Navarrereachedupandpulled the light closer to the elevated oak table that served as a repair station inside the Six Points armory.It gave him a better view of the unloaded pistol as he tried to determine the cause of its failure to feed bullets all the way into the chamber.There were a number of possible explanations, but so far, he’d found no signs of mechanical failure or a faulty magazine.No dirt or grease accumulation in or around the chamber either.
That left user error as the probable culprit, though he wasn’t ready to make that determination until he gave the weapon a more thorough examination.If that ended up being the case, he’d have to drag Luther back to the range for some quality corrective training.
Overall, Luther was a competent agent with a good head on his shoulders, though it had taken some effort to break him of the habit of holding his gun sideways like they did in way too many big-budget action movies.That kind of shit might look slick on film, but it made it difficult to properly sight a target.It also required you to rotate your wrist, which resulted in a slight curve of your hand that totally screwed up your accuracy if you weren’t shooting at point-blank range.
Navarre set the weapon back on the table and crossed to the rows of racks and drawers filled with various firearms, from pistols to shotguns and semiautomatic rifles, all meticulously organized and secured.To his left were the shelves stocked with ammunition and tactical gear.He punched in the combination for the handgun drawer and picked up one of the Glocks he’d personally tested on the range and knew worked perfectly fine.
After he relocked the drawer, he handed the Glock to Luther and placed a pair of forms on the table.One was to acknowledge the receipt of the old gun, the other to check out the new one.“You know the drill.I need your signature at the bottom of each page.”
Six Points maintained strict controls over their firearms, which only made sense.Being fast and loose with deadly weapons was a surefire way to lose your business license and get sued into oblivion.As a result, nothing went in or out of the armory without being logged into the system.Employees were expected to secure their weapons at all times, and if any item was lost or stolen, they were required to report it immediately.Failure to do so would result in immediate termination.
For the most part, there hadn’t been any problems, at least not since Navarre had been hired.Most employees turned in their weapons at the end of their shift, so there weren’t any concerns about them being stolen from cars or homes.And in the event something managed to disappear, each weapon was fitted with at least one tracking device.
Luther scribbled his signature on both forms and pushed them back across the table, his biceps straining against the fabric of his solid black T-shirt.The kid had packed on a good thirty pounds of muscle since he started working out with Jackson.His size, coupled with his “bitch, don’t try me” attitude, made him extremely effective on personal protection details.
“How are you doing for ammo?”Navarre asked, and then stifled a yawn.He’d gotten shit for sleep last night.For the most part, living in a rural area was peaceful, but every so often, the woodland critters got rowdy.Like last night, when it sounded as if a band of raccoons were having a rave in the woods behind the house.They hadn’t mellowed out until sometime after three, and his alarm went off at six.
“I’m good for now.”Luther slid the replacement Glock into his shoulder holster.“But I’ll stop by Thursday for a box or two before I hit the range.”
The door closed behind Luther, and the distinctive clunking sound let Navarre know that the automatic locks had engaged and the Six Points armory was secure.The windowless room was in the bowels of the building, its walls fortified with steel and concrete, with a reinforced door similar to those used in panic rooms.It also had its own climate control system, so the weapons stayed at a constant temperature and humidity that was optimal for long-term storage.
Navarre placed the malfunctioning Glock in the drawer reserved for items in need of repair and jotted down a few notes so he’d remember what to look for when he had time.
He’d been given the additional responsibilities about six months ago, when the company had grown large enough for the Flint family to recognize the need to delegate a number of tasks to employees lower on the food chain.And though he enjoyed working in the field with the teams—he still performed those duties when the need arose—this kind of work suited him well.He kept track of the inventory, repaired firearms, and ordered supplies.Once a year, he provided a refresher course to all the employees who handled weapons, and he also served as the firearms instructor when Six Points hired a fresh batch of recruits.
He opened his laptop and returned to the email he’d been writing before Luther arrived.When he’d first been hired, he’d considered the job a means to an end, a steady paycheck, a way to apply some of the skills he’d learned in the military to civilian life.
But now it meant so much more to him.Sure, a lot of companies out there fed their employees bullshit about them being a part of the family, but the Flints actually meant it.Not only did they treat their employees with respect, they also paid well, offered generous benefits including paid time off, and rewarded loyalty with clear paths to promotion.It was the opportunity for a meaningful career, a place where he truly belonged, and he wasn’t about to do or say anything to screw that up.
The sound of the door buzzer broke his train of thought.He glanced at the external camera feed, spotted Jackson standing in the hall, and pressed the button to disengage the lock.
The door swung open and Jackson’s powerful frame filled the doorway, his freshly shaved head gleaming under the lights.“You about ready?Meeting starts in five.”
“Shit, is it that late?”Navarre glanced at the clock on his laptop just as the meeting reminder appeared on his screen.He hit Send on the email he’d written to Ryan, requesting authorization to order ammunition, and powered down his laptop.As he left the armory, he keyed in the code to activate the alarm, because you could never be too careful with that much firepower.
Trust only went so far.
On the way to the meeting, they stopped at the break room for coffee.Navarre filled his travel mug, took a sip, and grimaced.More likely than not, Wade brewed this pot; he always made it strong enough to rouse the dead.
He followed Jackson into the conference room and—whoa, packed house.Extra chairs had been brought in so everyone could sit at the table.Normally, these meetings weren’t nearly this crowded.Something big was going down, probably whatever Austin had been so damn secretive about.
Their entrance sparked a round of applause, the traditional greeting extended to whoever showed up late—or last—to a meeting.In response, Jackson gave an exaggerated bow, while Navarre raised his mug in salute.
Curious to see what the fuss was all about, he claimed the empty seat between Pinto and Garrett, while Jackson took the remaining open spot on the other side of the table.While he sipped his coffee, Navarre’s gaze swept over the room, noticing Sloane and Nina flanking Larissa, another indication of the significance of the meeting.Most of the time, there was only one member of the cyber security unit in attendance.
But it was Sloane’s radical transformation that caught and held his attention.He’d damn near had a heart attack the other day when their paths crossed in the hall.Gone was her usual style that hovered somewhere between geek and Goth, replaced with a look that could only be described as glamorous.It was totally unlike her.The hair, the makeup, the girly clothes…she’d even removed the tiny diamond stud from the side of her nose.Put it all together, and she bore an uncanny resemblance to Sierra Page.And why did that bother him so much?
As if sensing his stare, her gaze cut to the right, meeting his, and his heart thumped hard against his sternum.He couldn’t look away if he tried.And he should.It was the smart thing to do.Nothing good could possibly come from—
“Now that everyone’s here, let’s get started.We’ve got a lot of ground to cover, and I’d rather not waste any time.”Austin Flint sat at the head of the table, his expression nothing but business.No tie this morning, and the top two buttons of his gray dress shirt were undone.“Yesterday afternoon, we landed a contract to provide personal protection for Sierra Page, as well as security for her properties both in and out of the state.”
“Holy shit,” Pinto said.“That’s huge.”
Austin’s mouth curved up with a hint of amusement.“Yes, that’s one way to put it.She isn’t our first high-profile client, but her situation requires more than the usual security measures.For starters, Ms.Page is experiencing difficulties with an ex who refuses to accept the fact their relationship is over.”
“It’s that Garvey guy, isn’t it?”Hatch asked.
Pinto’s dark eyebrows drew down.“Sierra Page was dating Dax Garvey?”
