Bound to Danger: A Deadly Ops Novel Read Free

clearance possible and Cade didn’t feel like getting into another staring contest, he asked everything on his mind.
    Standing at attention with the manila file tucked under one arm, the man looked as though he’d have no problem commanding thousands. “I was on it because I wanted to see you in action. Nothing went wrong; you completed your mission in record time. It was . . . impressive.”
    Normally he would have gone in with two to three other men for a mission like that; even with the top-secret intel unit, they always worked in teams. But for this mission he’d been assigned to go in alone. It had surprised him, but he’d wanted the challenge, so he hadn’t questioned it. Cade nodded, not sure if he was supposed to respond.
    “The rest of the mission is also complete. Valencia is dead.”
    Okay, then. “Why are you in my room and what do you want with me?”
    The man pulled out one of the cheap-looking blue plastic seats against the only window and moved it closer to the bed before sitting. “You know a Marine named Sam Kelly?”
    Cade nodded, a pang of sadness shooting through him at Kelly’s name. “Yeah. Best sniper I ever worked with. I was sad to hear he’d died.” KIA in Afghanistan. Cade had done a few missions with Kelly as backup for really hot exits. The finest damn backup he’d ever had, in fact. That man never missed a shot.
    “He’s not dead. He works for me now but under a new name. If you’re smart, and I know you are, you’re going to accept the job I’m offering. You’re one of the best men Winters has ever worked with. You take directions well, but you’re not a fucking machine. You think for yourself and if you don’t like an order, you ask questions. I like that. I don’t want some moron on my team. You’re also twenty-nine. Jumping out of planes and helicopters isn’t something you can do long-term. I know you’ve been thinking about getting out of the Corps when your next term is up.”
    Sam Kelly was alive? Cade was going to go back to that, but first . . . “How the hell do you know that?” Asking that was as good as admitting the man was right, but Cade was too stunned by the spiel Burkhart was giving him to care.
    “Because I’ve been watching you. It wasn’t by chance you were sent in for the Valencia mission by yourself. I needed to see how you’d handle things solo. I could have waited to approach you, but I’m not wasting any more time. I’m putting together a team of men and women with certain skill sets. Black ops, not as many rules as the CIA. I’m offering you a job and under normal circumstances I’d be telling you that your name and past would cease to exist. Since you don’t have any family and all your missions have been top secret, you get to keep your name and you’ll have an honorable discharge. But if you take this job, as soon as you’re healed we’re leaving. If the mission calls for it, you might have to adopt a cover ID—you most definitely will sooner or later.” He held up the manila folder. “I’ve got a lot more to discuss with you, but if you’re feeling up to it, you can start reading some details on what your new role would be.”
    Cade nodded as he tried to filter through his pain and everything the lieutenant general had said to him. “I thought the NSA was into cryptography.”
    The man half smiled. “That’s exactly what Kelly said. And we are, but we also do a lot of other things. Read the file while I make a phone call. You hungry?”
    He nodded, feeling overwhelmed as the surreal quality of the situation settled in. “I haven’t said yes yet, but you told me about Kelly.” Clearly that was top-secret information. “What if I don’t agree to work for you?”
    “You will,” he said as he strode from the room, his voice absolutely confident.
    Arrogant bastard. As Cade flipped open the file and started reading, he realized the man was arrogant for a reason, because as soon as Cade was capable, he was