<h4>Chapter 293: Secret Operations V</h4>


    "With the number of times you’ve saved us, Ewan, we should give you a Medal of Honor... maybe even an award..." Aiden joked as they boarded the aircraft that would take them to their next destination.


    The mood was light, and Ewan chuckled in response, an eyebrow quirking up in curiosity as Aiden subtly gestured with a nod for him to take the seat next to Athena.


    A brother’s code?


    Ewan found it interesting. He never thought he would see the day when Aiden would look out for him like this.


    With a gracious nod toward Aiden, Ewan took the seat beside Athena, who pretended not to notice the silent exchange.


    The realization hit her like a gentle wave: Aiden had somehow managed to score Ewan good points. And she was beginning to understand why Ewan had seemed so irritated during their flight earlier.


    Was he that eager to sit close to her?


    Disposing of that thought, she forced herself to focus; friendship was all she could allow between herself and Ewan.


    "As a matter of fact..." Aiden continued, filling the silence as the aircraft began preparations for takeoff. "I owe you some nice drinks, Ewan, for saving me from a heart attack... To be honest, I was so flustered seeing the capacity of mercenaries in there that I almost gave up on the mission, opting instead to make small talk and live to fight another day..."


    Athena and Ewan joined in Aiden’sughter, fully understanding where he wasing from.


    "But really, Ewan, thank you. Don’t mind Athena’s anger; I’m sure she is grateful."


    "I’m not angry..." Athena interjected softly, casting Aiden a re. "I just wish he would involve us in these backup ns of his. The surprises are enough to trigger high blood pressure! Who knows what he’s got in store for us? Wait a minute..."


    She paused, turning to Ewan, who was already staring at her unabashedly.


    She swallowed before she could help it, feeling a rush of heat bloom on her cheeks. What was wrong with this man?! "What...are your ns for us over there..."


    She nced away from his piercing gaze, which felt as if he were reading her very thoughts. "I’m sure you have a backup n too..."


    Ewan shrugged, a yful smile ying on his lips. He had noticed the faint blush tinting Athena’s cheeks before she turned away, and it pleased him more than he cared to admit that she wasn’t as impervious to his presence as she always pretended to be.


    "Just the same as before. If things don’t go as nned, we have an extra team waiting."


    Just then, Athena’s phone lit up with a text message. Her brow furrowed as she read it twice.


    "What is it?" Aiden asked, epting the drink the single flight attendant had ced before them, his other hand holding a ss cup.


    "Is it from the CIA colleagues?" Ewan interjected, stretching his hand toward Aiden for a drink as well. He could use something to soothe his head—the wine might help.


    "Yes." Athena finally answered, her voice steadying. "They have sessfully arrived at the ck site. I think we can say that the first phase of the mission isplete."


    "Will they be able to retrieve Alvarez and the others soon?" Ewan asked, gratefully epting the ss of wine from Aiden with a nod of appreciation.


    "They won’t need to. Only Eric was avable at our previous location, along with ten of his trusted officials. Shawn is waiting for us at our next stop. I hope he hasn’t burst a vein from impatience." She muttered thest sentence under her breath, but it was just loud enough for Ewan’s sharp hearing to catch, eliciting a light chuckle from him.


    "Okay then. That’s better." Aiden rxed further into his seat, taking another sip of his wine, mentally preparing for what would surely be another emotionally taxing mission. Alvarez was an old friend of his and Gloria’s, and at this stage, his ex-wife might think he was bent on harming her rtionships with people that mattered.


    "Are you not going to pour me some wine, Aiden? Is it only Ewan who deserves that kind of attention?" Athena teased, her tone a strange mix of annoyance and yful challenge.


    Ewan chuckled, and Aiden, surrendering with a grin, raised his left hand in mock defense. "Pardon me, Le Princess..."


    As he spoke, he deftly set down his wine on the tform between them and began pouring wine into another goblet with exaggerated flourish.


    Athena couldn’t suppress theugh that escaped her lips, especially when he presented the ss to her with the same theatrical ir.


    It urred to her how fortunate she was to have let go of her anger—if she hadn’t, she would have missed out on this light-hearted moment. Aiden was a good friend, despite his asionally frustrating antics.


    epting the goblet as a princess would, she earned another chuckle from Ewan, a sound that sent pleasant warmth trickling down her spine.


    "So, tell me, Ewan... those men... who are they? Which agency do they work for?" Athena started, her tongue loosening under the influence of the strong wine.


    Ewan, who had just lifted his goblet for another sip, paused, letting it hover near his lips. He pursed them thoughtfully before finally bringing the goblet down. "They’re part of my security team..."


    "They don’t look like your security team," Aiden and Athena remarked simultaneously, exchanging knowing smiles.


    Ewan sighed, dropping the goblet onto the tform. "Honestly, they are. You just don’t know them yet."


    Athena and Aiden shared another nce filled with curiosity.


    "So, your security has levels?" Athena queried, taking another sip of wine.


    Ewan nodded, picking up the goblet again, his heartbeat calming back to normal.


    "That’s cool. Does Zane have the same setup?" Athena inquired, genuine curiosity piquing her interest.


    Ewan nodded again. "Yeah."


    "Wow, you should introduce me to where you recruit them then..."


    Aidenughed. "You already have the Nimbus operation, Athena,"


    Athena shrugged. "Yeah, right. Still..."


    "It’s cool to have security agents who prefer to stay hidden and undetected," Aiden concluded, still chuckling. "I bet our agents are like that; you’ve just seen them all considering your position."


    Athena tsked lightly, turning her attention back to Ewan, who was savoring his wine. "Do you think Old Mr. Thorne would have something like that?"


    Ewan paused, contemting whether Athena’s current fixation was a good idea. "I think you should ask the old man yourself. I’m sure he’d be pleased to let you know the answer."