“Sorry,” Daniel offered again, and Talon smiled faintly. Talon knew he had just looked a total unfeeling bastard, and Daniel should have known better. Talon had riled Eli up to get him to stay with them. They were screwed. Eli would be involved whatever they did.
“And I think that’s why you were paired.”
“Because of my experience,” Daniel said flatly. He’d been running away by joining the unit, but it had come back to bite him on the ass.
“Not in the way you mean,” Talon said. “I don’t actually mean the trafficking case.” Daniel looked up at him sharply. “I’m worried,” Talon admitted. “He has no family. No friends except the people upstairs. He’s not even close to Sawyer.”
“Ah.” Of course. It made sense that out of the enhanced that were left, the least stable one would get the partner. “I know they’ve only shared an apartment for a year, but how long have Eli and Sawyer been friends?”
Talon huffed. “They met when they were both brought on for the team.”
Daniel’s eyebrows rose. “Really?”
Talon nodded. “You know I met Vance through your uncle?”
Daniel nodded. “Uncle Eddie told me you saved his life.”
Talon squirmed a little uncomfortably. “It was more like right place right time, but I got months of secret training, then Gael was brought in, then Vance within days.”
“How did Eli and Sawyer join?” Vance had told him how he met Talon, and he would be forever grateful to him for including his little—or not so little—brother.
“I met Sawyer in a gun range. He was working in the café and he disintegrated a gun some idiot that should have known better was waving around. Eli saved your dad’s life.”
Daniel jerked in shock. “When?”
Talon huffed. “Holdup at a gas station. And believe it or not, your dad was filling up with gas when the perps ran out and noticed him.” Daniel shook his head.
“He never told me.”
“They drove off, deliberately squirting a bottle of lighter fuel everywhere as they left, all over your dad, the vagrant that he’d just given a few dollars to, and the ground. If your dad had been on his own, he might have risked going for his gun, but there was too much flammable liquid to risk it.
“Why my dad?”
“Your dad was in uniform. The perp screamed ‘pig’ at him as they threw a lighter and said it was a good day for barbecued ribs.”
Daniel paled even though he knew his dad was okay.
“And Eli was sitting in the back of a flatbed truck that was also getting gas. He’s fast. Very fast. He just threw himself on the ground and absorbed the flames.”
Daniel gaped. “He ran faster than the flame?”
“Not quite. The truck was next to your dad’s car. He just jumped. His reactions are quick.”
Then Daniel registered what else Talon said. “What do you mean he absorbed it?”
“He controls fire?” Daniel nodded. He knew that. “That isn’t just creating it, he can also put it out. His body just absorbs it. He stopped it before it got anywhere near your dad.”
“Wow,” Daniel said weakly.
“To be fair they had a couple of seconds warning of the lighter being tossed, but no one was close enough to catch it before it dropped.”
“But still…”
Talon nodded. “I can shield against fire but not douse it. My abilities I get from the team are often diluted.” He winced. “The only time I managed to burn Eli was because I caught him unprepared, but I’m not certain if that would even work now.”
“What do you mean?”
Talon hesitated. He stared at Daniel assessingly for a few seconds before he spoke up. “Eli’s abilities are increasing. I don’t know what, and he sure as hell hasn’t said anything. But I know they are.”
Daniel must have looked doubtful because Talon smiled wryly. “I know it sounds like a weird hunch, but until we find out more, there’s nothing else I can tell you.”
Daniel thought a moment, then nodded. “So, he was recruited after the incident with my dad?”
“Your dad brought Eli back to headquarters with him and called Gregory. Eli was laboring and living in some shitty place with another six guys. It was the promise of a regular income that did the trick. I doubt very much he wanted to work with cops.”
Daniel couldn’t believe his dad had never said anything, but then he imagined his mom’s reaction and understood. Talon’s cell phone rang, and he unclipped it from his belt. He listened, smiled, and said, “Great I’m starving.” He glanced at Daniel. “Lunch is here.”
Daniel nodded and took a step to the door, but Talon stopped him with a hand to his shoulder. “There are a lot of higher-ups that think we’re cannon fodder. All I’m asking is you give him a chance, but if he starts doing reckless shit, I want to know. That’s not on you, that’s my responsibility. I don’t seem to have a choice over having Eli involved, but if he risks the team, I’ll damn well lock him up if I have to. Yes, I want Caffrey, but I won’t sacrifice Eli or any of them to make that happen.” Daniel nodded and followed him out.
They walked back to the conference room just as Finn came from the opposite direction followed by a huge guy carrying a cooler. Talon paused in astonishment. “Richard?”
The big guy looked up and acknowledged Talon with a dip of his chin, then just followed Finn into the room. “Betty says she’ll charge it.” There was a silence while Finn looked as uncomfortable as Talon.
“I got it,” Daniel said smoothly and pulled out his wallet. “The man—Richard—whoever he was, just shook his head and turned abruptly as Sawyer walked in. Sawyer took a hurried step back to avoid a collision, and Richard put out a hand to steady him.
“Careful,” he cautioned mildly. Sawyer flushed and brushed his hand away. Richard looked him up and down, then left without another word.
“Did you know?” muttered Talon, and Finn shook his head.
“He was going to check out some jobs this morning when he left just after you. I met him downstairs when they called to say the sandwiches were here, and he said when he’d walked in for an interview, Betty recognized the name and hired him on the spot. Her nephew just got a job, so they’re stuck. He’s got an interview for two security jobs. One at the Westgate in town and one nearer Orlando.”
Talon frowned. Daniel glanced between them. “Who is he?”
“My big brother,” Talon replied. “He turned up last week, and he’s staying with us while he decides what to do.” Daniel just nodded knowing whatever it was wasn’t quite that simple. He knew Mark and Sam, and he was pretty sure this wasn’t the brother that played the violin, which left the one in the special forces. He was certainly built for it. Non-enhanced and rivalling Talon’s size. He’d also caught a glimpse of a tattoo on his arm Daniel would bet had to do with whatever unit he’d served in. The man looked like he had quite a lot of ink.
They all helped themselves to sandwiches and more water, trying to decide the best way of investigating, when Gregory stepped back into the room. “Gentlemen.”