Aegis Group Task Force

Aegis Group Task Force

last updateLast Updated : 2023-09-09
By:  Sidney BristolCompleted
Language: English
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Ready for an edge of your seat romance with twists and turns? When the Aegis Group Task Force is contracted to work a secretive, off-the-books case for the government the stakes couldn’t be higher. From international intrigue to burning up the sheets, these men do what the job needs.Aegis Group Task Force is created by Sidney Bristol, an eGlobal Creative Publishing author.

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Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Prologue.

Volume 1: Stolen Risk

Monday. Aegis Group Offices, Seattle, Washington.

DAYS LIKE TODAY JAMIE Silva was glad he lived across the country from his family. He took the stairs two at a time while his oldest sister regaled him with his brother's indiscretions at family dinner. Mainly, their little brother had the nerve to be anything but a Cowboys fan.

There were worse crimes in Jamie's book, but he wasn't about to tell his sister that. She'd switched to Spanish, which was never a good thing.

"Hey? Hey, I've got to go into the office." He smothered a chuckle. "I'll call him and we'll work this out."

More like Jamie would call their brother and convince him to lay off the shit talk. It was football, not World War III.

"You do that. When are you coming home? And when are we meeting this latest girlfriend of yours?" his sister demanded.

"Soon, I hope." Jamie had a good feeling about this one. Maybe she was the one?

They ended the call as he reached the floor that comprised the whole of the Aegis Group offices in Seattle.

It was late enough that the building practically deserted. Team meetings at this hour weren't unheard of, but unusual enough that Jamie had to wonder just what kind of job the Department of Defense was throwing at them this time.

For the last few years the Troy Team had worked one job or another for the government, doing what the military couldn't, assisting in emergency situations and other jobs. The really dangerous, off the books kind. It was like being active duty but with better pay and much better insurance.

Jamie grinned as he caught the sound of voices.

He had the best damn life.

"Silva, get in here," his Team Leader Logan Muller called out.

Unlike the other teams that made use of the conference room, Troy Team ops were of a more sensitive nature. For that reason, most of their briefings happened within the confines of the SCIF or Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility room. It was a glorified broom closet off the operational room outfitted with the proper security to allow them to deal with classified material on site.

Jamie squeezed into the tiny space, lamenting that the three chairs lining the back wall were already taken up by his more punctual team members. Besides the other four guys, their boss Zain Lloyd had joined them. Again, not unusual, but the grim set of his mouth wasn't the norm.

This job must be pretty damn bad.

"Thanks for joining us, asshole." Harper Wright, the team's communications officer, lobbed a balled up, empty water bottle at him.

"You're welcome." Jamie blew a kiss at Harper, caught the bottle then dropped it in the waste basket.

"Guys," Logan barked.

"Sorry," Jamie muttered.

Logan leaned against the wall opposite Jamie and directed his attention to Zain. "What do you have for us?"

"Nothing normal." Instead of turning on the projector or pulling out a tablet, Zain slid his hands in his pockets and glanced at each of them. "This isn't a onetime job. You guys have an opportunity I can't in good conscience pass up on, but I also can't take the contract without allowing each of you to opt out of it."

Fucking hell.

Jamie crossed his arms over his chest. They took on some scary jobs. That was the nature of their business. Just what kind of work was this?

"It seems that Troy Team has impressed the DoD so much that you have been recommended for a very special job." Zain's normal seriousness was ramped up to ten. "The DoD wants to retain the team and use you for a special, joint task force between DoD, CIA, FBI, NSA and probably a few others. There is no end date. You would start immediately. All of your support would come from the task force, not us. I couldn't even be your emergency call. They were very clear that you would not know the nature of your missions except the objective. And you would all have to move to DC in the next week to be available to start in seven days."

The room was quiet as they each processed the information.

Someone at the DoD thought they were good enough to include on a task force like that?

Hell, talk about a boost to the ego.

But pack up his life and move across the country?

A sick sensation knotted his gut. Jamie had a life here. A girlfriend, pool league, friends. Hell, buying a house had even begun to sound like a good idea. He couldn't just pack up and leave all of that.

If the rest of the team went and he chose to stay here, that would be the end of the Troy Team he knew. He'd go into the pool of guys farmed out for random assignments or have to wait for a spot on another team to open up. His whole life would change.

