Andrei

 

“Don’t take off,” I growled at Faye as we walked off the plane and across the tarmac of a private airfield outside of Auckland, New Zealand. She nodded at me, unidentifiable under a cloud of dark red hair and huge sunglasses. “There’s a car waiting for us.”

A short, grinning man tipped his hat to me. “Nice to see you again, Mr. Landreau.”

“Merci,” I said. “We are going to the Hotel DeBret. Olmar, meet my dear friend, Bess Jones.”

“A pleasure, ma’am,” Olmar said with a grin and Faye nodded at him. I’d told her not to talk – her accent was a dead giveaway. She’d hadn’t been happy to hear that.

“What about Hubert and Ulma?” she whispered in my ear once we were in the car.

I squeezed her hand as I whispered back, “Sh. They’re fine. Taking care of paperwork and then they’ll head into the city. Imogen stays with the plane. Relax for a moment, would you?”

“So, are you some rich Frenchman in New Zealand? What happened to Dean the Brit?”

“Will you shut up?” I murmured. “And it depends on the situation, obviously.”

Almost to the hotel, there was a brief delay while waiting in traffic. I was staring out the window, eyes sweeping up and down the street. Everything seemed normal.

Getting out of the car first, I buttoned my suit jacket, smoothing it down and swept around to the other side, where I’d ordered Faye to wait. She gave me a demure smile as she slid her tanned legs out and stood up, before wobbling and crashing into me.

My hands shot out and gripped her sides as I pulled her upright. “You okay?”

“Yeah, sorry, I don’t wear heels often,” she whispered.

Faye’s soft form was pressing into me and I stepped back, wondering why it was so hard to breathe all of a sudden. “I know, we did drink a bit too much, love,” I joked loudly.

Slinging an arm around her hip, I led her into the hotel, a bag boy bobbing after us and checked us in quickly. In another minute, we were on the top floor and I was paying said bag boy a large tip, asking him to let me know if any other Frenchmen arrived. I’d heard a rumor a friend of mine might be staying here and I wanted to surprise him. The boy grinned, nodded, and vanished.

Walking into the suite, I dragged my hands over my face. All I wanted was sleep.

Faye had kicked off her heels, torn off her wig and was standing at the window, watching the city. Her arms were clamped around her middle and I came up next to her.

“You’re safe,” I said in a low, bracing voice. Lord, what do I have to do convince you of that?

“Am I?” she asked, turning sharply staring up at me and I groaned internally. “Who sent you?”

“Huh?” I asked, too tired for this. “Why does that matter?”

“It matters because the Shifters of Anubis sent you to kill me,” Faye said in a shaking voice and I swallowed. “Who knows I’m alive and asked you to do this?”

I looked at Faye closely. “Why do I have the feeling you already know the answer?”

Her eyes went wide. “You know–no,” she stopped herself and shook her head. “Andrei, if you tell me this, I will trust you. And I’ll tell you what I know.” Her face tightened. “What I saw…”

Exhaustion was crashing over me and I groaned. “Can it wait till morning?” I begged.

“No,” Faye said and I sighed. “Put yourself in my position.”

“I’d never wind up your position,” I muttered before I could help it and she took a step back. “Sorry, that was uncalled for. I’m tired.”

“Too bad,” Faye said. “If you are sorry, suck it up and tell me.”

“I’m not sure,” I admitted. “I have my suspicions, but–”

“No, Andrei,” Faye cut me off in a hard voice. “Who assigned you?”

“Mirois,” I said. “Who else? I report to her in the main…” I trailed off as Faye went white and her hands suddenly fell to her sides. “What’s wrong?” I asked.

A nasty feeling was rising up in me, not unlike the one I’d felt in Mirois’s office before she made her request. Only now it was worse. I found myself recoiling from Faye.

“Did you tell her you didn’t kill me?” she asked in a whisper. “Does she know we’re here?”

“No,” I said and Faye let out a shaky breath. “I couldn’t get through last night.” I shook my head. “Wait, why does that matter? Why can’t Mirois know the truth? She’d want to know.”

Faye let out a bitter laugh. “Of course she would. She’s the one who wants me dead.”

I took a step back, shaking my head and staring at her.

Maybe Faye is a traitor…

But the look in her brown eyes arrested me.

“She's the traitor," Faye said softly. “She’s the reason I had to fake my own death.”

 

I wasn’t sure how long I stared at Faye in utter disbelief. My brain had stopped working.

Mirois? A Head of the Order? She’s been that for years, she’s my mentor, my boss, my friend…

She’s family.

“Andrei,” Faye said and her hands found mine, balled up at my sternum. “I understand. I know. I went through the same thing.”

“You’re wrong,” I said, wrenching away from her. “Or you don’t know what you saw.”

“Please, Andrei, don't make me regret telling you this – but I had to! If she knows…”

“You’re out of your mind,” I said, whirling around and glaring at her. “Mirois? She’s been a Head forever – longer than we’ve been alive.”

“And she’s had to fight very hard to keep that position,” Faye said quietly.

“Drax–” I started to say.

“Is a jackass, but he’s not the traitor. Think about it, Andrei,” Faye said and she was pleading now, her hands shaking. “She is the Head who oversaw the TLO investigations. Who else was in a position to pass along information that could have revealed Kyros and Maria Kazan for who they were?” Her eyes fell. “Or my parents? Who had the power to keep the findings about the TLO quiet? To keep Piper Weslark running in circles? How else could Frost have succeeded so long? Who?”

