped onto the bed with a contented sigh. She seemed to adore this place more than I anticipated.

After freshening up, we regrouped with the squad at the reception, where Delara Booth's voice floated through the archway opposite us. Delara, a petite blonde known for her ability to disappear into a crowd, was someone I'd worked with on several CIA missions. Today, she was all business, clad in a formal blue dress and beige heels that barely made her taller than Leora.

"—let's hold off on sending in the team. I'm still tracking their movements," she was saying into her phone.

As she ended the call and noticed us, her face lit up. "Zarek darling," she greeted, pulling me into a hug with her posh British accent.

"Delara," I responded, feeling Leora's tense presence beside me.

Leora cleared her throat conspicuously, and I quickly stepped back from Delara.

My little possessive Leora.

Suppressing a smile at her barely concealed jealousy, I watched as Delara turned her attention to Leora. "And you must be Leora, Zarek's new trainee," she said cheerfully.

"And his girlfriend," Leora corrected her sharply.

Girlfriend. I like the sound of that.

"Lovely to see you again, Delara," Leora let out her hand. Confusion filled Delara's face followed by a quick recognition.

"You are Dr. Leora Mateez, from the Toronto Penitentiary. I knew I recognized that name," she smiled.

"We call them Detention Centres. And yes, that's me. We worked together briefly a few months back. "

"Oh I remember," Delara's smile morphed into a rather mischievous one, "No one has ever called me a bitch to my face before. I liked you immediately."

Leora's eyes widened and she looked at me. I shrugged.

"C'mon, let's get you all downstairs. Zane and Sebastian are very excited to show you what we've got."

She led us to a different elevator, one hidden from general view, requiring both a retina scan and a code. The doors slid open, revealing a descent into the heart of Blackthorn's operations.

As we entered, I saw that this elevator had levels going down to ‘-5'. It immediately made me wonder if -5 wasn't still the last underground level they had. Perhaps, there was another elevator here with higher security access.

As we descended to level ‘-4,' the elevator doors parted to reveal a stark transformation from the upper floors. The ambiance shifted dramatically, evoking the interior of a high-tech spaceship. The walls were painted in shades of dark grey and black, accented with sleek silver touches that caught the light as we moved.

"Let's head to the command center," Delara instructed, her voice echoing slightly in the expansive space.

She led us across a sprawling lobby, its sleek black suede couches scattered strategically, offering a stark contrast to the stark, utilitarian design. We approached a corridor ending in a large opaque glass door that looked more like a portal to another dimension than a simple entryway.

After another retina scan and a quick input of codes, the door slid open with a soft hiss, reminiscent of airlocks in sci-fi movies. The immediate buzz of activity hit us—the rapid clatter of keyboards and low murmurs of concentrated conversation created a background hum of efficiency and urgency.

I glanced at Leora, who surveyed the scene with a cool, impassive gaze, seemingly unphased by the high-tech surroundings.

"This is where the magic happens," Delara said with a hint of pride, gesturing broadly to the sprawling room filled with glowing screens and busy personnel. "Welcome to the nerve center of Blackthorn."

Someone from my squad whistled at the back.

"We need a bigger budget, Ghost. This is what I call Command Center. Damn !" I heard Kabir.

Delara looked over her shoulder and gave him a wink.

Stepping inside, we navigated past a series of diligently working figures before pausing before a pair of imposing double doors. Unlike the technologically fortified entries we had encountered earlier, these doors were starkly unguarded.

Pushing the doors open, we entered what was unmistakably a conference room. The simplicity of its setup contrasted sharply with the high-tech ambiance of the outer corridors. Sebastian and Zane were already there, seated at the far end of a long, sleek table that seemed to stretch endlessly towards them.

"How was the flight?" Sebastian's voice broke the initial silence, his tone casual yet carrying an underlying measure of formality.

"Comfortable," I responded, my eyes scanning the room .

"Fancy," Kabir added with a chuckle, earning himself a quick, sharp glance from me.

Sebastian smiled at the response, then clapped his hands together, a crisp sound that seemed to command attention. "Glad to hear that, Kabir. Right, let's get to the point. Have a seat, folks."

