Andrei

 

“I need you to protect Faye,” I said and Faye glared at me. “You are in danger, dushechka. Whether you want to admit it or not, your information is critical to the other Heads.”

“He’s right Faye,” Soraya said, agreeing with me. It was still a new sensation and I glanced at Soraya in some surprise. “Well you are, Zima,” she said. “If they knew…”

“Faye should maybe stay here in San Francisco with you Soraya,” Dez said.

Soraya turned and gave her boyfriend a flat look. “Nice try, Dez.”

Faye shook her head and clenched her fists. “I do not sit on the sidelines. Our ranks are thinned as it is. The Shifters of Anubis need to stick together right now.”

“Yes, we all need to get to LA,” Soraya said. “Coordinate with Piper, Balt, Talori, and Keon."

“Your brother and Kai will want to help, too” Dez added. “As will Isla and Kes.”

“There are plenty who would want to help,” I said slowly, an idea occurring to me. “What if we managed to send out a secret message to the elite agents who have been pulled away? Got them to that town instead of the inanis families...”

Faye smiled at me and nodded. “That’s brilliant. They could come incognito...”

Soraya gave me a small smile. “A plan worthy of Piper Weslark.” I chose not to comment, but even I admitted praise could no higher. “Meanwhile, we should have other families evacuate elsewhere, especially the ones with inanis.”

“That’s it,” Faye said, sitting up and gazing around at us. “We let Mirois send out that message, but we change what it says.” I made a face and she shook her head. “You said it yourself, she just pushes a button. She won’t open it and read it.”

“I don’t know what it looks like on their end,” I said. “I don’t have that kind of access.”

“We’ll figure that part out,” Soraya said. “I’ll text Talori to come over tomorrow. And Keon is arriving, too. Roy set that up. Now we know why.”

We discussed until midnight and our conversation became punctuated with yawns. At their urging, we took the guest bedroom. I went downstairs, moved the SUV into a guest spot in their garage, grabbed our bags and came upstairs.

By the time my head hit the pillow, I was out like a light.

 

Soraya roughly shook me awake the next morning and I glared up at her. “If this is how you treat houseguests, Lafi, I’m never coming here again.”

“Andrei, get up now! The apartment is being watched,” she hissed at me.

Faye was still asleep, but she stirred at that and Soraya put a finger to her lips. And she silently ran out of the room. Leaning over, I tucked Faye in more snugly and kissed her hair.

“Going to the bathroom, that’s all,” I whispered. “Stay here.”

Stumbling out of the room, trying to wake up, I had to force my eyes open as I ran into the living room. Soraya and Dez glanced over at me, then went back to staring at a computer monitor.

“They’re not TLO,” she said grimly.

“How did you spot them? You have cameras?” I asked.

“I went out for a morning run,” Dez replied. “Noticed someone lurking in the car park.”

“Eh?” I asked, looking at Dez as he headed into the kitchen and picked up the coffee pot.

“The parking lot, Dez means. Man went to England a few times and thinks he can use their slang like he’s cool or something,” Soraya said in a teasing voice, but her eyes were worried.

I watched the screen. No movement could be seen and now I understood what she meant. “You think the Order sent Shifters of Anubis here to spy?” I asked.

“Yes,” Soraya said. “Traitors under Mirois.”

“We have to get Faye out of here, then,” I said, eyes going to the windows and doors.

“Or…” Soraya said, a grin curving up into her cheeks. “We find the bastard and make them sorry they ever thought they could spy on Soraya Lafi and Desmond Devoy.”

“I can catch them,” Dez said, completely matter of fact and he handed me a mug of coffee.

“Someone has to stay with Faye,” I said, a yawn threatening to split my face.

“Yeah, you, lover boy,” Soraya said, taking a mug of coffee from Dez and downing it. “I’m getting dressed.” She flung me a look over her shoulder. “Go put a shirt on, Zima.”

