He was down for the count, and she said as sweet as could be. "Now, Dalton, this has been fun, but I'm too tired to continue with this a.s.sessment. Funny, I really don't know how you could a.s.sess my skill level while you were trying to embarra.s.s and humiliate me. But hey we all have or methods, right."

She tightened her grip. "You, sir, are a grade-A a.s.shole. I don't know if your problem is with all women, or me, but you genuinely need to get over yourself. As for your earlier question, I have a master's level black belt in Krav Maga as well as several others in different forms of martial arts. I have been training since I was eleven, and trust me when I say Dad was anything but easy on me. I also have a weird obsession with the brain and neuroscience. I know right where to strike to either immobilize a man or kill him. I can also press this small area on your foot that will make you c.u.m," she said, winking at him, "That you have to earn."

"I am, however, trying to decide if you realistically need your arms and legs at this moment. Right about now you are feeling that sleeping tingly sensation, like when your foot falls to sleep. But if I press just a little bit harder right about here, those tingles with turned into extreme pain. Or I could press right here," moving her hands just slightly, "-and your nerve endings will start firing as normal. What do you think I should do? Maybe you could just apologize for being a grade-A a.s.shole and we can start over. Not once since I walked into this room have you tried to a.s.sess my abilities. You made an uninformed decision that I couldn't protect Jacks or myself and tried to prove your point brutally. I am sure I will have the bruises in the morning to prove it."

Dalton was sweating, and Ryleigh was right; his arms and legs were not functioning. All he could do was grunt out, "f.u.c.k, sorry Rye. I just had to make sure that you weren't going to put Jacks in more danger."

With one last quick hit to Dalton' pressure point, the tingling went away. Ryleigh helped Dalton to his feet, and just then they both noticed the dumbfounded group at the door. Ryleigh was embarra.s.sed that she had waited for Ethan to leave before she taught Dalton his lesson and now everyone had seen. She didn't mean to humiliate the guy, but he was being an a.s.s and turnabout is fair play, at least that was what she thought at the moment. Now she just felt stupid. She had done the same thing to Dalton as he had done to her. Taking his actions as demeaning and humiliating instead of offering him even the slightest information regarding her training; it was a d.i.c.k move and she felt bad.

Dalton, one of the first things we all learn is don't judge a book by its cover. You made an a.s.sumption that was completely unfounded, but I did the same thing, and I am sorry. I should have been more forthcoming and taking this a.s.sessment more seriously. I sincerely want to apologize for my actions. Just so you know I can and will take care of myself and Jacks if need be, I don't take any of this lightly regardless of how I acted. I hope there aren't any hard feelings.

"Nope. Ryleigh, I think I just joined your expanding family," Dalton professed. "You had every right to put me in my place; I was being an a.s.s. I guess I need to rethink some of my a.s.sumptions. It will be an honor to work with you and when this is over, I look forward to you showing me a few new moves. We all have some pressure point training, but yours were quick and efficient."

"Same here, Dalton. I have read your file and I know that you are a master at Kalarippayattu," Ryleigh retorted. "I haven't gotten into that type of fighting, but I would like to learn some of the principles. It is a fascinating form and beautifully lethal."

"Anytime, little sister. Now let's get out of here. You have an appointment with Eli next" he said.

The other men were still standing in the doorway when they left, still looking dumbfounded with their mouths open. It was as if they couldn't believe what they had just seen. Jacks was the only one that didn't have that look on his face; he just seemed proud with his hands crossed over his s.e.xy chest. That s.e.xy little smirk was once again in place. The man was a woman's wet dream, and Ryleigh had to remind herself, once again, that she was here with a bunch of Shifters that could probably smell her reaction to the man. But at this point, she really didn't care. Jackson Thorp just did it for her and the longer she was around him, the more she accepted the fact.

As she walked away, she heard Jacks say, "That's my mate." And she couldn't help but feel a little good about herself. Jacks was proud of her, and she liked it a lot. Maybe Jacks was the one guy that she could fully trust; maybe he wasn't, but he made her feel things that she had never felt before, and she was willing to just keep that.

