Predatory

48: Protection

DRAKE POV

"Wasn't expectin' t' see ya up an' at 'em so soon," Commander Baryshnikov remarks to Sasha once his heavy steel office door clangs shut behind us. The office itself is nicely furnished, with a large antique desk, brown leather couches, and framed abstract art, but the lack of windows bothers me. I'm sure it's for security reasons. But how far underground are we?

"I thought our plan requires me to be in optimal condition, Commander. I simply wanted to see how far in the future that might be," Sasha answers smoothly.

"I already told ya, you outrank me now. None o' this 'commander' nonsense."

"Old habits die hard. And we both know you're in charge here."

"Not so much that I could deny yer demand that Drake join us." Baryshnikov sends a cold glance my way. "Care t' explain why ya invited him?"

"I find it's always beneficial to bring fresh insights into a strategy meeting. And his commitment to seeing justice served rivals ours."

The Regional Commander arches an eyebrow. "All right, then. Might as well get on with things. Reason I wanted this meeting, aside from wantin' t' keep ya from hurtin' yourself sparrin', is to work out a timeline for yer return to HQ. The doctor told me ya need at least a few more days."

"I will abide by his judgment and yours. But Tempest and Ariadne are getting impatient. They're not sure how much longer they can stall on my behalf."

"How often are you talking with them?" I ask.

"Less than they'd like and more than I'd like. It's always so hard to tell where one stands with fae. But they like me, or at least Ariadne does. I think we can count on them. But we need to move quickly."

"Healin' has its own pace. Can't rush that," Baryshnikov points out. "But I see your reasonin' for doin' some sparrin' today. How'd it feel?"

"Good, mostly. Better than I expected it to. Endurance is off, and I was a bit tight to start. Certain movements still hurt a bit."

"Guess we'll just have t' keep gettin' ya up an' movin' a couple times a day an' see where we stand. But probably we got no more than a week before we send ya in."

"Rika and Zoe should come with me, and Rika should spend the time before we go setting up a way for you to keep an eye on me. I always wear her surveillance jewelry in the field anyway."

"If you're afraid you're walking into a trap, why would you want them to come with you?" I demand. Does she see her own teammates as expendable?

"Just because they come to HQ with me doesn't mean anyone other than Tempest and Ariadne, who I can force to swear to absolute secrecy, have to know about it," Sasha replies, looking at me like I'm an idiot. "My thought was that they can help streamline the invasion from within. They've never failed me on backup or support, and they're the best in WASP at what they do. Samson, unless you have a better strategic position for them—"

"No, I see yer point. An' I suspect it'll be some comfort to you to have them close, with what you're gearin' up for. I ain't much of a fan of all Rika's techno gizmos, but I see the use in 'em. We can definitely put that idea into action. But as soon as you're back in HQ, you've got to have them fae assistants mobilize the rest o' special ops on yer behalf."

"I agree that it would be useful to have them fighting with the Underground, but they're loyal to WASP, not to me. Mobilizing them might turn into a liability rather than an asset."

"I think that depends how you frame it," I interject. "You're supposed to be the best in WASP, right?"

"Ain't no question of that," Baryshnikov affirms while Sasha rolls her eyes.