“How is she this bossy so early?” I grumbled at Dez as I stared at the screen. “And you are sure about this Dez? I do not want you taking more risks on my behalf.” I winced as I thought about the last time he’d done so and wound up collared by Parasite.

Dez just grinned at me. “Of course. Anything for a brother in the Order.”

Soraya came back out in her gear, pulling a mask over mouth and she tossed something to Dez. I raised my eyebrows as I saw him tuck a gun into his belt.

“You’re packing now?” I asked.

“Tranquilizers,” Dez replied, giving me a knowing look. “We’ll be right back.”

I gripped the mug as I watched Soraya vanish out the balcony and Dez out the front door. It was rare for me to stay behind and I suddenly appreciated why Faye did not want to. Turning back to the screen, I searched each of the boxes for some sign of movement. But shifters were adept at staying out of the way of cameras and the screens remained empty.

Minutes passed and I began to pace. Part of me wanted to check on Faye, but I didn’t want to wake her up. A few times I went to the balcony and peered at the street below.

Suddenly there was a noise at the front door and Dez came in, carrying a struggling man over his shoulder and Soraya followed, her face livid. I could tell she wanted to slam the door, but it was early and instead, she quietly closed it.

“What’s wrong? Who is it?” I asked, moving forward.

Dez placed him down. He’d been bound head to toe in iron cords and I started when I saw his face. Peter Bao, one of Faye’s teammates on Herrod’s Black Ops squad was glaring up at me.

“You can’t trust anyone these days,” Soraya snarled.

Peter was a stocky, dark-haired Asian and struggled to get free, making sounds through the gag. Soraya squatted down as Dez propped him against the wall and held up a tranquilizer dart. He went still then, eyeing her apprehensively and in some disbelief.

“You make one sound and I will jab this is in your leg,” she said with a quiet fury that made my hair stand on end. “And you won’t like where you wake up, Bao.”

She pulled out the gag. Peter coughed and stared at her. “Lafi, what the hell are you doing? Have you forgotten we’re on the same side?”

“Oh no, I’m asking the questions,” Soraya said, standing up. “Why are you spying on my apartment?”

“Your apartment?” Peter shook his head, baffled. “No, I was sent here to check up on…” A strange look crossed his face as he spotted me. “Zima? What are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be in Hawaii? Drax said something about it…”

Relief filled me at those words and I shrugged. “I am in Hawaii.”

The man looked bewildered, then he glanced around, half-smiling. “This is a joke, right?”

“Do I look like I’m in a joking mood?” Soraya barked and Peter flinched. “Start talking.”

“I’m here following up a lead,” Peter said stiffly. “There was a rumor Frost was in San Francisco and that one of the top members of the TLO was here in this building.”

“Besides us, it’s all old rich white widows and one young Indian-American family,” Dez said. “Believe me, we checked this place out thoroughly.”

“This can’t be right,” Peter muttered. “Let me go and I’ll call Mirois–”

He shut up as I squatted down and looked him straight in the eye. “Did you betray the Order with Mirois to help her and the TLO take us down?”

Peter’s jaw dropped as those words hit him. “Did I…? Mirois? Do you know what you’re…?” His face clouded and he glanced between us. “No, that can’t be…” Then his eyes blazed. “I am no traitor. I would never! I am a Bao – we’re one of the oldest families in the Order, you’d do well to remember that, Zima, before you ask me insulting questions like that.”

My gut told me he was telling the truth, but I still hesitated. Standing up, I nodded at Soraya and Dez, then vanished into the bedroom.

Faye was just waking up and she sat up, smiling at me and stretching. “Morning.”

“Peter Bao is tied up in the living room,” I said. “Do you trust him?”

“Peter?” Faye asked, her arms dropping and gaping at me. “Yes! He’s a Bao, for crying out loud. You know how important that family is?” She paused. “You tied him up?”

“Andrei!” Dez called sharply from the living room.

