Page 8 of Gunner

Gunner tried not to snort with laughter. His mishap had been a beating that left him barely able to stand and with two broken ribs. All of it so Osbourne could ensure his loyalty to him and the cause.

“Fully recovered, sir.”

Osbourne nodded and began to pace for a moment. “Good, we have a lot to get done tonight, and I need to ensure you’re fighting fit.”

Gunner knew how to play the passive soldier, but his understanding had been that he was merely there as protection for Osbourne.

“I thought I was your protection tonight, sir?”

“Yes, you are, but as soon as this meeting is over, I have a job for you.”

Osbourne was watching him now, studying his reaction to whatever he said next. It was another test he had to pass. Now that they no longer had Milla to hold over him they were continually testing his loyalty. That they believed Eidolon had killed her and Gunner was out for revenge was a tentative play. Not because Gunner wouldn’t want revenge but because everyone who knew anything about Eidolon struggled to believe they would kill an innocent.

The autopsy photos and death certificate that Will had managed to leak online had helped, but there was still that shred of doubt no matter how small, that meant he was constantly being tested.

“What is the job?” He stood with his hands at his sides in a relaxed posture, but everything in him wanted to kill Osbourne for the way he’d blown up Gunner’s life.

He stepped forward and handed Gunner a flash drive. He took it, turning it over in his hands before his eyes moved back to the Deputy Commissioner in question.

“I need you to get me the plans for the Royal Tour next year with all of the security details.”

“How am I supposed to do that?”

“I guess you need to convince Jack that you’re sorry.”

“And if I can’t?”

Osbourne shrugged. “Then the pretty thing you spent the other night with is going to get hurt.”

Gunner made to move, his instincts to defend Lacey and pound this fucker to the ground, warring with his rational mind. He stopped the motion before Osbourne noticed and took the second while he sat back in his chair like some fucking lord of the manor to compose his features.

“There is no need to involve her. I have more than enough reason to hate Eidolon after what they did to Milla.”

“Exactly. Now, I have calls to make so I will see you later.”

Gunner was dismissed and not a moment too soon because he was fighting every impulse in his body to shoot Osbourne and be done with this shit. Only his desire to make right the wrongs he’d done helped him to bring his temper under control.

After collecting his gun from the guards at the door, he went back to the room he was sharing with Bás to wait for tonight. If the Irishman noticed his silence, he didn’t say, and Gunner wasn’t about to offer anything up voluntarily.

Around one-fifty-five they escorted Osbourne to his car with Bás riding in the front and Gunner beside the man in the bulletproof limo. His training had kicked in, and he was focused on tonight, having decided the only way to get past this next plan Osbourne had for him was to be straight with Jack and Alex, and pray they helped him for Lacey’s sake if not for his.

The location of the meeting was more of a barn than a warehouse. The surrounding farmland giving it a desolate feel, especially at night with the damage from the recent storm evident for everyone to see. It was the perfect place to meet. Out of the way, remote, with excellent access and sightlines. Whoever had picked this place was a strategist with military training he was sure.

“Who picked this location?”

Osbourne cocked his head as he glanced out of the window at the dark shadows of the landscape. “My partner did. Why?”

“It’s the perfect place for them to have an advantage.”

“You best be on your game then, hadn’t you?”

Gunner grunted something unintelligible and exited the car. He could feel eyes on him the second he did, the tingling in his neck a warning that he had multiple people watching him, most probably through the scope of a sniper rifle. Bás caught his eye, and he knew he felt it too. Gunner and Bás flanked Osbourne as he stepped from the car, and they ushered him quickly toward the barn where he could see soft light coming from under the door.

As they made it and the door opened, he let Bás move in first, with Gunner covering Osbourne’s back. The room was set up with portable floodlights similar to those used for a photo shoot with eight guards standing in a semi-circle behind a man-child of Arabic ethnicity who was obviously Samir al-Sadir. To his left in a bespoke three-piece suit, sat Fredrick Granger—Jack and Will’s scumbag of a father—and the truth Gunner had been trying to keep from them was finally glaring him in the face.