Ryleigh and Dalton found Eli down the hall.

Dalton said: "She's all yours, man, but you better watch it. This one is full of surprises."

Eli just laughed it off, "So I heard it's about time someone put your pompous a.s.s on the ground, Dalton."

"Yeah, you just wish it had been you, Doc," Dalton said with a grunt.

"No, I can honestly say that having this tiny little woman do it was much better, by far." Eli laughed.

With that, Dalton sulked out of the room.

"Ryleigh, I have a couple of options for you to choose from. Are you ready to go over them and placement?" Eli asked. "Also, I have asked Wyatt to join us. He will be able to discuss the tracking capabilities as well as the possibility of someone else gaining access to them."

"Thanks, Eli, I appreciate it, would you like to get started or do you want to wait for Wyatt?" Ryleigh asked.

"No, we can start," Eli responded. "We have three options and the first is subdermal. I would place it under the skin in either your armpit or between your toes. The next one is edible. You swallow it, and it stays within in your digestive system for up to six days. With you only having five days on the mission, this might seem like the best option, but it is limited. We are dealing with individuals that have no problem with taking people and keeping them captive for extended periods of time. The third option is a little more intrusive. The tracking chip can be attached to an IUD and placed inside of you. The cons of this are if you aren't already on contraceptive, which I am sure you are as it is a requirement for operatives, there are also side effects that you will need to consider. I would have to implant it, meaning a gynecological exam, but it is the most concealable choice. I feel strongly that you should consider it. I have placed this type of tracker before, and I can guarantee that I will be professional and quick about it. If you are even considering this tracker then we can go over the placement, the procedure to insert, as well as the possible side effects to watch for."

s.h.i.t, how do you tell the hot military medic, sorry, I can't get the IUD because, yeah, I am the only 28-year-old virgin on the planet, Ryleigh thought to herself. Not to mention, she had a bad reaction to birth control during her teen years, so she stayed away from them all together.

"Sorry, Eli, but I think we are going to have to go with option number one," she responded. "I believe placement should be between my toes where there is less chance of irritation or detection. My only question is, will you be able to remove it once the mission is complete? Don't get me wrong, I trust you guys. Dad wouldn't hire people he didn't believe in, but mistakes happen whether we want them to or not, and I just cannot afford that to happen."

Eli adamantly explained, "I understand, Ryleigh, but I think you need to reconsider the IUD. It is the best option for placement, concealment, and ultimately removal. The first option is good, but the removal procedure can be brutal. And all female operative in the field are required to be on birth control; it is SOP, standard operating procedure. Are you currently on birth control, Ryleigh?"

"Sorry, Eli. Option one it is. I just can't do option three," she said.

Why was this man pushing so hard for a contraceptive? As far as SOP is concerned, she was well aware of both the NAC and The Holly Group's requirement of contraceptive. All she could do was think, not that I am practicing it, why would I? s.h.i.t, I work in the office 90% of the time, and I am a virgin, she thought. She also remembered her teen years, trying different methods to control her irregular periods by taking birth control, not fun. She spent entire weeks in bed with extreme cramping and heavy bleeding. If that wasn't bad enough, the doctors she went to couldn't figure out why she had such an adverse reaction.

Just then, Wyatt came through the door. He was totally engrossed in whatever was on his tablet, never realizing the charged conversation that he just walked in on.

But Eli wasn't finished, "You are going to need to give me a complete list of all medications you are currently taking as well as your basic health information; height, weight and blood type for our files."

"Height: I am 5 foot 2 inches. Weight: about 105 pounds, give or take a few pounds. With Cash's cooking, I am most a.s.suredly 105 lbs. Blood type: I am AB negative, just like everyone on this Squad, so that shouldn't become an issue. As for medications, I am currently taking: They are all logged with The Holly Group's private physician and my Father. Also, any current medications I am taking will not cause adverse side effects from anything you would have to give me in an emergency situation. You can confirm this with my physician. I will forward you her number if you like."