"What would you have us do?" Logan asked, as always speaking for their team.

"From a business perspective, it's good. Real good for us." Zain's mouth twisted up. "But not being able to watch over you guys? To make sure you have everything you need? I'm struggling with that. I've pushed them on it, but they aren't going to budge. Whatever this task force has been put together to handle has to be pretty serious if they aren't sharing information. And that's not even touching on what you all would be giving up."

Logan pushed off the wall. "Do you trust them?"

"I trust you guys. And Agent Clark. She's good people, but she's the assistant to the director of the task force on this one, she's not the one calling the shots."

"How long do we have to decide?" Harper asked while the others remained quiet.

Zain grimaced. "I need to give them an answer by tomorrow morning. I suggest you each think this over and let me know as soon as you can what your decision is."

The room was quiet for a few moments.

Tucker, the team's second in command, got up and left the room without saying a word. Something was up with him, had been for a while, but he wasn't talking about it with anyone.

Logan glanced after the man then at the rest of them. "I'm headed to the pub if anyone wants to go talk this out?"

"Come on, Silva." Harper smacked Jamie's shoulder.

He remained where he was, his gaze on the floor. "I might pass, guys."

What was he going to tell his girlfriend?

He was thinking about taking her home, to meet his family. This was getting serious. And yet, if he said no, if he didn't take this job, he'd lose the best team he'd ever been part of. There was no doubt in his mind they'd replace him permanently.

"Talk this through," Zain said again. "See you guys in the morning."

Their boss left them in silence.

"Evan?" Logan turned his gaze on the remaining team member.

Evan nodded and got to his feet.

"I'm in," Harper said and stood.

Jamie pulled out his phone.

Was it too soon to ask his girlfriend to move with him?

Logan and Evan filed out of the room. Harper came to a stop in front of Jamie.

"What's your hang up, man?" Harper asked.

"This is all happening so fast." Jamie met his friend's gaze. "I can't make a decision like this in an instant. What do I tell my girlfriend?"

Harper's face twisted up, his nose wrinkling and brow furrowing. "Her? You're going to pass this up for her?"

Jamie scowled at Harper.

He held up his hands and took a step away from Jamie. "Look, she's a nice girl and all, but you're way more into her than she is into you."

"You don't know that."

"Okay." Harper backed toward the door, hands up.

"You don't fucking know that," Jamie mumbled as Harper turned.

This could be the girl. The one Jamie would spend the rest of his life with. And if he felt that way, she probably did, too. Then why not take a chance? Ask her to move with him? Start this exciting new chapter together?

Yeah.

He'd do that.

Jamie swallowed, a new set of nerves setting in.

Okay, so this was fast, but if it was right, it was right.

He paced out into the lobby of the office and hit dial on his girlfriend's number.

Sometimes the best things happened when you had to make the leap of faith. What if this was one of them?

"Hey." That one, short word conveyed so many things.

"Did I catch you at a bad time?" He knew those notes. She was distracted, probably doing her nails.

"No." Her sigh said otherwise. "What's up?"

Okay, so he'd have preferred it if she were in a better mood, but maybe his news would change that.

"Listen, something came up at work today and I want to run an idea by you." He glossed over the new opportunity in as few details as possible. It wasn't like he could convey the actual nature of what they'd be doing since it was more than likely classified up the ass.

"I think you should go," she said.

He paused. They hadn't even gotten to the part he was most anxious about.

"About that..." He licked his lips.

"Look, Jamie, I know how much you love your job and you sound really excited about this. You shouldn't pass this up because of me. And-fuck. I don't know how to say this without hurting you. You're a really sweet, nice guy, but I think we just want different things. So maybe this is the universe telling us it's time to end things."

Jamie stood there in the lobby, staring out at the Seattle skyline, while the woman he'd been trying to talk into leaping with him left him on the edge alone. She kept talking, calling him sweet and nice, talking about the universe, but never coming out and saying it.

She wasn't as into him as he was into her.

Harper was right.

How blind had Jamie been to not see this?

Movement in the glass caught his attention and he glanced back to see Merida, the company's office manager, at her desk, watching him with wide, knowing eyes.

Shit. Had everyone seen this coming except him?

At long last his now ex-girlfriend took pity on him and ended the call.

