Free Vortex (SAI Book 1) by Lea Hart Page A

sleep, so I could use another cup.”
    “I got more sleep than you did, but I could use anther cup too,” Dane added.
    Vivi had silently entered the kitchen and responded, “I’ll make a fresh pot.” Shuffling over to the counter, she pulled out the pot.
    Joel pivoted and noticed she had changed out of the slip she’d gone to bed in and thrown on a college T-shirt and shorts. The woman had amazing legs, and he felt a small measure of relief that he was no longer forcing himself to ignore that fact. He stepped over and leaned against the counter. “Good morning. How are you feeling?” Her head swiveled, and she glanced over her shoulder. “What are you looking for?”
    “I thought you were talking to Dane, because you were smiling.”
    “Vivi, why do you think that I wouldn’t smile at you?”
    “Because you usually don’t. Snarling, snarking, and expressing general disapproval, yes. But smiling…no.”
    He took the pot out of her hands and went over to the sink to rinse it out and refill it. As the water filled the pot, he thought about what she said, and he realized that it was probably true. Damn. If things were going to change, then it was completely up to him. Turning off the water, he returned and handed the coffee pot back to her. “There you go, honey.”
    Taking the pot, she set it down on the counter and then pressed her hand to his forehead. “I want to see if you have a fever.” Apparently satisfied, she took his arm and checked his pulse and silently counted to herself. “Are you experiencing any dizziness, pain in your arm, or headaches?” She stepped back and held his face as she checked his pupils. “How old are you, Joel?”
    He took her hands in his and noticed how soft and small they were. “I’m thirty-eight, and I’m in peak physical condition. I have no underlying medical conditions for either one of us to worry about. Why are you worried?”
    “Because you smiled at me and then called me honey.” Turning back to the coffee pot, she got it started and then walked over to the fridge and rummaged around. “Who’s hungry?”
    Joel heard Dane and Ben laugh behind him, and he spun around and gave them both his commander glare, and they instantly stopped laughing. “Nothing for us, Vivi,” he replied.
    “Okay, then I’m going to take my breakfast upstairs, and I’ll see you all later.” Grabbing a carton of yogurt and a banana, she then filled a big cup of coffee and walked out of the room.
    Joel watched her leave and realized that he had more work to do than he initially thought. “That didn’t go well,” he said to himself.
    “Ya…think?” Ben said. He strode over to the coffee pot, filled three mugs, and returned to the table. “That was a disaster.”
    Taking a sip of coffee, Dane nodded. “It sure was.”
    “How did it go down at the clinic yesterday?” Joel asked. It was time to change the subject and take his interest in Vivi off the table. “Is the system installed?”
    “Sure as shit is,” Ben replied. “The clinic is wired from front to back as well as outside. We have eyes on the street, too. We can see two blocks in any direction.”
    Dane tipped back on his chair and crossed his arms. “We had a visit from the man who lives across the street and is good friends with the DuMond family. Mr. Stewart brought his grandson by, and we had an extremely informative discussion. It seems that Mr. Stewart is doing everything he can to keep the kid out of the gangs, so he thought if we had a chat with him, he may see the military as an option.
    “The boy’s name is Taylor, and he seems like a good kid. He gave us some intel about what he’s been hearing on the streets about the clinic. The two most active gangs in Algiers are the Fischer Fools and Hot Block. They’ve been having a territory dispute, and Vivi’s clinic is a hot point of contention. He told us where the shoes were hung, indicating the territory dispute.”
    “That squares with what the Feds