Read Falcon: The Quiet Professionals Book 3 for Free Online

whose stony expression gave nothing away about his feelings.
    Dean might be stoic, but he wasn’t an unfeeling sort. It’s what made him a good team leader. Made him a man Sal respected, even when they disagreed. Yet he couldn’t read what the captain thought about this. Not all men were as gifted at hiding their feelings as Dean. Sal envied that. He’d never been able to hide what he felt.
    “With what’s on the line, it’s no time to make sweeping changes,” Ramsey said. “We’ll keep things as Burnett had them. Captain, I’ll need you liaising with Command more than ever. Russo, you’ll manage the team and coordinate with your captain and Commander Riordan.”
    Sal nodded. “Yes, sir.” He swallowed the bile in having to coordinate with Riordan. But they’d do what they had to in order to complete the mission.
    “Lieutenant Hastings, until further notice, keep working intel about this terrorist who’s hit.” General Ramsey’s gaze shifted—right at Sal. “You’ll stay with the team, too.”
    Why wouldn’t I? He’d just told—
    “Yes, sir.” Cassie’s soft voice, lilting with her Southern roots, drifted over Sal’s shoulder. “Thank you, General.”
    Son of a french-fried biscuit! The general had been talking to Cassie.
    “Mr. Russo, as team leader, you’ll need to work closely with Walker to make sure she has the most recent, up-to-date intel.”
    So much for hoping she’d be gone. Out of his sight. Out of his life.
    Ramsey angled toward the colonel at his left. “Am I missing anything?”
    The full bird shook his head.
    “Okay.” Ramsey pursed his lips, his shoulders relaxing a fraction. “Questions?”
    “Sir,” Dean spoke up. “We’d like access to the prisoner we secured the night of Burnett’s murder.”
    “Of course you would.” He nodded and looked at the colonel again. “Get that cleared.”
    “Sir,” the colonel said with a nod.
    “Thank you, gentlemen—and ladies.” General Ramsey exited, the other brass trailing him. But not the SEALs.
    Dean slapped his shoulder. “I’ll catch up with you. I need a word with Ramsey.”
    “Something wrong?”
    “Too much.”
    “Hooah,” Sal mumbled as the captain made his way out.
    Riordan strutted toward Sal. Stuffed a hand toward him. “Guess we’ll be working together again.”
    Sal shook the hand. “Guess so.”
    “Let’s meet at the Boardwalk to talk.”
    “It’s shut down,” Harrier said, joining them.
    Riordan’s dark eyes sparked with amusement. “Perfect place for a quiet talk. Away from ears.”
    After a quick check of his watch, Sal nodded. “Fifteen hundred at the Boardwalk.”
    “Sixteen,” Riordan countered. “We have things to follow up on first.”
    Sal nodded. That sounded a lot like they wanted a plan in place that didn’t include Raptor. Which made sense since Sal planned to do the same thing.
    The squids followed Riordan out, and Raptor tightened up around Sal. He had to admit, he was sick of this. All of it. Fighting some invisible ghost in the network. A ghost that seemed to have grown corporeal and spat bullets at them. But that Riordan wanted to talk away from eyes and ears gnawed at him. What did he know? Or did he have an idea of who might be behind this? Either way, Raptor couldn’t afford to shirk this opportunity.
    “Sir?” Harrier asked.
    Sal patted his shoulder. “Shower up and grab some grub. Meet at my tent at fifteen hundred.”
    Tonight had altered everything—life. Getting saddled with Walker when he had to keep his mind on this mission, not on hating her, Sal felt a suffocating weight pressing on him.
    He logged off his system but sagged toward his chair—movement out of the corner of his eye stopped him. Pushed him straight. He tried to hold back the flinch at the blond hair and blue eyes. She was watching him, probing in that formidable way of hers. She always found the holes in his armor. Always got under his skin.
    “What?” he bit out.
    “I hope we can work