Jamie turned his back on the window, staring at the carpet. He'd been thinking about a life together, a future, something to build on. And this whole time the woman he'd thought he'd do that with was looking for a way out.

There wasn't any reason for Jamie to not go to DC now. Except he'd be going it alone.

"She break up with you?" Merida's face creased with sympathy.

Great.

Jamie tapped his phone against his palm. This moment was oddly familiar.

Because he'd been caught in exactly this same situation, the last time a girl broke up with him. He'd been called in for a job and on his way into a briefing his then girlfriend had broken up with him.

"Am I the only one who doesn't see this coming?" He kept staring at the carpet.

"Yes," Merida said.

"Ouch." He glanced up and grimaced at.

"Would you prefer I lie to you?" Merida arched a brow. She might be a petite woman, but there wasn't a man who worked for the company that wasn't a little scared of her, Jamie included.

"No." He dropped into a chair. "I just thought we were..."

"Oh honey, you think that about every girl." Merida reached into her desk drawer and pulled out a chocolate bar, tossing it to him. "That's you."

Jamie held the chocolate and frowned at her.

"Silva, you're a great guy. You're sweet, thoughtful, nice. If you were candy, you'd be a milk chocolate bar. Comforting, good..."

"Is there something wrong with that? What the hell are you trying to say?" Jamie scowled. All he did was treat women like his parents had taught him. How was that a bad thing?

Merida blew out a breath and rolled her chair around the desk until they were facing each other. She patted his knee. "There's nothing wrong with being the nice guy. You just don't look like one. The packaging doesn't match the inside, and the kind of girls you attract, well, they aren't looking for the same thing you are."

Jamie tore the corner off the wrapper and broke off a piece of the candy. There wasn't anything wrong with chocolate. Why would someone throw chocolate away?

"Can you answer me a question?" Merida tilted her head to the left, her ponytail swaying with the motion.

"Sure?"

"What do you feel about being broken up with? Right now?"

Jamie frowned and considered the question. "Disappointed, I guess? I was going to ask her to move to DC..."

"That's my point. Sitting here right now you've shown more emotion about being labeled a milk chocolate kind of guy than you did over her breaking up with you."

Shit.

He ate another bite of the bar, mulling that point around in his head. Was Merida right? Had he been wrong about this last relationship the whole time? Did he even know what love felt like?

"May I make a suggestion?" Merida folded her hands in her lap.

"Am I going to like it?"

"Probably not."

"Go ahead."

"Stop picking up girls in bars or clubs. Stop with the dating apps. Just stop for a while. I know for a serial monogamist like you that'll be hard, but it will also be good for you."

"Serial monogamist?" He frowned at Merida.

"Silva." She held up her hand. "I swear every time I blink you're in a new relationship saying this is the one. You don't know that. You're so codependent on having a girlfriend you don't really know why you want one in the first place. So stop trying to fit square pegs in round holes. And do not look at me like that. I am not interested in you. I don't like milk chocolate guys either. Maybe dark chocolate with nuts, but not milk chocolate."

Jamie couldn't help snorting a laugh so hard he doubled over. "What kind of guys do you like?"

"Not you." She nodded at the door. "Go. Logan and the others are probably at Trinity Hall Pub now. Figure out what you want to do, and for the love of God, no new girlfriends, okay?"

Jamie handed the half eaten bar of chocolate back to her and stood. Despite the fresh wound, part of him really was excited about this opportunity. So maybe the universe really was trying to tell him to take this risk?