Eli persisted, "but I..."

"No, Eli. You don't," Ryleigh growled. It felt good to stand up for herself. She needed to change the subject.

"Hey, Wyatt, what do you got for me?" Ryleigh asked. "I am not real keen on someone beyond your team or the Holly group tracking my whereabouts, if you know what I mean."

Wyatt looked up from his tablet and responded, "Yeah, I get that, but it just so happens I might have a solution to that problem. How about only me and Tory being able to track you, Ryleigh?"

"Sounds good. Tell me more," she requested.

"Well, I have been developing this new tracking software. It is my design, and I would like you to be my guinea pig for it," Wyatt divulged. "As you are probably aware, most monitoring devices heat up while in tracking mode, and that can get pretty uncomfortable. But my software combined with Tory's tech should be less invasive as well as more accurate. We have been running tests for a couple of weeks now, and the results are very promising."

"You got Tory to give you her tech without a requisition form or to prying it from her cold dead hands?" Ryleigh questioned. "That in itself is pretty amazing, Wyatt, and if you and Tory came up with this, I am all for it.

"Hey, a.s.shole, do you want to use unproven tech on the Boss's daughter?" Eli stated. "If she so much as gets a blister, he is going to have your a.s.s, not to mention what Jacks will do to you."

"No, Eli, my dad will not have Wyatt's a.s.s," Ryleigh replied. "My body my choice and I choose his tech inserted between my toes. If you have a problem with that, I suggest you bring it up with Jacks or my Dad. But I will a.s.sure you, it will make no difference otherwise. Like I said, my body and my choice," Ryleigh said, walking towards the door. "Wyatt, let's get out of here so you can tell me more about the tech. I need to meet up with Cash and Jacks and see how the safe cracking is going. Wyatt, are you able to insert the tracker yourself or does Eli have to do it?"

"Give me a second, little sister, I need to talk with Eli. I will catch up with you. Just turn left at the end of the hall and follow it to the stairs. I will be there is a second," Wyatt instructed her.

"Hey, why am I everyone's little sister all of a sudden?" she asked. "Why can't I have a little brother? I have to be older than someone here. I am 26 for Christ's sakes," Ryleigh mused.

"Nope, sorry. You're still my little sister. But depending on where your birthday falls, you have a chance of making Dalton your little brother," Wyatt said. "From what I heard, you already kicked his b.u.t.t like a good big sister would do."

Ryleigh beamed, "Well, then I guess it's my lucky day because unless he was a New Year's Day baby, I am older. My birthday is January 2nd."

Wyatt laughed, "Yep; one little brother coming right up. His is in June. You do realize that big sisters always prank little brother's, right?"

"Oh, I am way ahead of you, Wyatt," she jokingly stated. "Okay, I am going to find Cash and Jacks in this monstrosity of a warehouse."

"Hey, Ryleigh, sorry about my behavior. I just like to have all my ducks in a row. I have already put Jacks through his paces with the test dummy and he is up to date on proper lifting and positioning techniques for the mission," Eli remarked.

"No problem, Doc, and thanks for helping Jacks," she said. "I know we are all a little a.n.a.l about the details. I don't think any of us would have the jobs we do if we weren't."

Then Ryleigh headed out to find Cash and Jacks, leaving Wyatt and Eli behind.

Chapter 29.

"What the f.u.c.k did I walk into?" Wyatt seethed. "That woman is technically your boss, not to mention her connection with Jacks and Declan. Do you want to die? Why the h.e.l.l were you pushing her so hard?"

"s.h.i.t, man, I apologized," Eli reacted looking sheepish. "I just wanted my part of this mission done. I don't think injecting new tech into the boss's daughter is a viable solution, but since she thinks she knows more than me, that is on her."

