Forged in Steele

CHAPTER 43

“WHY’D you do it, Hancock?” Steele asked bluntly.

He was standing by Hancock’s bed, and the man looked like shit. He’d already been beat to hell and back by Maksimov’s henchmen, and that was before taking a bullet and then being pulverized in the helicopter crash.

Hancock slowly trained his gaze on Steele, steadily regarding him. Steele engaged in the staredown, neither man speaking as they felt each other out.

“You complaining because I saved your woman?” Hancock asked mockingly.

“I owe you,” Steele said grudgingly. “And I’m sure you’ll collect.”

“Oh, I’ll call my marker in. One day,” Hancock said. “But for now you can rest easy. I’m out of commission for a while, and then I’m going after Maksimov.”

“Who do you work for, Hancock? I can’t figure you out. One minute you’re a flaming asshole and the next you’re Captain Fucking America.”

Hancock made a derisive sound. “I leave the Captain America crap to your KGI. We all have the same job, Steele. We just have different ways of getting it done. You think your missions are righteous. I think mine are. Who’s right? Who’s wrong? Does it really fucking matter who I work for? It probably sticks in your throat, but we’re on the same side. We just have different methods. And while you work strictly for Uncle Sam and the private sector, I work for the greater good. That’s not always Uncle Sam. Vipers are everywhere. Your government isn’t immune.”

“My government? It’s your government too,” Steele pointed out.

Hancock’s face became stony. “I don’t claim a government that when it decided for political reasons that they no longer wanted to risk Titan becoming a liability, we became expendable. They labeled us traitors and did their damnedest to take us out. But they were the traitors. Selling out and fucking over the American people. My government? No fucking way.”

“And yet you take missions to bring down people who are a direct threat to national security,” Steele said.

“I don’t give a fuck about politicians and bureaucrats. But I do care about innocent lives, American and non-American. The world is a better place without Farnsworth. Without Caldwell. And it’ll sure as hell be a better place without Maksimov. You may not agree with my methods, but in the end, our goals are the same.”

Steele frowned, not liking that Hancock had a point. Steele was no Boy Scout, and he could hardly point the finger at Hancock when he himself had made choices steeped in shadows.

“Take care of yourself,” Steele said grudgingly.

Hancock cocked an eyebrow. “You and the doc out of here?”

“Yeah, I’m taking her home.”

Something flickered in Hancock’s eyes, but it was gone almost before Steele registered the slight reaction.

“I’ll look you up when I want to call in that marker,” Hancock said.

“Just make damn sure you don’t bring trouble to my doorstep,” Steele warned. “I won’t hesitate to take you out if you pose any danger to my family.”

“Duly noted.”

Steele turned and started to walk out and then paused at the door. He swiveled around to find Hancock still watching him.

“You got a way out of this place when they cut you loose?”

Hancock’s brows rose mockingly. “You offering me a ride?”

“Don’t be a dick. You’re a lone wolf. If you need a place . . .” Steele broke off, indecision gripping him. But the man had saved Maren. Three times if you counted the fact that he’d gotten her out before Caldwell went completely off the deep end. “If you need somewhere to crash until you recover, you’re welcome at my place.”

Hancock stared back at Steele for a long moment, and Steele could swear that he’d actually caught the other man off guard.

“Maybe I’ll take you up on that,” Hancock murmured.