Risk and Rebel's Guide Book

TEAM ALPHA > EXCERPT

LASAR HQ

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"See," Risk said, toying with a knife with one hand, "this is why I don't like that we have a communal eating place." Her eyes were locked in on Aim and Gambler, who were seated at a table across the room.

"It's called a cafeteria, Risky," Rebel mused, watching her flip the knife around a few times before he turned his attention to his food. "If you don't bother them, there's a higher chance they won't bother us," he pointed out then, around a mouthful of hamburger.

"Their presence bothers me," Risk retorted. This was followed by a flourishing sheathing of her knife, her sharp eyes finally returning to her partner.

Rebel nodded in understanding, glancing their way once more. Where Risk watched them out of general suspicion, Rebel had learned to keep an eye out for weapons drawn. Though both members of Team Charlie were perfectly capable of making an attack without a weapon, they also enjoyed being backstabbers at every turn -- sometimes literally.

That was when the fighting commonly turned to a full-on brawl, with other agents getting dragged in via stray shots.

Risk sighed then, snatching a fry from Rebel. "Bravo's supposed to get back from St. Petersburg today."

Rebel nodded. "Yeah, I heard."

"We should do team training with them once they're back," Risk thought aloud. "It's been a few months since we've seen them." And when it came to teams that she preferred, Bravo was high on the list.

"I'm game for that," Rebel agreed with a half smile. He saw movement from Team Charlie's side of the room then, and his eyes shifted just in time to see the flash of metal spinning across the room.

He lurched forward and clapped both of his hands together on the flat of the blade, right before it could come into contact with Risk's side.

She, too, had seen the knife, just seconds after Rebel. Her response was different than his -- because of their level of trust, she didn't doubt he'd stop the knife . . . and he didn't doubt she'd snatch out her own and hurl it through the air.

Risk's knife wedged itself into the wall where Gambler's head had priorly been. Aim had yanked her aside just in time, and her black eyes blazed with fury as she tore herself out of her partner's grasp. She produced another knife in the same breath, and Risk went for a dagger on her thigh.

"What happened to 'they won't bother us if we don't bother them'?" Risk asked, he words dripping sarcasm.

"I said there's a higher chance they won't," Rebel corrected immediately. "Besides, they usually start with taunting."

A wide and devious smile split Risk's features as she glanced to her partner. "What do you think my throw was?" she asked with a laugh, easily side-stepping the next knife. "You might want to get the fire extinguisher. I think smoke's starting to come out of her ears."

Rebel laughed at that, but didn't protest. They both knew how to handle Team Charlie by now -- the only hitch was not getting caught by Boss or Gray. But he figured what he always did -- they'd be fine.

They always were.