Page 97 of Covert Mission

“I might do something about that. Are you willing to work hard?” Seth asked.

Ryan straightened. “Yes, sir.”

“Will you follow my orders and those of my team?”

“Yes, sir.”

“All the enforcers and guards not on duty will meet after lunch today in the training center. New schedule, new training regimen.” He smiled. “New trainers. You want in?”

“Yes, sir!”

“You’ll have to work as a machinist until you’re in shape, Ryan. Shouldn’t take long if you work hard. Can you live with that?”

“Absolutely.”

“Good. Teagan and I must work an enforcement shift so you’ll be with my teammates this afternoon.” Seth held out his hand. “Good luck, my friend.”

“I won’t let you down, sir.”

“I’m counting on it, Ryan.” He slid the envelope into his pocket and walked out with Teagan.

Outside, Teagan glanced at Seth. “Are you planning to change the assignments for every enforcer and guard?”

“If that’s what it takes to create an enthusiastic, cohesive unit. No one should work a job they’re not qualified for or hate.”

“Tell the Army that.”

He smiled. “You chose the job you wanted.”

“Yeah, and the military trained me for it. Richardson isn’t giving his people a chance to do what interests them. This is a prime setup for discontentment and disloyalty.”

“That’s why we’ll attend the beginning of the meeting before we take over bodyguard duty. I’m going to lay down the ground rules.”

She could imagine how that would go over. “And if they don’t follow your rules?”

“They’re gone. No discussion, no appeal.”

“You won’t make friends that way.”

“Not my intention. They either do what they’re told or they’re done. Period.”

“Richardson will protest.”

“He’ll lose the appeal. Richardson agreed to give me the job as a trainer. I’ll do the job in a way that suits my leadership style the best.”

“I hope Richardson and Peters understand that. So, fearless leader, what’s next?”

Seth glanced at his watch. “We have enough time to check our quarters to see if we had a visitor after we left this morning. Once we clear our space, we’ll check in with my boss and yours. After that, we’ll create a training schedule. Following lunch and the welcome to real training speech with the enforcers and guards, we’ll switch out with Knight and Marsh.”

Minutes later, Seth entered the team’s quarters with Teagan on his heels. She removed the electronic signal detector from her pocket and, after Seth cleared each room with his weapon in hand, scanned it. By the time they finished checking their quarters, she and Seth had collected ten more bugs and cameras.

Muscles in his jaw ticking, Seth took the electronics outside to the porch and ground each one under his boot heel. That done, he scooped the remnants into two plastic bags he found in the kitchen and sealed them.

“What will you do with that?” Teagan eyed the jumbled mess.

“Show it to Peters and Richardson.”

“Think you’ll get a response?”