Nothing Special V, page 5
part #5 of Nothing Special Series
Syn asked him to come in a little early because they were getting a new recruit. Which he thought odd because God usually gave them sufficient notice when he was even thinking of bringing on another member. It took months of going through qualifications and testing. He had to admit he was curious and more than a little excited to see who had qualified to run with these guys.
He walked through the desolate bullpen, heading to the rear of the station where their department was located. The lights were already on, which stunned him, he was typically first to arrive if no one pulled an all-nighter or made an overnight arrest. If anything, the Enforcers would be just heading home at this hour.
He opened the glass doors, surprised to find Syn at his desk, going through a stack of papers. He looked well rested and extremely handsome in his worn Levi’s and black dress shirt, that bright gold badge suspended around his corded neck. His olive skin and constant five o’clock shadow were a huge turn-on for anyone, male or female, but those dark eyes and kind smile made him an unpredictable and deadly detective. “Morning, Sarge. You’re here early.”
“Yep. Wanted to meet you here so we could try to gather as much as we can on this guy before God and Day get in. Last I checked in on him he was still pissed. They have a meeting with IA this morning, but they should be here by ten.”
“No problem. So, how’s Furi?” Tech asked while he went about powering up his computers. The loud whirring of the internal fans and the awakening of his powerful CPUs was a symphony to his ears.
“He’s good. Happy.” Syn smiled a smile that was reserved for mentions of his partner.
Tech nodded and averted his eyes. It had to be nice to have someone to go home to each night. Someone who understood the demands of the job and didn’t constantly bitch at you about it or lord it over you. The last boyfriend Tech tried to have was over three years ago and had lasted a good nine months – the longest he’d ever been with someone. He’d loved Jason and thought they were going to build a life together, but Tech was on call twenty-four hours a day and Jason couldn’t handle being second string. Tech wouldn’t change his job for anything in the world, so he’d regrettably let his boyfriend go.
Now all he had was his work. If anything, Tech wanted more responsibilities, but he was currently working on that. When the time was right, he’d go to his lieutenants about it. In the meantime, this was his contribution to righting some of the vast numbers of wrongs in his home city.
“How’s your dad? I saw some more pictures he posted on his Facebook page, they’re so beautiful. The one with the rainbow after that thunderstorm… Jesus. I can’t imagine what it’s like to live in those mountains and see images like that all the time.”
Tech smiled. Syn knew everything about his team, and it wasn’t just his job. He really was interested in how the only biological family Tech had was doing. “He’s good. Yeah, I saw them too, they are amazing. He’s gotten really good. I keep telling him to try to sell his photos, get a few framed, ya know. Landscapes are used in everything from screensavers to printed calendars. But he does photography for peace. He says if he makes it a job… then it’ll be work.”
“I told you, Mr. Murphy is one of the smartest men I ever met. When are you going back up to visit him? I’d love to go again. We had a ball. Furi still makes fun of when I got buried in that snow mound. It was freakin’ April and there was still like eight feet of snow on the ground.”
“I guess growing up there I forget how others see those mountains. Yeah, we did have fun, though. I’ll probably go back the beginning of the year, or right after the holidays if I can get the time from God. I’ve been dying to put my skis back on.”
“No problem. Just let me know when you’re ready to submit for the time, I’ll make sure he approves it.”
“Thanks, Syn.” Tech dropped down into his chair and turned to face his boss and good friend. “So, tell me about this new guy. Have you met him yet?”
“No. None of us have. Never even heard of him, actually. He was on the West Coast. Did it big up there, I heard.” Syn rubbed the crease in his forehead. “But you know God doesn’t like hearsay, so get me something concrete. You’re gonna have to dig deep on this one, kid.”
Tech gritted his teeth, he hated being called that. Sure, he was smaller and of course, he was the youngest of the crew – all of them were over forty and he was twenty-nine – but he had the IQ and mentality of a seventy-year-old scholar. Damnit, he needed to show them what he could do physically.
Syn rolled up a chair next to him with the file in his hand. “Let’s start with name and social and work our way up. He’s got a confidentiality mask in the paperwork from when he was active duty, so I guess that’s not all that critical. But if he’s got severe PTSD issues, then we need to know… immediately. Obviously, he’s still cleared for duty because he’s a police officer, but those qualifiers don’t catch everything, sometimes these men can mimic exactly what needs to be said to pass. Not all that concerned with ability, I mean he got some type of Medal and Honor so—”
Tech stopped typing, slinging his head around so fast he heard his neck crack. “Did you say Medal of Honor?”
“Yep. That’s what the file says. He’s a real live GI Joe, so do what you do, kid and let me know what you find. He comes in at noon. He’s here on a trial run, but still get him suited up with everything. I’m kinda feeling like we won’t have much of a say on whether or not he stays. Not unless he tries to kill one of us.”
