TIGER LILY- THE BRAVO BOYS [book two]

Chapter FORTY THREE

River O'riley

... a few days later ...

-KNOCK-KNOCK-

"Come in!" A cool feminine call echoes from the other side of the office door and I twist the doorknob to step inside at her confident beckon..

"Afternoon, Mam'." I close the door behind me, pacing through the spacious office to stand before the commander and chief.

Specter's Head Director, the refined matriarch, Iris Santiago, looks up at me from her paperwork with her sleek, honey blonde bob shimmering under the fluorescent lights.. "Mr O'riley! When I saw your name in my schedule, I almost fell over.. I'm pleased to see the most decorated of my Marines remembers who I am.. I don't think you've ever come directly to me, in all your six years with us.. To what do I owe the honor?"

"I had'ney reason to bother ya before, mam'.." I reply with a polite nod, folding my hands behind my back to stand at attention in front of her desk.

"Oh? But you do now?" She chuckles humorlessly.. "Outstanding.." Steepling her fingers beneath her chin, she leans forward to place her elbows on the glass table-top and focuses her laser-like stare on me..

I skip the small talk and get straight to the point, having a sneaking suspicion that Iris would prefer a more direct approach.. "It's my understandin' that ye' have a workin' relationship with The Red Dragon.. One that keeps Triad activity limited to Little China."

The smile slips from her face to be replaced by a disapproving scowl.. "I wouldn't exactly call it a 'relationship'.."

"But Fei Xiao takes yer' calls." I assert surely, certain of the fact and refusing to be persuaded otherwise..

"Have you been talking to Logan?" She frowns over her folded hands..

I shake my head.. "Ney.. I dunno who that is, mam'.."

She breathes an alleviated sigh, spiking my curiosity about this 'Logan' lad she doesn't seem to want me talking to.. I wonder who he is and what kind of secrets he knows.. But that's a question for another day..

"Specter has no conflict with the Triad, River.. Whatever this is about, I would advise that you leave well enough alone." She waves me off, as if hoping to end our meeting right there, determined to say no more on the matter..

I shrug before I continue, unapologetically pressing her.. "I can'nae do that, boss.. It's already been done.."

"What has been done?" She questions me unenthusiastically, edging on bored and working overtime to convince me to drop the subject as she returns to her paperwork, picking up her biro to begin signing pages..

"I sunk a Mountain Master." If looks could kill, I'd be a dead man right about now.. The way her hazel eyes snap up to mine and scold me in maternal disappointment would make me laugh if she weren't so genuinely terrifying..

The bosslady isn't exactly known for her soft-touch.. Actually, she isn't known for any kind of tolerance. Iris runs a tight ship and deals with the biggest dogs.. She is a formidable opponent for any intelligence heavy hitter or federal fuckwit to face..

She holds me in her scathing stare, her left hand curling mercilessly around the pen in her fingers, bringing the plastic to its snapping point.. " You fucking what?"

"I need ye' to facilitate a meetin' with the Red Dragon.." I make my request, wading deeper into dangerous territory..

"YOU FUCKING WHAT!" Iris turns white.. Then red.. Then finally.. Calm and still.. The roll of her emotions are unreadable, bar for the obvious anger.. She looks as if she'd like to shoot me, or maybe climb across the desk to strangle me..