Who lets prisoners like the Valspars out of jail? Moved the bodies of Crane and Hale Hunter?

Who was the person who insisted on keeping the secret of the traitors quiet? Who else would be better poised…? Who asked you to kill Faye Knight without showing you proof, but on her word alone…?

A shuddering gasp escaped me and I sat down on the couch. “Oh my God.”

Faye sat down on the small table across from me. “I know.”

I looked up at her. “Tell me everything,” I said in a low voice.

“I can’t,” she said.

“Why the hell not?” I demanded. “Do you realize what you’re saying, Faye? Most shifters would throw you into jail for suggesting such a thing! A Head betraying the Order! It’s–”

I broke off and Faye took a deep breath. “If you tell Mirois that I’m dead, I’ll tell you.”

“I’m not telling her shit until I’ve heard the whole story,” I retorted.

“Right now, the TLO and Anubis are still hunting me,” Faye said in a deadly voice. “Rasoir knows I’m alive! By helping me, you have endangered yourself and your family. Until you buy us some time and lower her guard.” Suddenly her shaking hands found mine. “Please, Andrei.”

“There’s something you’re not telling me,” I said, ignoring how all of my senses seemed to concentrate on my hands. “I can tell.”

“You’re not wrong,” she said. “But it’s not something I can tell someone I don’t trust.”

“And the only way you’ll trust me is if I lie to my boss?” I asked slowly. A feeling of trepidation went through me. I was a good actor, but Mirois, she was a legend.

“I think you’re the only one who can,” Faye said in absolute sincerity, her fingers tightening.

“Shit,” I muttered, shaking her loose and sitting back. “The shit I do for this job.”

Standing up, I stalked over to my bag and pulled out my phone. Looking at Faye, whose chest was rising and falling rapidly, her eyes huge, my instincts didn’t clash.

Faye is telling the truth.

What’s more, I could tell by the look in her eyes, there was more. More than maybe I even wanted to know. The knowledge made me sick to my stomach.

“You might want to leave the room,” I said and Faye’s lips thinned. “I only meant I’m going to be describing your death – I won’t judge you if you don’t want to hear that.”

“I’m not leaving,” Faye said, standing up and walking over. “And I want to hear her voice.”

That kind of steely resolve was impressive. And wouldn’t have been warranted if Faye wasn’t telling the truth. My fingers shook as I dialed. Well, we’d know in a second.

It was ringing. I took care to slow my breathing and hitch up a grin on my face. Faye raised an eyebrow at that and I smiled wider, mouthing trust me.

“Did you try to call me last night?” Mirois asked crisply on the line and I saw Faye’s pupils dilate as her face twisted in rage and pain.

“Yes,” I said. “Rasoir and six hybrids showed up. Thought you should know.”

“Did they see you?” she asked quickly.

“No, but I think they were after the same mark,” I said, grinning. “Too late now.”

There was a barely audible sigh of relief and my blood ran cold. “You sound pleased with yourself,” Mirois commented. A violent jolt went through my body.

That’s nothing to how pleased you sound.

“Anything to protect the Order,” I said in a cold voice. “And she was a traitor.”

Mirois chuckled and asked, “What did you do with the body?”

“Went for a boat ride. Saw some sharks,” I answered, forcing myself to grin now. It hurt.

“You always do the right thing by the Order, Zima.” Mirois was practically purring. “What would I do without you? Where are you now?”

“Hawaii,” I replied, thinking fast. “Drax asked me to swing by.”

“Alright,” she said, all business. “I’ll see you when you get back. All I have to say is, you must be back by Friday the 30th.”

The line disconnected and I dialed Drax, turning away from Faye.

“What the hell do you want, Zima?” he barked down the line.

“You know, don’t you?” I asked in a low voice.

“All I know is that I have no idea you’re talking about,” Drax replied. “Now I’m busy–”

“Nothing is ordinary about our world anymore thanks to the TLO,” I said.

“Shit.” The Head was silent for a moment, then he let out of a huff of air. “I suspected, but I don’t have a name.”

“I do,” I said, my chest knotting.

Drax let out an angry sound, then quickly asked, “What do you need from me?”

“Time. Assignment to Hawaii. I have proof,” I said, turning around and looking at Faye. “Living proof.”

“I see,” Drax murmured. “You’ll get a week, maybe two if you play it right.”

“No worries,” I said shortly.

“Don’t tell anyone where you are and lay low, kid,” Drax said.

“Keon Graves is clean,” I said.

“Good to know,” he said and hung up.

I put down my phone, my hand gripping the marble countertop for support as I came to grips with this new reality. Mirois was the one. I’d heard it in her voice. Faye was telling the truth.

And Drax…

Drax is a cynical bastard, he knew even a Head could sell out the Order.

Faye was pressing her hands to her stomach and staring at me. “You-you did it.”

“Yeah,” I said grimly. “And now I want to know–oof!”

Leaping at me, Faye had thrown her arms around my torso and pressed her face into the center of my chest. I looked down at her head as she shook against me.

“We have work to do,” I said half-heartedly, my arms going around her. She still smelled like the beach and the scent was intoxicating. Plus, holding her seemed to ease the ache inside.

“Thank you, Andrei,” Faye whispered in a ragged voice. “Thank you, thank you. I’ll do anything for you, I mean it. Take a bullet for you. Money. Firstborn child.”

As much as I didn’t want to let her go, I pulled back and gently said, “Why don’t you tell me what happened?”