Tech sat with his back to the guys while he hacked through countless databases, pulling up all the private information he could on their new guy. The more he discovered, the more impressed he became. The guy was pretty amazing. He couldn’t really see what his face looked like from his military photo since his cover was so low on his brow, but he had a beautiful mouth. It wasn’t hard to get more information regarding his law enforcement career since it was only four years long. Most of his adult life was spent as a Marine. He was an awarded marksman, a decorated Marine from a long line of activists and career military predecessors. Tech hit a ton of blocks when he tried to dig deeper into the man’s military background. He was at the DOD’s mainframe again, his inquiring mind getting the better of him as his fingers started flying over the keys. His eyes darted back and forth from one screen to the next while he moved through encryptions and firewalls. He kept telling himself that he had every right to get this information, it was for his lieutenants.
No one bothered him and he was able to tune out the incessant chatter when all of his teammates were in the office while he worked. His eyes widened when he finally got to some notes that would interest all of them, and then he heard the captain’s voice.
“Everyone. This is Detective Edwin Steele.”
Tech quickly clicked print and turned away from his monitors to get a glimpse of the man of the decade. Tech gulped hard, hoping no one heard it over the deafening silence, and checked out their new member. How the hell am I supposed to stare at a computer screen when he’s in here? To say he was hot was like saying Everest was a little high. Nothing could’ve prepared Tech for his arrival. And the way they were all staring at the guy, his team had to be feeling the same way.
The man didn’t speak, seeming perfectly comfortable being stared at by eight sets of eyes. He had on jeans with permanent grime stains, which rode low on his hips, and a threadbare long john shirt under a rustic brown leather jacket. Tech really had to get himself under control when he looked down at the untied, dusty black combat boots. Steele stood there with both thumbs tucked into his jeans pockets, flicking around a toothpick nestled in the corner of his mouth like he was bored. But it was the eyes. Those icy gray eyes that seemed to see all and dismiss nothing.
God was the first to speak up, his voice startling Tech. “You smell like alcohol.”
“Because I been drinking,” Steele quipped right back. “I can see why you guys are detectives.”
Tech’s eyes widened. He hadn’t heard anyone mouth off to God in a very long time, not without seriously regretting it. But Steele’s voice made his breath catch in his throat. It was grainy and deep like he fantasized about in a man. Tech took a silent breath. He had to stop looking at the guy like that, he screamed straight. Which left him thinking the man probably wouldn’t be around long.
The captain turned his eyes to Steele. “We’re willing to overlook that today, and only today since you’re not officially on duty. Well, I’ll leave and let you guys get acquainted.”
The captain left fast like he knew of the storm that was brewing. God still stood there with his arms crossed, shooting furious green beams at their new member, clearly already not liking his attitude. And boy did he have one massive fucking chip on his shoulder.
“My name is Sydney. Corbin Sydney. I’m your sergeant.” Syn moved past God and Day, who were still staring, and extended his hand. Tech released a breath when Steele grasped Syn’s hand and shook it before tucking his thumbs back in. Syn being the diplomat of the group, Tech expected him to take over and try to cool the fire burning in his lieutenant’s eyes and smooth things over. “We’ve heard some amazing things about you. Let me introduce everyone.” Syn began pointing while Steele moved further inside the office. “Those are your lieutenants Godfrey and Day. God is first in command.”
Syn narrowed his midnight eyes at God, and after a couple seconds, God stuck his big hand out and shook the Marine’s hand, Day following right behind.
Syn nodded and kept moving. “Over here is Detective Austin Michaels. He’s our sniper.”
“You only have one?” Steele murmured, the toothpick barely moving when he spoke.
“They only need one,” Austin replied, shaking Steele’s hand.
Syn quickly diverted in the other direction. “These two men are Detectives Ruxsberg and Green. We call them the Enforcers. They are experts in hand-to-hand combat and do most of the shakedowns on the street, obtaining information and arrests. By whatever means necessary.” Ruxs and Green stood at exactly the same time and shook Steele’s hand.
“You two were the ones in the garbage truck?” Steele asked, his expression still dark and serious.
Ruxs gave a curt nod.
“Nice,” Steele gritted out and turned around to look dead at him.
Tech stood up, pushing his glasses up higher on the bridge of his nose. It was like Steele wasn’t paying attention to anyone else in the room, even Syn was now behind him as he made his way over to him. Stand up tall. The Marine stopped right in front of him and held his hand out towards him.
“And you are?”
Enraptured. Before him stood a man who possessed a goddamn Medal of Honor. This close, Tech could smell the soldier’s virility, the power, mixed with a hint of whiskey and sweet tobacco. Tech felt his cock harden and he had to breathe through his nose not to crumple to a useless heap of lust at the man’s boots. He blinked and tried to prepare his throat to produce sound while he fought to remember what the hell the question was. “Um….”
Syn cleared his throat and hid his grin behind his fist, and Tech wished the ground would open up right at that second and swallow him whole. They were all looking quite amused while his pale skin overheated and the tips of his ears burned with humiliation. “This is Detective Shawn Murphy, we call him Tech. He’s our technology expert and comms specialist. You and he will probably be working very closely together while he runs you through all your tests and simulations.”
“I don’t take tests,” Steele answered, his light eyes still on Tech while he stood there chewing off his bottom lip, wishing Steele’d direct those eyes anywhere else in the room.