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Comments

user avatar
tmp828
Loved everything I have read by this author. Excellent series, well worth reading.
2023-07-06 15:26:44
1
default avatar
Janelle
Is there going to be more? I feel left hanging without closure on Harper/Tucker/Zora!
2023-08-31 12:50:07
0
374 Chapters
Chapter 1: Prologue.
Volume 1: Stolen RiskMonday. Aegis Group Offices, Seattle, Washington.DAYS LIKE TODAY JAMIE Silva was glad he lived across the country from his family. He took the stairs two at a time while his oldest sister regaled him with his brother's indiscretions at family dinner. Mainly, their little brother had the nerve to be anything but a Cowboys fan.There were worse crimes in Jamie's book, but he wasn't about to tell his sister that. She'd switched to Spanish, which was never a good thing."Hey? Hey, I've got to go into the office." He smothered a chuckle. "I'll call him and we'll work this out."More like Jamie would call their brother and convince him to lay off the shit talk. It was football, not World War III."You do that. When are you coming home? And when are we meeting this latest girlfriend of yours?" his sister demanded."Soon, I hope." Jamie had a good feeling about this one. Maybe she was the one?They ended the call as he reached the floor that compris
last updateLast Updated : 2022-11-24
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Chapter 2: Jamie
Two weeks later. Wednesday. Washington, DC.JAMIE SWIPED A RAG across his brow in an attempt to mop up some of the sweat. A whole damn week of twiddling his thumbs and the day he decided to go for a mid-afternoon run the Team Leader summoned him to the Task Force Headquarters. There wasn't even time for a shower or a change of clothes based on how terse the phone call had been.Whoever had planned out this whole operation had been thorough.A new set of apartments sat directly beside a small business complex that outwardly appeared to be limping along. On the inside, however, it was a state-of-the art black site. Jamie and the other Aegis Group guys lived in the building closest to the site, their apartments paid for and furnished.Jamie swiped his key card at the side entrance and stepped into the frigid building, shivering as his body temperature dropped. He paused by the bathroom to wash up as best he could before heading toward the Assistant Director's office."Silva,"
last updateLast Updated : 2022-11-24
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Chapter 3: Tabby
Wednesday. Fundraiser, Washington, DC.TABBY GRISSLER GLANCED AT the empty seat next to her and sighed. Days like today were when she missed the presence of her best friend the most. They'd often made the charity circuit together. As executives of large companies, someone had to do it and if they had each other, well, they'd often made a night out of these things. But now Tabby's best friend and partner in crime had a new life, a fiancé, a baby. Everything Tabby had always wanted.She reached for her glass of water. It wouldn't fill that void inside of her, but it would keep her from ordering something stronger. Without her best friend around Tabby didn't enjoy these events as much. The less she drank, the earlier she would go home and get to video chat with her adorable goddaughter. Not that the baby did much besides sleep these days. Looking at that little human with its ten little fingers and ten little toes filled Tabby with equal parts joy and misery.The sleepy baby was
last updateLast Updated : 2022-11-24
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Chapter 4: Tabby
Tabby knew his question was simple on the outside. It was just a drink with a good looking man. But on the inside it was a much deeper question. If she accepted this drink, she was staying. That meant leaving herself open to wanting something she might never have with this man, because under her corporate polish she was a hopeless romantic. It had taken her best friend finding the forever kind of love to wake Tabby up to that realization.Javier held up his hands. "Is that question too hard? Should I have started with something easier?""No. Sorry, it's been a very long day. A white wine would be lovely, thank you.""I'll be right back."He got up and strode toward the bar closer to the front of the room where the line was shortest. A tightness she hadn't been aware of released her ribs and she sucked down a deep breath.What the hell was she doing?Tabby had no answer for herself. All she knew was that maybe tonight might have a better ending than its beginning.She watc
last updateLast Updated : 2022-11-24
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Chapter 5: Jamie
Wednesday. Pool Hall, Washington, DC.JAMIE WAS GOING TO hell on an express bus and there was no way to change his ticket.Tabby had her long red locks twisted up using nothing more than a pen she'd taken out of her clutch. She rocked the simple black sheath dress, filling it out in all the right ways."Okay, red ball, corner pocket," she announced.He eyed the shot. Easy enough.Unlike most women he'd taught to play pool, Tabby was actually soaking up the lesson. The woman had a competitive streak a mile wide on top of being a wet dream come to life with those flirty smiles and adorable freckles.What the hell was he doing?Jamie squeezed his eyes shut and heard the crack of ball on ball.There'd been a moment before leaving the fundraiser when he could have slipped her phone and been done with it. But then he'd gotten lost looking at her and the chance was gone."I did it," Tabby cheered.Jamie pasted on his smile and closed in on his very tipsy competition. Ye
