Brundar had used his lunch hour to visit the document forger at his downtown studio. Francis’s day job was artistic photography, and he was quite famous in the art community, but that didn’t mean he was making money. For that he relied on his share in the clan profits, supplementing his income with superb forgeries.

“Did you get the name and social from the hacker? You’re aware that I only make the documents, right?” Francis asked.

“I did.”

Kian had another source for those. Though with Roni on board, Brundar didn’t expect they would need that other hacker for much longer. Right now the kid was too busy with the assignment William had dropped on him, but once he was done with that, he’d be free for all the other things they needed a hacker for.

“I will have them ready for you tomorrow. Should I put it on Kian’s tab, or are you paying for that yourself?”

“I’m paying.”

“I’ll give you the special clan discount. Seven hundred fifty instead of twelve hundred. Cash, of course.”

“No problem.”

Francis nodded, knowing not to offer a handshake.

Brundar glanced at his watch. He had less than twenty minutes to get back to the keep for Kian’s emergency Guardian meeting, which meant he wouldn’t have time to grab something to eat. Hopefully, Okidu would serve refreshments.

“Roni already has a wide area covered,” Kian opened the meeting. “William’s squad is going to monitor the feeds and alert the Guardian on duty if they see anything suspicious. I want you to start rotations. The murders all happened after dark, so I’m not going to waste your time on that during the day. Onegus prepared a schedule that requires each one of you to be on the alert five hours every other night.”

Brundar groaned. Between his Guardian duty and managing the club he was already stretched to capacity.

“Is there a problem, Brundar?” Kian asked.

“Could we suspend the self-defense classes until this is over?”

Kian nodded. “I don’t like it, but I can’t expect you guys to work sixteen hours a day.”

Anandur snorted. “As if it ever stopped you before.”

“In times of emergency, you bet your ass I expect you to give me everything you got. But this doesn't qualify as one.”

Onegus tapped his pen on the conference table. “Should I inform all of our students that classes are suspended until further notice?”

“Carol and Kri can teach a few,” Brundar offered.

Kri crossed her arms over her chest. “You guys are chauvinist pigs.”

Kian glared at her. “As I said before, I’m not going to risk a female against a Doomer. Those are all well trained immortal males.”

“Yeah, yeah. The little lady will stay and teach the kids.”

“You betcha. Onegus, talk with Carol and see what she can handle, then divide the classes between her and Kri.”

Onegus nodded. “I’m going to email you the schedules with the area you should hang around. I also rented motorcycles for all of you so you can get to the scene of the crime faster. The helmets are also good to disguise your features.”

Anandur rubbed his hands. “Which ones did you get?”

“BMWs.”

“Sweet. Are they here already?”

“In the parking garage.”

Anandur pushed his chair back. “Are we done? Can I go check out the new toys?”

“We are done.” Kian rose to his feet. “I’ll come with you. I need a crash course in riding one.”

Anandur wrapped his arm around Kian’s shoulder. “I’ll teach you all you need to know.”

Brundar parted ways with the gang at the elevators. The motorcycles would have to wait until after he’d had a couple of sandwiches from the vending machine in the lobby. At the rate his stomach was rumbling, even the powerful BMW engine wouldn’t drown out the noise it was making.

At the café, he bought two readymade sandwiches and a muffin, then walked over to the counter.

“What can I get you, my absentee sensei?” Carol bowed her head in mock respect.

“Coffee. Large.”

“Coming up, sir.”

“Anandur was supposed to take over your training.”

Carol shrugged. “He’s busy too. Everyone is. We managed one session this week.” She handed him a large paper cup.

“The Guardians are starting nightly rotations. You and Kri will have to take over the self-defense classes.”

“Do I have to?” Carol grimaced. “We are seriously understaffed in pretty much every department. I’m voting for employing humans. But of course, no one is asking for my vote.”

“If you can figure out how to do it without revealing who we are, I’m sure Kian would love to hear it.”

“Humans can run the café. We just need to be careful how we behave around them.”

“That doesn't solve the shortage of Guardians problem.”

She shook her head. “Kian needs to start using the reserves. Make it mandatory for all ex-Guardians to give one month a year. You know, like the National Guard. They are serving a few weeks every year, and if there is a war, they are called in to serve.”

“I like your idea. “

Carol beamed. “Thank you. A compliment from you means a lot to me.” She put a hand over her heart.

“But I think Kian had trouble convincing the retired Guardians to come in for training. Most are willing to come in case of emergency, but that’s all.”

Her face fell. “Oh.”

Brundar allowed himself a small smile. “See you later, Carol. And don’t give Anandur too hard of a time.”

She saluted. “Do I ever?”

Not really. She was mouthy and didn’t walk on eggshells around him like everyone else, but other than that Carol was a good person. Dedicated. Loyal.

Taking his coffee in one hand, Brundar tucked the two wrapped sandwiches under his other arm, grabbed the muffin, and turned to look for an empty table. There were a few, but on an impulse, he chose to join Robert at his.

“May I?”

Robert glanced at him over his newspaper, a surprised expression on his face. “Go ahead.”

Brundar put down his lunch and pulled out a chair. “Any news on the murders?” he asked to start a conversation.

“Thank Mortdh, I mean the Fates, it was quiet for the past several days.”

Brundar unwrapped his first sandwich. “We are starting nightly rotations.”

“I overheard you talking with Carol. I’m glad. I hope you catch the bastard fast.”

With a nod, Brundar bit into his sandwich and thought about what had motivated him to sit with the ex-Doomer.

The truth was that he needed to talk to someone, and none of the males he worked with was a good candidate for a sounding board. Robert was still an outsider. Besides, the guy had an inventive mind. The ideas he’d come up with for the village were all excellent. Robert appeared to be a simpleminded fellow, but surprisingly he had the ability to think outside the box.

“Did you ever have a relationship with a human female?”

Robert frowned. “Aside from sex? No. Why do you ask?” He sounded offended.

Too late, Brundar realized his question might have implied suspicion on his part, somehow connecting Robert to the murders. Which prompted him to be more direct.

“I wonder how an immortal male who grew to care about a human female could end their relationship without hurting her feelings.”

“Oh.” Robert raked his fingers through his shortly cropped hair. “My only experience is with Carol.” He leaned closer and lowered his voice. “Ending it wasn’t my choice. Maybe you should ask her how to dump someone. Though I can’t say my feelings weren’t hurt.”

Brave guy. Admitting to having been dumped took courage.

“I appreciate your honesty.” Brundar unpacked his second sandwich.

“Sure.” Robert smiled. “When Carol and I were in Vegas, I worked on a construction site with a crew of humans. They gave me good advice on how to pursue a woman, but not how to end things with one.”

Brundar put the sandwich down on the wrapper. “Did it work? The advice?”

“Yeah, it did. But a man can only pretend for so long to be someone he is not. Carol wasn’t interested in the real me.”