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“Yeah, for a little while longer at least. But don’t try to tell me this will be a problem for you. Or for my daughter. It was your club’s business that got her hurt and Cypher didn’t even look surprised, much less worried when we figured it out earlier.”

“I’m not saying it’s an issue,” Hex said with a shake of his head, “but I need to know the details and who you work for in order to maintain our own security, not to mention that of our families. With your daughter here, I’d like to think you’d agree.”

Thomas nodded but didn’t say anything.

“What department is he in?” Wrath asked, looking at Cypher, not Thomas.

“Counterintelligence. At least that’s what I was dealing with.”

Thomas nodded. “I’ve been the SSA for the counterintelligence team out of the Chicago office for the last eight years.”

“Dad! Why didn’t I know that?” Lauren broke in.

“Security, baby. The fewer who knew exactly what I do, the safer we all are.” He glanced in her direction but kept most of his attention on the three newcomers.

“SSA?” Hex asked. “You’ll have to explain that one to me. I’m just a dumb grunt.”

“Supervisory Special Agent,” Thomas said. “I’m in charge of the team. Which is why I was so frustrated over what I thought was a tech fail.” Thomas shook his head. “I thought I had good men.”

“And women,” Colleen put in.

Thomas nodded. “And women. But my leak was a man, so it looks like I did have good women, just not all the men were who I thought they were.”

Cypher shook his head.

“That you know of, so far. No one is beyond suspicion, at least in that kind of environment, and even once they’re cleared of this incident, that doesn’t mean they won’t be the next one turned.”

“I know. And the next time we even suspect a leak, the team will be the first place I look.”

“What does this mean?” Lauren asked, looking back and forth between her father and Cypher. Cypher hooked his arm around her shoulders as she sat beside him.

“It means these guys aren’t what they seem,” Thomas said. Looking from Hex to Wrath, then to Cyclone before turning his attention to Cypher. “Does your agency know how you live?”

Cypher chuckled. “Know? They put me here. But it’s not what you probably think. We all have agencies, or departments, or branches, depending on where they come from. Think of us as an undercover joint task force.”

Hex nodded and Wrath agreed.

“He’s basically the SSA,” Cypher waved one hand toward Hex. “We’ve got the structure of an MC, because we have to if we need to keep our cover. But we’re nearly all ex-military of one branch or another. There are a few who never served, at least not in that capacity, but even our prospects are with someone. Their prospect period isn’t the same as other clubs. They’re there to prove they want the job enough to put up with shit duty. That they can be loyal. Ours are prospects to see how they fit with the unit. To make sure they fit in. No one is just assigned. They’re invited or referred and no spot is guaranteed.”

“Has the club always been that way?”

Hex shook his head. “No, but the conversion started when I was a prospect. It’s part of why I joined the Army. We don’t require that a brother still be with one of the services, or even with an agency. But we do require prior service of some kind. We need to make sure that they’re known to someone and have an idea of what brotherhood means to us. I’m not convinced there’s a better way to learn that than to have to rely on the man next to you for your life.”

“I can’t say you’re wrong,” Thomas said after a moment.

“Does this mean you’ll get in trouble for what happened after I was taken?” Lauren asked.

Cypher quirked one corner of his mouth.

“If there is, I’ll deal with it.” He shrugged. “We’re given some leeway. We can’t operate an effective unit if our noses are completely clean. We work on a sometimes you have to get dirty to get rid of the scum mentality. If there are consequences, I’ll take them like a man.”

“He should be fine. If there’s blowback, the club has his back, as does his agency,” Wrath put in. “No one wants Cypher behind bars. If he’s locked up, none of us can take advantage of his skills, and losing those skills could be devastating to much of the security and intelligence gathering, and not just for the Warriors.”

“I thought you had someone you’re teaching?” Lauren asked.

“I do, and Mud’s good, but he doesn’t have the instinct for it the same way I do. Sometimes I know something’s off or that there’s a weak spot in the security, and I couldn’t tell you how I know, but I do.”

Thomas nodded.