Team: Echo (5 page)

“
No worries,” he said with a shrug, taking her up the stairs
and down to a wing. Pushing open a door he hit the lights. “Dual
view and the nearest person is three rooms away,” he told her. “You
have your own bathroom with this room, linens and towels are in the
closet in the bathroom just around from the door. If you need an
extra pillow you’ll have to hit up the hall closet down this wing.
Breakfast is at seven but if you want to sleep in we will attempt
to save you something, no promises,” he grinned. “But there’s
always food in the fridge so help yourself and there is always
coffee on too since we all live on the stuff.”

Penny nodded, “Thank you.” She was exhausted, mentally and
physically and simply needed time to regroup and rethink. She had
been forced into this situation and since she liked living too
much, she was just going to have to learn to roll with it. “Don’t
worry about saving me food; I really am not big on breakfast so
it’s all good.”

“
Couple weeks under the slave driver of a Russian and you’ll
change your tune,” he said shaking his head. “Sleep as late as you
want and if you can’t find something just yell, there’s usually
someone near the house at all hours. Goodnight Penelope,” Gareth
said, tugging her door shut behind him.

Penny watched Gareth leave and heaved a heavy sigh when she
dropped onto the bed, her head in her hands. Running her fingers
through her hair she let out sighs of frustration and then stalked
off toward the bathroom, stripping off her clothing as she did so.
Angry at the situation, upset that she was forced into something
she didn’t want to do so she did all that she could at the moment,
take a nice warm shower and just try to forget life, even if only
for a few minutes. Tomorrow would be soon enough to deal with
everything else.

Chapter Six

“
You’re actually awake,” James commented with a grin as
Penelope stumbled into the kitchen. “Good afternoon by the way,” he
chuckled. Tossing the last items into the cooler he shut the lid
and looked to her again. “If you’re looking for Daisy or the
munchkin they’re out back attempting to battle the weeds yet again.
Though I think the weeds may be winning yet another
battle.”

Nodding Penny fumbled to the coffee maker and poured herself
a cup. “If you can wait for five minutes I would be happy to go out
with you so that you can have a couple extra hands. That is if I
haven’t been banned from being anywhere near Honey and
D.”

“
Well I’m heading back out to the brush we’re clearing nearly
on the other side of the property,” he said softly. “So if you want
to work with Daisy and the kid you can just head out back when
you’re finished sucking down the caffeine.”

“
Is Mikhail out back?” Penny asked. At the mans nod she said,
“Looks like you are saddled with me then. I love D and Honey like
crazy but I shouldn’t push too much around Mikhail. I’m sure he
knows far too many ways to hide a body and I really do prefer to
live.”

“
He won’t kill you, not without just cause,” James said with a
grin. “I’d worry more if you don’t see him than if you do. It’s
when he goes silent and dark that you need to be concerned. But
then you would know that wouldn’t you little sniper that you
are.”

Penny paused mid-motion. “I take it that you guys know all of
my secrets?” She had thought that had been buried so deep that not
even the devil could read it. “Yes, I understand him and that’s why
I’m giving him a wide berth. He doesn’t like me, doesn’t trust me
at all and I get that. What he has to eventually realize is that I
would do anything at all in order to protect Daisy and Honey. They
are the only family that I have.” She shrugged and added, “I didn’t
want this job, it was forced on me because again, as I said, I like
to live.”

“
Hey,” he reached out and touched her hand lightly with a
frown. “Mikhail doesn’t trust easily but when he does it’s for life
unless you betray that trust. Give him time and let him see who you
are, not the words on the pages upon pages we all have memorized.
Honey loves and trusts you, Penelope, and that holds a lot of sway
with Mikhail. Get to know him but also know that he does on
occasion need space, he’s wound tighter than most
unfortunately.”

“
Which is what I’m giving him right now. I know that it’s far
too soon to get close to him. He’s like a snake ready to strike. I
think that giving him space is a very good idea.” She murmured
“Unless you don’t want me to ride out with you and help you
guys?”