last updateLast Updated : 2022-11-24
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Chapter 6: Tabby, Gazi
TABBY BRACED A HAND on the sink, giving her reflection a once over. She was slightly past tipsy, but she chalked that up to nerves. Javier flustered her in the best ways. God, her panties were soaked and the man had simply been a gentleman all night. He hadn't kissed her-yet. His touch had never lingered inappropriately or drifted. He'd been attentive, funny, kind all evening.She let her head hang forward. When they'd left the dinner she'd anticipated foreplay in the form of pool. Now she was beginning to wonder if he was playing the slow game.Wouldn't that be a nice change?A guy who didn't want to get her in bed on their first date?Did tonight even count as a date?She really needed some water.Tabby straightened, smoothing her dress down. Regardless of what happened between them tonight, she was looking forward to seeing Javier again. And who knew? Maybe him sitting in her best friend's seat was kismet? What if this was the start of her forever happy?She wouldn't k
last updateLast Updated : 2022-11-24
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Chapter 7: Jamie
Thursday. Task Force Headquarters, Washington, DC.JAMIE SAT IN LOGAN'S office, the lights out, the evening playing in his head.Tabby had given him a dozen opportunities to make his move and complete his objective. Instead of doing what he was sent here to do, Jamie had allowed himself to get lost in playing his part, in the getting close to her stage of things, he hadn't realized just how far he allowed it to go until it was too late.Sitting here in the dark it was easy for Jamie to see how things would have gone if he didn't have the task of bugging Tabby's phone. Their chemistry had brought them together, but it was her inclination to laugh, to see the good in things that had kept conversation rolling. He'd been interested in her, what she said. And yeah, the packaging was hot as hell.If it were just up to him, he'd have taken her back to his place or gone to hers. He'd have called into work and done everything in his power to woo her into giving him a chance. Things w
last updateLast Updated : 2022-11-24
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Chapter 8: Tabby
Thursday. Tabby Grissler's Home, Washington, DC.TABBY POURED HER FOURTH coffee of the morning with one hand while scanning the report.Holy shit bags.She set the carafe back on the hot plate and leaned against the counter."Why the fuck did no one tell me?" she asked her empty house.Tabby set her tablet down and cupped the mug with both hands while staring out the windows onto the side street of her Navy Yard condo.This was bad.She knew exactly why no one had mentioned this to her. She worked mostly with research and development, sales. Her father still primarily ran the manufacturing and delivery side of things. A theft or a delivery showing up short would be his realm and his problem.Except when the things stolen were the first rollout of one of the company's brand new drone design. Her design.Tabby took a deep drink of her un-doctored coffee, the bitter taste suiting her mood perfectly."Oh, God. Okay." She set the mug down and groped on the counter for
last updateLast Updated : 2022-11-24
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Chapter 9: Dalton, Jamie
Thursday. Astor Home, Newport Rhode Island.DALTON ASTOR FLIPPED THROUGH the plans dealing with his pre-Congressional bid. There were things to be done prior to announcing it, and those had to start now. Even if he was a shoe-in. it was arranged. A done deal. He just had to go through the motions and not screw up.Despite being born with the last name Astor, he wasn't related to the more famous family bearing the same name. No, Dalton's family were the kind of people who'd scrounged to make their empire, creating something from nothing. He'd learned early in life that those who reached for what they wanted were the true successes.His office phone began to ring.He glared at the black phone. Hadn't he said he wasn't to be bothered?Dalton ignored the call, pushed to his feet and crossed to the door. He jerked it open and glared at the young man sitting behind the chrome and glass desk."What did I tell you?" Dalton snapped."I know." The young man held up his hands. "B
last updateLast Updated : 2022-11-24
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Chapter 10: Tabby
Friday. Task Force Headquarters, Washington, DC.TABBY STEPPED OUT OF the elevator and took in her surroundings. The fifth and top floor of the building was completely devoid of walls. It was just one open space. The windows were covered with blinds. Overhead wires and cables snaked this way and that.This whole space was secure. Was it just this floor? Or did the entire building operate under a dome of protection?Holy shit.She was willing to bet that this wasn't just a task force, this was also a black site. An off the books joint operation if she had to guess. That would explain why no one had approached her directly.Tabby didn't know if she should hope the problem centered around her drone prototype or not. Tabby had the sudden impression that she wasn't prepared for this meeting. Not in the least.What reason did they have to ask her here? What role did she or her father's company play in what was going on?"We'll be over here." Jamie led her toward the end of t
last updateLast Updated : 2022-11-24
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