Ryleigh was so tired. Maybe she was projecting on Eli, but the man was pushy. He told her she had a choice, but when she made it and he didn't like it, he wouldn't let it go. She didn't believe his apology either. If Wyatt hadn't interrupted, she was sure that he would have bullied her into his choice. That was not happening. She wasn't thrilled about having a tracker in the first place, but she knew it was important to cover all the bases. However, with her history of birth control issues, she wasn't willing to risk being down and out during the mission.

Maybe she should have just explained her medical history to him, but for some reason, she thought it was important to keep it to herself for now. It wasn't like she was going to be having s.e.x anytime soon and if they played their cards right, her risks of abduction were minimal. She knew Jacks would keep her safe; maybe she was nave. She decided she would talk to Mia when the mission was over. Maybe she could help her find an alternative to the birth control methods she had tried when she was younger.

Wyatt caught up to Ryleigh before she could reach the stairs and they discussed his tracking program along with Tory's tech. If this panned out, he and Tory had the means to bring the surveillance sector to their knees. She kind of hoped that they would keep it private. If just one component of this system got out and into the wrong hands, things could get dangerous, and quick. That is when the smell hit her square in the face. It was so pungent that it almost staggered her. There was no way in h.e.l.l that she could get away with that much Ben Gay smell in Franklin's house. Looking over at Wyatt, his eyes were turning red and then redder as she watched.

Getting closer she could hear Cash, "d.a.m.n it, Jacks, I told you to leave my stuff alone. You spilled the whole bottle. I am going to smell like a f.u.c.king geriatric patient for a d.a.m.n month."

"Listen, a.s.shole, if you had put the cap on right I wouldn't have spilled it in the first place," Jacks snapped back. "I have no idea how you can keep a kitchen clean enough for a health inspection, but your f.u.c.king science experiments are always just thrown around. I have nightmares that some night you are going to blow up our G.o.dd.a.m.n base because you left the tops off of something and created a f.u.c.king bomb by spilling two chemicals."

Ryleigh and Wyatt were laughing so hard by this time that Cash and Jacks finally noticed them.

"Guys, I think you need to hit the showers," Ryleigh suggested. "Wyatt, do you have allergies? Your eyes aren't looking that hot right now. I believe you need to see Eli and get some Benadryl or something. Maybe cold compresses would work too."

"Yeah, I think you're right, Ryleigh, I'm not feeling so hot right now," Wyatt stated. "That stuff is just so potent."

Jacks came forward, "s.h.i.t, I'll take him on the way to shower. Most of the stuff got on Cash anyways. Come on, Wyatt, I don't think your eyes should look that way."

"Sorry Ryleigh, Cash clean this and yourself up," Jacks said, "and we can meet Ryleigh back in the kitchen to go over our plan."

Cash looked like a disgruntled little boy, "Yeah, it just figures that you make the mess and I have to clean it up."

Ryleigh felt sorry for him.

"Cash, I will help you clean up and then I will make you and Wyatt some of the sweet tea from my stash while we do a sit-rep to finalize this operation," Ryleigh offered. "It's hot here and there is nothing better on a hot day than ice cold sweet tea. We are in Kentucky after all," Ryleigh quipped.

Then it was Jacks turn to look like a disgruntled little boy.

"Hey, if they get a special drink then I want some too," he whined. "After all, if bonehead over there had put the cap on right then none of this would have happened in the first place."

G.o.d, could the man get any s.e.xier? Ryleigh thought to herself. I mean, big burly bada.s.s to the sweet little boy in zero point five seconds. What more could a girl ask?

"Okay, sweet tea all around. Now let's get this cleaned up," she proposed.

Jacks and Wyatt left, and Ryleigh said, "Actually, Cash, why don't you let me clean this up for you guys? That way you can hit the showers too. Because, dude, you are rank."

Cash just grinned, "Thanks, Rye, I know when not to look a gift horse in the mouth, and for your efforts I will break out some of my biscotti to go with your tea."