“
Wolf actually,” he said with a grin and shrugged. “If you
want to come out and work with a bunch of half-naked men you are
most welcome. And should you feel the need to strip down a little
please don’t let us deter you from that urge at all.”

Penny laughed. “Good thing I’m wearing a sports bra so you
boys won’t see much,” she teased. “And hell, half naked men, I’m
totally there!” That was one thing she missed, being able to be
with people that simply accepted her and weren’t afraid to treat
her like an equal instead of an outsider.

“
Then have your coffee while I load up the truck and we can
head out. Make sure you drink some water before we head out too, it
will be hot out there again today so you’ll have to make sure you
stay hydrated.” Lifting the cooler he headed for the door. “Ten
minutes Penelope and then we need to be moving.”

“
Don’t worry, I will be ready,” she promised him and finished
her coffee quickly. Grabbing a bottle of water she took a drink and
walked out to the porch, shading her eyes and looking over the
beautiful landscape. “It is certainly beautiful here.” She murmured
softly and headed towards the truck where James was waiting. “Told
you I would be ready.”

“
Uh-huh,” he grinned and opened the door for her. “In you get,
the others will be wondering if I decided to have a nap at this
rate,” he chuckled. Moving around to the driver’s side James slid
in and got them moving. “There’s a spare cap in the glove box, wear
it so at least you protect the back of your neck from the
sun.”

Penny took out the cap and put it on. “Another thing that I’m
sure will be blamed on me,” Penny murmured. “You being late that
is,” she told him. “I wouldn’t worry too much about me burning.
Yes, I do have pale skin but surprisingly enough I don’t burn. I
once was in a perch for nine days in the middle of the desert
waiting on a target and didn’t burn. At least it’s beautiful here
and I don’t have, well no cancel that. I do have people here who
want me dead.” She said with a laugh.

“
Only a couple,” James shrugged with a chuckle. “I personally
have no interest in seeing you dead,” he told her as he took them
to the spot and parked. “Naked on the other hand, I’m totally in
for that,” he grinned and jumped out of the truck. Whistling loud
he waved a hand. “Food and drinks are here,” he
bellowed.

Penny just shook her head. “Rascal,” she muttered but got out
right along behind him and shoved the hat on her head. Humming
along she leaned against the truck and smiled at the guys as they
walked up. “Okay, so where am I going to be working today?” she
asked no one in particular.

Grabbing a bottle of water Marius looked her over. “Well,
that depends,” he said. “Do you know which end of a shovel goes
where? Or should I even ask that question?” he grinned.

“
I’m betting the answer has something to do with the pointy
end going up your ass, Sphinx,” Victor commented with a nod to
Penelope. Grabbing a bottle of water he poured some over his head
and sighed. “Oh god, that’s so much better.”

Penny grinned, “I think that I can figure out how to work
something like a shovel. I don’t know though. I am blond.” She
tossed her hair, trying for the vapid look as she stared at Marius.
“Besides, I’ve had to dig a grave or two in my lifetime. I think I
could be talked into digging another.”

“
I don’t know if you really want to offer that for, Sphinx,”
Gareth commented. “He’s awfully big and that would have to be a
damned deep hole to keep him in. We’re pretty sure he’d come back
as a zombie just to get revenge on the rest of us if we did bury
him.”

“
He has a point,” Dieter nodded, ducking his head to rummage
through the cooler. “Sphinx is quite large, too much work in this
sun to bother with. But we are digging a, what did Mik call it?” he
looked at James.

“
A fire break my man,” James chuckled. “We’re digging a fire
break and clearing out all the dead shrubs and crap that have
keeled over since his mom passed and left him the
place.”

“
That makes sense,” Penny said and looked at the area. “It
will also make a clearing so that anyone approaching the house
would be easily seen from one of the upper rooms. I would imagine
that he’s already begun to put in surveillance markers and some of
the high tech gadgetry that the military sent you boys home with?”
Gone was the teasing, instead it was the mind of the woman trained
to take safety into her own hands.