“Stay put,” I warned her and she flopped backward onto the bed with a groan.

Sprinting out, I saw Dez and Soraya had left Peter’s side and were staring at the computer monitor. “Look at this,” Dez said urgently.

I swore when I looked at the screen. “Rasoir! How the hell did he find us?”

“I don’t think he’s after you,” Soraya said slowly, her eyes going back to Peter. Suddenly Rasoir made a violent motion and yanked out his phone, calling someone. “Holy shit.” Suddenly she ran over and untied Peter, who got to his feet glaring at us. But she shook her head at him and pointed at the screen. “Listen to me. You are about to get a phone call from Mirois asking where you are. You lie your ass off, Bao. Say you’re stuck at the airport. Or you got lost. Lie.”

“She’s not going to call, Soraya, she never...” He broke off as the phone rang.

“If you want to live, you will lie,” Soraya said, her voice shaking and Peter stared at her.

“Smile,” I told him. “It’s easier to lie and get away with shit when you smile.”

Nodding, he answered the phone and his eyes went wide as we all could clearly hear Mirois ask, “Bao, where are you? Did you finish up that assignment?”

On the screen, Rasoir had lit a cigarette and was glaring up at the sky.

My eyes went wide and so did Dez’s. Both of realized what Soraya and Peter had figured out in those brief seconds between Rasoir making a phone call and Mirois calling Peter.

Peter forced a grin and fibbed, “No, Ma’am, I was on my way. Delay at the airport. Why?”

“I may have to move you,” she said with a sigh, sounding frustrated. “Um, so you’re at… Well, that’s not good. Stay put for now. Intel has changed. We’ll call you back soon.”

“Yes, of course. Goodbye.” Peter hung up, looked at the monitor and back at the phone. “She sent me here to be an easy target for the TLO’s hired assassin?”

“On our doorstep, no less,” Soraya said in a shaking voice as she hugged Peter. “I’m so sorry, we’re on edge over here… To think, if Dez hadn’t gotten up…”

My stomach clenched. “She was going to use Bao like she wanted to use Faye Knight,” I said. Everyone looked at me. “Creating traitors to keep her name clean.”

“Faye Knight a traitor?” Peter spat, his face darkening “That’s impossible! I worked with her for years! She was the most honorable shifter I’ve ever known.”

Which is exactly why Mirois probably wanted you gone, Bao.

Glancing at the screen, I saw Rasoir had gone and I clenched my fists to convince myself to let him go. We had more important things to deal with and I could take care of him another time.

Soraya was filling Peter in on some of what we knew. By some silent understanding, we didn't mention Faye. It wasn't that I didn't trust Pete, it was more we had to protect her.

“It makes sense,” Peter said grimly. “What can I do?” I started at that and Peter gave me a long look. “Something has been off for months. And what’s that saying, the fish rots from the head? Maybe we didn’t want to admit it, but the only logical way the TLO could have inanis family names is if a Head procured them. Only they have would the necessary access...”

“Can you get to Herrod?” I asked, a plan forming. “Ivan probably has him distracted, but if you could get to him and tell him what was happening…”

“He’ll want proof,” Peter said, shaking his head. “But yes, I’ll find a way…”

“Worse case, trick him,” Soraya said bluntly. “We’ll need the Black Ops stateside.” Peter still looked unconvinced and she squeezed his arm. “Do it for Faye.”

“Call Drax and have him reassign you somewhere,” I suggested. “That’s what I did.”

After that, the four of us fell to planning, all of us trying to ignore the sharp and bitter flavor in our mouths. It was one thing to have traitors in our midst – it was another to have someone willing to serve up our own for the TLO’s chopping block.

There is no line they won’t cross, I said to myself as we made plans with Pete.

And it made me wonder, with some unease, if Frost was trying to force the Shifters of Anubis to cross some of the long-treasured and sacred lines of our own.