Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 57237 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 286(@200wpm)___ 229(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57237 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 286(@200wpm)___ 229(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
“Uh, no. I’ve been here a few years,” I said. I’d still been under SAS contract when I’d come over the first four or five times.
“Okay.” Danny patted me on my chest and headed for my bedroom. “I have thoughts.”
I smiled.
He was welcome to make changes.
River headed for the bookcase after he’d thrown his bag in their room. Something had lit a fire under his ass this weekend. He hadn’t necessarily spoken a whole lot to Danny, but he’d observed. I’d written a list of books I had, that I’d recommended to River, and he started taking out the first four. History of US and British intelligence services, a Spanish dictionary, covert ops in Eastern Europe…
“Don’t forget to rest, kid,” I said.
He grinned faintly and got comfortable on the couch. “This is me restin’.”
Uh-huh.
I’d let him be for now. I carried my bag into my room, where Danny sat at the foot of the bed and waited for me.
“Hi, Daddy.”
“Hey, little one.” I closed the door.
Two days later, it was time to make things official.
While River and Reese headed down to Virginia Beach to spend a couple days with their grandmother, I brought Danny over to Hillcroft for the first time.
The box-shaped building was like a mirror, and I squinted for the sunrays that reflected off the glass exterior.
“It doesn’t say Hillcroft anywhere,” Danny mused, looking up at the building.
“No, it doesn’t.” I ushered him through the revolving door, and I nodded with a dip of my chin at the man behind the circular desk.
It was a grand lobby with a lot of dead space and boring potted plants. And the name of the agency wasn’t anywhere to be seen here either. Those who came here already knew, and they were either clients or employees.
When we reached the elevators, I brought out my ID and tapped it to the reader below the buttons. Then I pressed seven. The top floor.
“Does that mean you have the highest clearance?” Danny smirked.
I chuckled. “No, it means I’m cleared to speak to the receptionist on the top floor.” I combed my fingers through his hair. “I’m just a lowly operator.”
He didn’t believe me. “I call bullshit. You pull strings all the time.”
Perhaps. That didn’t mean I could come and go throughout the building however I wanted, though. In fact, I’d never visited floors five and six even once. I didn’t know what happened there. My guess was…intelligence and IT. The building wasn’t precisely huge, compared to many similar places here in Arlington, but Hillcroft did employ enough people to fill all the floors with the personnel required to orchestrate all kinds of operations. From mechanics and medical staff to operators and instructors.
“I’ll tell you what I know about the floor plan,” I said, watching the number tick higher above the doors. “The basement has our shooting range and training facilities. First floor is nothing but classrooms and a big cafeteria. On the second, library, rec rooms, kitchen, and dormitory. Third, conference rooms and offices. Fourth, recruitment office and HR.”
He pursed his lips as the elevator dinged, and the doors opened.
“Dormitory?”
I nodded once and walked out. “Basically, rooms with bunk beds and toilets. Sometimes, out-of-town contractors stay the night. Sometimes, we get injured during an op, and someone tends to us overnight.”
He hummed, processing.
I wasn’t sure what he’d expected, but the way he’d spoken about his new future of becoming a Hillcroft operator so far sure as hell hadn’t included libraries, classrooms, and bunk beds.
He’d definitely enjoy the basement. I hadn’t lied about the shooting range or the training facilities, but I’d been vague. He’d see for himself soon enough.
Danny’s posture changed as we approached the front desk that acted as the gate to the top-floor offices. Paneled walls and gray carpet—more plants too—made things look…dull. Nondescript.
“Remember, baby,” I said for only him to hear. “You’re here to become a gray man. Lose the soldier stiffness.”
He smiled ruefully, let out a breath, and loosened up a little.
That side of him was going to be a challenge to deprogram.
I nodded at the woman and rested an arm on the desk. “Payne for Daniels at nine fifteen.”
“Yes, sir.” She adjusted her glasses, then tapped away on her computer. “He’s just finishing a meeting, but you can wait outside his office down the hall.” She gestured at the door and pushed a button that opened it.
“Thank you.” I led the way down the corridor, where we passed one office after another, the nicest break room one could ask for, restrooms, and an outdoor terrace.
“There are two Daniels,” Danny noted.
He was reading the names on the office doors.
“Two Winters too,” I said, side-eyeing him. “What do you know about the history of Hillcroft?”
He shrugged. “Not much. Founded in the ’70s, I think. Used to be more public—they only took government contracts, and then they restructured the agency in the late ’80s.”