"Oh, Cash. If your biscotti is a good as the tiramisu, then you are so coming home with me," Ryleigh declared. "I know I could work my magic on Dad and get you rea.s.signed or if that didn't work you know big brothers are supposed to send care packages like every other day. Yeah, that is totally going to be our new family rule; if I am the little sister like you keep saying, then I get presents. You can send me baked goods and Ethan can send me toys. I will send Dalton stuff only a big sister would send. He won't like it at first, but since he is the little brother, he will just have to get over it. And I can Skype with Bas and Wyatt."

"Okay, little one. First off, baked goods: yes. Rea.s.signment: no. And Ethan will not be sending you any toys. Jacks would literally implode. But how does Eli get off the hook in this little family?" Cash inquired.

"s.h.i.t, Cash, I don't know. Eli seems like he could be a nice guy, just a little pushy maybe," Ryleigh disclosed. "We didn't hit if off like I have with the rest of you. Maybe he was having a bad day, or I am just a little too tensed up about the mission."

Ryleigh didn't want to tell him that his teammate triggered all her instincts. These guys had been together for a long time, they were a team; she was the outsider.

"I just don't feel the same connection with him as I do the rest of you. Even Dalton, who was a complete a.s.shole, at first." Ryleigh explained.

Cash felt bad for both Ryleigh and Eli. Maybe he could help them a little.

"Just give him a chance," Cash requested. "He is a good guy and has pulled our a.s.ses out of the sling more than once. He is a dude, Ryleigh. Most of us have issues when dealing with a beautiful woman. Maybe he was just having an off day. Promise to give him a chance?"

She reluctantly nodded her head in approval.

"Now I am going to shower before you change your mind," Cash declared. "Meet in the kitchen in about twenty?"

"Yep, I will be there," Ryleigh responded.

Cash took off and Ryleigh cleaned up the stinky mess the best she could because there was absolutely no way this place wouldn't smell like wintergreen for a very long time.

Chapter 30.

Everyone gathered in the kitchen and proceeded to finalize the aspects of the mission.

"Oh, my G.o.d, Ryleigh, this is the best d.a.m.n sweet tea I have ever had. When I make the stuff it always had a tendency to be bitter. What did you use in it? Tea isn't one of the staples I packed." Cash said.

"Don't you know, Cash, every good operative keeps a go-bag. Mine just always happens to have a special blend of tea I found a few years ago. I can't seem to get enough of it; hot or cold, I just have to have it" Ryleigh teased.

"But, Dude, this biscotti is to die for, I am even ashamed to say that I want to lick the crumbs off my plate and all of yours too. The biscotti is definitely going into my care packages, like at least twice a week," Ryleigh quipped.

"What care packages?" Jacks probed.

"Well," Ryleigh said, "I have decided that since all the guys have adopted me, they have to send me presents once the mission is over. Cash is going to send me baked goods and food. Ethan is going to send me toys from his toy box. I am going to send Dalton stuff because he is the little brother and I am going to skype with Bas and Wyatt, oh, and Eli of course."

s.h.i.t, like that was really going to happen. The guy just gave her the creeps, and one thing she learned early was to trust her instincts always. She just wouldn't tell the guys.

Jacks looked hurt for about a second and then he said, "Oh, h.e.l.l no. Cash can send you all the baked goods and food you want, but the things in Ethan's toy box will be staying right where they are. No way in h.e.l.l he will be sharing his toys with you."

"Whatever, I don't see why you guys are all so freaked out about me getting Ethan's tech toys," Ryleigh replied. "I mean, the jewelry was awesome and I want more. He said he could make me hair spikes that can also be used as Tonfas. I think I need to introduce him to Tory. They could come up with some awesome items. I don't see why you people think I can't have them. First Ethan, then Cash and Wyatt, and now you Jacks. I want my toys, d.a.m.n it. Little sisters get presents."

Yeah, she was laying it on kind of thick and she had a feeling that she knew why the guys were acting so weird, but she like the teasing so she kept it up.

All the guys were once again trying to hide their laughter and only Jacks seemed to be relieved.

"Oh, sorry Baby. You can have those toys from Ethan," he said.