“
He’s already got six sniper perches set,” Victor commented,
stretching his arms over his head. “All the camera’s and
surveillance equipment is in place and the security room in the
house is wired to send up alerts at all hours in the areas we’re
not in. We turn off any section we’re working in just because if
you so much as breathe out here you’ll set off what he and Anton
put up. Hell, they had us testing it last night and I nearly
crapped my pants at least twice.”

“
Only twice?” James asked in dismay. “Dude, I had to burn my
undies and my jeans after last night. I really hate playing target
to that man’s sniper, fucking nearly gave me a heart attack at
least a dozen times.”

“
He was scary before the implant now he is,” Dieter paused
with a shudder and frowned. “He is like a ghost, there before you
even realize he’s there and in your face.”

Penny nodded. “And how are you guys doing with the implants?
From what I read about them they amp up your testosterone levels
and that should lead to a great deal more either fighting or
fucking.” She was blunt with them, no other way to be. “And since
Daisy has now moved out here I’m only going to guess what Gareth
and Mikhail are doing as well.” She gave a quick smile and then
added. “Good for them. Daisy deserves to be loved and she’s pined
for those boys for far too long.”

“
Well,” Anton grinned, sitting down with a sandwich and water.
“Let’s just say the ladies of Greensfield are always excited to see
us coming into town on the nights we don’t feel like hanging around
here. We are more lovers than fighters unless someone pisses us
off,” he chuckled.

“
So far it’s all under control,” Marius commented with a
shrug. “For some it’s been easier than with others. We’re managing
so far and when we aren’t we figure out a way to manage
it.”

“
I wasn’t asking because I’m your “handler” that’s utter
bullshit. You guys could easily circumvent me and we all know it. I
just wanted to make sure that you were all really okay. You boys
are growing on me.” She saw the grins and then just had to add.
“Much like a fungus.”

“
Oh that’s just cruel and unkind,” James groaned, pressing a
hand to his chest. “We’re much more loveable than fungus though I’m
pretty sure a couple of y’all have some growing on y’all somewhere.
Been meaning to discuss that with you,” he turned to
Anton.

“
Don’t be looking at me Southern belle or I’ll send you right
back where you belong,” Anton snapped at him.

Penny shook her head and laughed. “Damn you boys are too
much.” Taking the shovel she said, “All right, point me where I
need to go and then you all can join me when you’ve finished
eating.” She had a bit of aggression to work out and even though
her arm wasn’t at a hundred percent, she needed this to take the
edge off of her pissy mood. Not at the men, but at the men behind
the scenes who thought to manipulate them all like fucking chess
pieces on a board.

“
I’ll show you where we’re working,” Marius said, grabbing a
second bottle of water. Leading the way he ducked under some
branches and pointed. “We’re moving between the markers Mik’s put
out. Goal is to have the break and then we go back and remove all
the brush on either side of it that’s dead. Anything young or still
in good health we’re leaving for the time being but will likely
move further out when we have the time.”

“
Sounds good. I will get to work then.” She looked to Marius
and decided to just say it. “I won’t spy on you guys. I want you to
know that. Yes I will be the go-between between you and the
military but I will not, and I repeat, will not spy on you.”
Because she could not and would not spy on people that she
considered family or friends, and these men fit into that category
- both.

“
I know you won’t and don’t worry about Mikhail, his growl is
usually worse than his bite,” Sphinx grinned at her. “He’ll ease up
in a couple of days but he’s always been fairly Alpha male, I think
it’s a sniper thing personally but when I ask he just mutters
something under his breath I’m pretty sure is anatomically
impossible.”

Penny shrugged. “I don’t blame him for feeling the way that
he does. I get it.” Likely because she had been a sniper for a time
as well. “I really don’t but damn it’s getting old. With him
looking at me as if I’m going to be spreading all the family
secrets about.”