Falcon: The Quiet Professionals Book 3 Read Online Free PDF Page B

sigh. He didn’t even want to think about that. Denial did nothing except prevent forward momentum, yet the idea of facing new brass, new leadership, when they needed to nail this terrorist who’d attacked Raptor and Kandahar Airfield… “Just better be someone good.”
    “Hooah.” Hawk dropped forward in the chair, noticeably changed since his trek through the snow-riddled mountains. He had settled into himself, and Sal somehow felt the loudmouthed guy earned some respect and space. “Someone who knows what’s going on.”
    “They will.” Quiet and firm, Dean’s words pulled Sal’s gaze to where the captain sat, face awash in the blue haze of his computer screen.
    “What’re you reading?” Sal asked.
    “Reports from the attack.”
    Sal glanced at his own desk, at the files stacked up. He’d gone through them a couple of times already, looking for anything that provided a tip on the deadly attack against CECOM. Found nothing. “What about the prisoner?” He could put a little of his frustration to rest by introducing his fists to the guy’s face.
    Dean yawned as he slumped back and checked his watch. “Should have an answer by fourteen hundred.”
    “We should’ve already had
immediate
access.” Sal pushed to his feet. “Why did Ramsey stall us anyway?”
    “DIA’s interviewing him.”
    Interviewing. That was a nice word for what actually happened in those meetings.
    “Let’s hope it’s an aggressive talk,” Hawk said with a gleam, one that matched what Sal felt.
    And that scared him to be this keyed up. This ready to cram a rocket down someone’s gullet.
    The front door swung inward, throwing bright afternoon light across the Command building. In stormed a bevy of brass—more than one might see at a range. Sal straightened, giving respect to the officers who streamed in.
    “Captain,” General Ramsey stepped from behind a colonel and extended a hand to Dean. He was a good ten to fifteen years younger than Burnett and had a truckload of intensity about him. Probably why he was balding and gray.
    “What is that smell?” Hawk muttered, his gaze flicking to the newcomers hanging near the door. SEALs—squids. Riordan. Schmidt—the one who’d fought Hawk at the hookah bar. And a handful of others.
    Sal gave Hawk a warning look to keep the tone neutral with officers on deck. But when he turned, Cassie had joined the group. He hated himself for thinking it, but he’d been hoping that she’d vanish with Burnett gone.
    “Captain, if we could have a word with you and your team.” Ramsey moved toward the briefing room without waiting for a reply, the officers and squids following him like a wake of rotten fish.
    “Guess we’re about to get answers,” Hawk muttered as he sidled up to Dean and Sal.
    Harrier, Titanis, and Knight were with them now, too.
    “This feels wrong.” Sal couldn’t shake the feeling no matter how hard he tried.
    “Keep it calm,” Dean said, giving everyone a firm look. “Discuss later. Just hear them out.”
    “Who keeps bringing the stale fish into the house?” Hawk complained as he made his way into the room, shouldering past the SEALs and taking a seat.
    Inside the crowded briefing room, Sal remained near the door. And to his chagrin, so did Cassie. He set his jaw and trained his attention on General Ramsey.
    “It’s been a rough couple of days. We’re all ticked off about General Burnett’s murder, and we’re not going to let that go unanswered.”
    “Hooah,” Hawk murmured.
    “But we need chain of command established. For the foreseeable future until we get someone else in place, Raptor, you’ll report to me.”
    It made sense, mostly, for them to answer to Ramsey, but somehow, it stuck in Sal’s gut. Why it bothered him, he couldn’t tell.
    “I’m also keeping the JSOC pairing of Raptor and Riordan’s team.”
    That’s why
.
    Sal shifted and resisted the urge to fold his arms over his chest, a sign of disrespect. He skated a look at Dean,