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."Safe!" Owen hissed triumphantly even as the Marshal stepped forward."Shh, Owen," Ryan mumbled, shaking his head and poking the other man's leg."Turn off al phones, panels, tablets, recording devices, and whatever else you lotmay have smuggled in," Jae-Hwa ordered, her voice carrying through the room withthe use of an unseen microphone.Her dark eyes swept the room with a hard stare."If I hear even a beep from any of you I'll have you singled out and sent to Fourthuntil you remember how to take orders."There was a flurry of activity as those who hadn't automatically silenced theirdevices quickly did so now.Boyd checked to make sure his phones were both onsilent.She paused, giving a moment for the agents to comply before she spokeagain.As always, she didn't mince words."We're here because there's been a leak."She glared at the gathered people as if she could determine who exactly hadcaused the issue.The quiet whispers of people wondering what she meant createda backdrop in the room.For Boyd, he felt the pit of his stomach tighten and his breath still.He subtlychecked on Carhart and Vivienne.Now that Jae-Hwa obviously knew, now that itwas becoming public knowledge, and with the outright attack on Vivienne, the heart-stopping possibility of this being the last time he saw Carhart and Vivienne alive wasa heavy weight in his throat."At ten past midnight this morning, Captain Morgan Chase was gunned down.Snipers from a nearby building shot her as she was entering her house." Jae-Hwa'seyes narrowed gravely."It was a professional hit."A few murmurs went through the room and Boyd saw surprise flash across many ofthe agents' faces.Everyone on stage remained straight-faced, including Carhart,who had once dated her.Jae-Hwa continued over the susurration, "She's the third agent to be kil ed on theirpersonal time, and the second near their home."Kassian's eyes narrowed and Ryan inhaled audibly."Someone hacked thedirectory?" he whispered, almost to himself."Added to that, as you've al no doubt heard, Aisha Patel was killed earlier today in acar bomb on compound.It was affixed to Inspector Beaulieu's personal vehicle ather home sometime overnight." Jae-Hwa gestured to Vivienne but didn't turn herdark, sharp stare from the audience."We consider this to be a clear attempt on theInspector's life, as it was a fluke she wasn't in the car at the time.It seems evidentthe perp wanted this to occur in a public setting, likely on compound, as it was set todetonate when the ignition was turned off rather than on."Quiet conversations erupted at the information.Most people had likely heard of theattack already but even Boyd hadn't realized the bomb had been placed on the carat her own home."Clearly we've a breach of security," Jae-Hwa continued flatly.Her lips thinned into ahard line that turned down on the edges."Everyone who could potentially beinvolved will be questioned.Until I'm satisfied we're secure, I've cal ed a state ofemergency.Homes off compound could be compromised.As could, clearly,vehicles."Boyd looked at Carhart and Vivienne but didn't see their expressions so much asstir.He returned his stare to Jae-Hwa, worry coursing through him.Since learning ofthe mole and especial y since finding Sin still alive, he'd become hyper vigilant.But ifit was possible there was a hit out on agents of any rank and their homes could befound or their vehicles turned into weapons.He could be bringing groceries home and end up with a bul et in his head at his frontstep.He could drive down to Annadale to see Sin and end up blowing himself up inthe hotel parking lot.Even worse, he could hurt Sin in the process.The thought was chilling.For al that field agents had a dangerous job, they'd always had some level ofanonymity.The weight of the Agency had always been behind them.Although theAgency was ruthless, they protected their own.Even after he'd learned of themissing agents it hadn't been like this.At least those agents had been on missions.At least their one place to feel safe andnormal hadn't been taken from them."The dormitories can hold all of you," Jae-Hwa continued curtly over the crowd."Talkto Captain Siegel if you've a need to make permanent arrangements." She swept anarrowed, piercing stare across the room."Take this seriously.We can't say howmany of you could be watched."She paused a moment to let that sink in and then strode a few steps to the right."You're to be assigned arrangements at the end of the meeting.No one's to leavecompound.""For how long?" a deep voice asked loud enough to carry over the din.Boydfollowed the words and saw that it was Emilio who'd asked.His green eyes werenarrowed at the stage, displeasure clear in his face."For as long as we'd like," Jae-Hwa returned, arching her eyebrows and turning herflat stare onto him.She shifted her gaze to take in the sea of dismayed faces as shestarted to walk a few steps back in the other direction."Until then, al missions anddowntime are canceled.Guards are lining the compound to ensure not a one of youtries to leave." Her eyes narrowed."If you do, you'll answer to me directly.""Bullshit," Kassian muttered under his breath, shaking his head.Next to him Jordan looked up with a smirk."You can stay with me," she told him in astage whisper.He gave her an unreadable stare before flitting his eyes back up tothe stage.Uneasiness shifted within Boyd-- if the Agency was looking for traitors, they may bedigging up every suspicious act any of them had done in the past few weeks.He'dbeen careful to hide anything related to Sin or Annadale but he worried about themtracking incoming or outgoing cal s during this time.For the first time, he wasthankful for the way things had ended on his last trip; at least Sin would be toodistrustful of him to make any contact at this point.Even so, he made a note to turnoff the phone later so nothing could be compromised."General Carhart and Captain Siegel will answer questions.You'll al be alertedwhen we've lifted the lock down." Jae-Hwa swept her stare across the agents onemore time before she turned and disappeared through a door in back with Katsarosnot far behind.As soon as she was gone, mutters and whispers moved throughout the room, someof them obviously annoyed and quietly vehement.Vivienne had been staring silently throughout the briefing and only once Jae-Hwawas gone did she shift and look across the room.Her gaze moved past Boyd,stopping on him subtly enough that no one was likely to notice it if they weren'tlooking for it.Her ice blue eyes moved on almost before they'd stilled.Siegel stepped to the front of the stage with his hands behind his back."Anyone have any questions?"Although it was likely there were many questions running through everyone's minds,no one spoke them aloud.At least not in the public setting.Captain Siegel lookedunsurprised by this and nodded curtly
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