Reliant ~ [John Soap MacTavish]

LXI. Worth The Investment

"I think that'd be a solid arrangement," Price says, resting his hands neatly on his desk before leaning back, the leather of his chair creaking faintly. "Truth be told, I'd been hoping you might decide to stick around."

A small smile tugs at my lips as I remember my talk with Keegan.

"—But I'd be selfish to push you in that direction," Price adds, his tone warm and knowing. "And this could be a real opportunity for both of us."

I glance over at Keegan, catching the proud smile in his eyes before looking back at Price. "You wouldn't mind Keegan's time being split?"

Price considers this with a slight nod. "We'd need to lay out the details in a contract, of course, and think about what each of us stands to gain. I'm talking about a long-term partnership. Your team's ahead in a few areas of technology, and I could see a lot of mutual benefit here. So yes, I'd consider it worth the investment—even if it means Sergeant Russ is with you for a few hours a week."

I take a moment to let Price's words sink in, the weight of the potential partnership settling on my shoulders. I glance over at Keegan again. He's watching me, his expression steady but with a flicker of something more behind his eyes.

"What?" I ask, my voice quieter now.

"Nothing," Keegan replies, but the way his eyes light up just slightly makes it clear it's not nothing. "Just wondering what's going through that overthinking brain of yours."

I roll my eyes, even as the corner of my mouth twitches upward. "I'm trying to be professional here, Sergeant Russ."

Price clears his throat, his gaze darting between us with mild curiosity. "I'll admit," he says smoothly, "I wasn't sure how well the two of you worked together. But I see now I underestimated you both."

Keegan smirks, but there's no arrogance in it, just a quiet kind of confidence that somehow makes me feel steadier. "We get the job done," he says simply.

Price leans forward, his gaze sharpening with interest as he studies us both. "So, when can we get started?"

Keegan glances at me, and I can tell he's waiting for my response.

"Sooner than later, I'd say," I reply, keeping my tone steady. "I'll need some time to outline a framework for how we'll approach things, and what I'll need, but we can start mapping out the main goals right away."

Price gives a nod of approval. "Good. Once we've got the basics down, we'll arrange a proper meeting to get everything on paper. Russ, I'll have you serve as liaison between the two of us; make sure everyone's on the same page. Does that work?"

Keegan stands a little straighter. "Absolutely. I'll make sure it all goes smoothly."

Price's gaze lingers on me for a moment, "I'll leave it in your hands, then. Don't be afraid to make decisions as you see fit. I trust you'll have this team's and your own best interests at heart."

"Thank you, Price," I say. "Won't let you down."

He nods, a faint smile breaking his usual serious demeanor. "I know you won't."

Keegan and I leave his office, stepping into the hall with a shared silence. There's an excitement buzzing between us as we realize we now have a lot of responsibilities.

"So," Keegan says after a few beats, "Where do we start?"

"I need to figure out the situation at Spike. Look at who's still in, and who's out. I'm not going to force anyone to stay," I say. "And then I'd like to gather a team we can trust. People who see the bigger picture and won't be afraid to speak their mind."