As we all settled into our chairs, I noticed tablets embedded directly into the table in front of each seat. As if on cue, they powered on, the Blackthorn logo briefly illuminating the screens before switching to a ‘Connecting…' message.

"Could you briefly share the agenda?" I asked, directing my gaze towards Sebastian, who gave a slight nod to Zane in response.

"Of course," Zane began, his voice steady and clear. "The agenda of this meeting is threefold: first, to review what we know about Garret Tyson; second, to shed some light on new information gathered by my team; and third, to outline the mission objectives."

"Welcome to Operation Icarus, Alpha Squad Six," Sebastian announced, his voice imbuing the name with a weight that seemed to fill the room.

We all nodded in unison. I returned Sebastian's gaze with a curt nod as the screen in front of me flashed with the words ‘Operation Icarus'. The one who flew too close to the sun.

" We're the sun in this metaphor, I presume?" Leora asked with a smirk.

"That's right," Delara said with a steely grin.

Sebastian tapped on his tablet and continued, "All right, let's dive in."

Sebastian briefly shared what we already knew about Garret Tyson, his son Jerome, the shipments, and his connection with Gao Ling .

"The new information," Zane took over, "is that the New York shipment will include four new products apart from Crazon. Blast-resistant body armor, thermal-regulating survival suit, anti-radiation medication kits, and customized armored vehicles."

As Zane rolled out the specs and schematics on that ominous-looking screen, the mood turned heavy. I caught glimpses of unease dancing across everyone's faces. Those sketches, too crude for comfort, sketched out more than just vehicles—they hinted at an arsenal on wheels.

Zane's voice cut sharply through the murmurs, "We have intel that the manufacturers were instructed to equip these vehicles with built-in armories, specifically for RPGs."

A murmur of curses swept through the room like a gust of wind shaking loose leaves from a tree. I glanced at Leora, saw her leaning forward, eyes narrowed in focus.

I started to lean in, whispering, "It's an—"

"I know what an RPG is," she cut in swiftly, her voice a hushed whisper, her smile quick and conspiratorial. It made me smile too, reminded me why I leaned on her so much in these briefings.

Then, Delara, ever the show-stealer, swiped the tablet from Zane and took command. "They're gearing up for something big. These aren't just toys for the rich and paranoid; they're fortresses on wheels being handed over to the elite."

Kabir, never one to miss a detail, piped up from across the table, his voice threading through the tense air, "What's odd is the volume of Crazon—just eight to Nova Scotia. It flagged my alerts. Delara, does Blackthorn have a Crazon here? "

The question hung in the air, heavy like a pre-storm silence. All eyes flicked to Sebastian, whose poker face was legendary. Finally, he spoke, "No, we don't have a Crazon here."

He paused, letting the silence swell before he reached into his jacket and pulled out something that immediately drew all our attention. It was a dark blue device, bulkier than a Crazon, with a tiny screen.

"This," he said, holding it up just enough for everyone to catch a glimpse, "is what you really need to see."

Whatever that thing was, it looked like it packed more than just electronic punch.

"You fuckers, you replicated Crazon?" Logan's loud voice cut through. Hell, even I was confused now.

"Logan, listen," Zane pacified, "This device is called Sentrix v5.4. We created it four years ago and upgraded it over the years. This thing is older than Crazon."

"So, you've created another dangerous device?" I asked.

"It's better than Crazon, my friend. Because it has protocols in place to never go rogue. It's built with an algorithm called ADAM. It's basically us showing Sentrix what the bounds of positive humanity are and how to never go beyond it."

I was glad for Zane to dumb it down for the non-tech people in the room. But, even though they tried hard to defend themselves, their explanation only got suspicious looks from my squad.

Sebastian raised his hand, "This is not about Sentrix."

Some of my squad scoffed .

"This is about how we are still in the dark about Crazon's capabilities, we don't know their target countries or locations for the eventual attack, and we don't know the motive or who is pulling the strings," I finished the thought and a faint smile took over Sebastian's face as he nodded.

"Mission objective," Zane boomed, "Is to locate and extract Jerome Tyson, code name Icarus, and question him to get the link to Garret. Along with that, we will be destroying their holding location. We cannot let the wrong people get their hands on these products. Even if Icarus extraction fails, we will be destroying their facility. Now the only question is, where is it?"