Steele
The meeting had just gotten a little better. The detective they called Tech was the only highlight in the entire department. He looked so innocent standing there, waiting to be acknowledged. A sheep amongst wolves. Steele licked his lips and watched the sexy, light pink tinge work its way up the man’s long throat.
Steele didn’t like tests or simulations, but if this man was the administrator, he might reconsider.
“Everyone goes through the simulations, not—”
“The streets are not a simulation, lieutenant. You wanna see what I can do, put me in the field. Where the real test can begin.” Steele finally turned away from those sexy brown eyes and looked at his new bosses. “There’s nothing that can come from his pretty little head that will show you what I can do. No offense.” He looked back at Tech, whose ears were turning back to their natural color… oops… spoke too soon.
“None taken.” The young man finally spoke, his voice deeper than Steele expected, but still gentle.
He couldn’t have been over thirty. Steele almost felt like a creep, staring at the guy like that, but he was too unique, stood out too hard not to stare at him. That ivory skin and those deep brown eyes encased in long, soft-looking lashes. Even behind the black-framed glasses, those eyes were mesmerizing. Instead of continuing to fluster the sexy detective, Steele walked over to the window and looked out into the parking lot.
“I think you have the details of this job confused. There’re only three bosses.” God scowled at the back of Steele’s head. He could feel the heat of those intelligent green eyes. Yes. He already liked his new lieutenant. He looked strong and capable of leading such an imitable group of men. The way he maneuvered his truck and shot those weapons, Steele had to respect him. God was a true commander and Steele knew the strength it took to uphold that position. The responsibility, the courage needed… the honor.
“You’ll be in the field. Sooner than you think. But we are a well-oiled machine here, and if you wanna work with us, we have to trust you… and I’m sure you need to trust us.”
That was Syn again. Obviously, he was the level head of the group. The negotiator. He was good at it. But how was Steele supposed to fully feel comfortable risking his life with these men? What had happened to his partner had him doubting a lot. All these muscled, testosterone-filled detectives looked like they nibbled on tits when they went home each night. Steele didn’t blurt out his sexuality or have a rainbow magnet on his bike’s exhaust pipe, but he wasn’t in the closet, either. If he met a guy… and he liked him… he wasn’t hiding him.
“Why don’t you tell us a little about yourself? This is an interview of sorts,” Day asked.
Steele turned around and spread his arms wide, looking directly at the shorter of his bosses. “Ask away, lieutenant. I’m an open book. I’ll tell you anything you wanna know.”
“What’d you do in the Marines?”
“That’s classified.” Steele smirked. He turned back around, holding in his laughter. He and the guys in his platoon used to love to do that to officers, just to piss them off. He thought about his men and quickly tamped it back down. This was no place to drudge up those memories. It’d been seven years. Would the ache in his heart every time he thought their names ever fully go away?
“Real cute,” God grumbled.
“So you think I’m going to send my men out there with you and we don’t know shit about you except you have a liking for cheap whiskey and Swisher Sweet cigars?” Day retorted.
“You guys got my file, I’m sure.”
“Regardless. All that file tells us is that you were better than most of the detectives in Oakland. Your partner was killed off duty and you left. Are you grieving?” Day stepped a little closer and propped his hip up on one side of his large desk.
Steele lowered his voice to a rumble. “No. I’m not. He was a good man. He didn’t deserve what happened, but he died saving lives. I don’t need to grieve him. It was a good death.”
“Excuse me?” Ruxs balked.
“He means it was an honorable death,” God answered for him. “You were a Marine twenty years. You have nothing to say about that?”
“Nothing I can say, lieutenant. I fought wars.” Steele turned back to the window. Day’s eyes were too observant, keen and knowing.
“I can tell you some things,” a quiet voice said from behind him.
Steele didn’t turn around; instead, he let the sound of that sweet voice caress the back of his neck. So, Tech wanted to join in on the interview, huh. No problem there. But he still wasn’t going into the details of his service and he’d never again recount the details of the night the Taliban took his brothers. The thirty-two he’d killed – their lives would never be retribution enough to ease him through the hurt he’d live with forever. The hole that losing Ackerman left in his soul.
“Lieutenant Colonel Edwin Leks Steele. Comes from a long line of Marine men, including his father – Robin Steele – and grandfather. Information here dates back four generations to his family in Estonia. He has one living relative in the United States, who also served in the Corps but was injured in combat and honorably discharged in 2003… name is… one second.”
Steele turned away from the window, looking at the only man who’d managed to get his hands on more than generic personal information about his life prior to joining the Oakland Police Department. The guy wasn’t rattling off the obvious; he was giving his bosses what they asked for… something they didn’t already know. Tech had a binder-clipped stack of about hundred pieces of paper in his hand and stood boldly in front of him reading his rap sheet. Was this the guy’s way of getting back at him for embarrassing him? If so, it was rather cute and flattering that the sexy detective had done a little hacking on his behalf. Steele widened his stance and shrugged. So they’d know a tad more about him than he usually divulged but, que sera. They’d never get what they were actually after… what they really wanted to know.
Tech continued when he found what he was looking for. His dark pupils moving rapidly over the text he read. “Last living relative – in the States, anyway – is Rasmus Steele. Atlanta Councilman Rasmus Steele.”
