Andrei

 

By seven o’clock that night, it became apparent Keon and Talori couldn’t break in and change the burn order. Both of them had barely budged from their seats, only getting up to use the bathroom and occasionally eat something. Soraya was getting concerned, even trying to massage her sister’s shoulders, but Talori merely swatted her sister away.

Keon, on the other hand, was hunching over more and more. It got the point where he looked like a giant turtle staring at a thirteen-inch screen. The Ninja Turtle shirt didn’t help.

“Maybe try another backdoor,” Keon murmured. “There has to be one…”

“Can’t brute my way in, maybe…” Talori was staring into space and I noticed her eyes were bloodshot. “Maybe…”

“Take a break!” I barked out, my nerves fraught and frustrated on their behalf. “You two need to step away from the damn computers and get some air. Ease up a bit, kids.”

Keon and Talori gave me startled looks, as though they’d forgotten anyone else was in the room. Faye was nodding off over a book, while Soraya and Dez were talking quietly. Everyone now looked at me and I glared at them.

“Fine,” Keon muttered and shut his computer harder than necessary.

Going over, I sat down next to Faye and let myself sag into her. “This isn’t working.”

Her brown eyes met mine. “Nice work getting them to take a break, though.”

“If we can’t somehow dismantle or change that burn order…” I trailed off, shaking my head.

“We will,” Faye said, grabbing my hand. “What happened to the Andrei Zima who believes everything he says will absolutely come true?”

“Tsch, of course, it will,” I said. “Everything will be okay.” I put an arm around Faye and inhaled her sweet, summery scent. “You're here.”

Talori giggled and I heard Soraya hushing her. Glancing over, I saw the two Lafi sisters looking over at us with grins cracked across their faces.

“Aw, Andrei, I didn’t know you were such a romantic,” Talori teased. She’d once had to tag along with me on a mission and we’d struck up a rapport far easier than I’d expected we would. She was a good kid. I kind of half-hoped maybe she’d hit it off with poor Keon.

That didn’t mean Talori could give me shit about my relationships though and I squinted my eyes at her. “Where do you think Roy learned all his moves?”

“Uh, Roy doesn’t have moves,” Talori said. “He has blue eyes and a hero complex.”

“She’s not wrong,” Faye said, her eyes crinkling up.

There were a brief twenty minutes of banter, then Keon and Talori were back at it again. Two hours later, they were looking at each other and let out mutual sighs.

“Has to be on site,” Talori said. “Right?”

“Yeah,” Keon said, rubbing his eyes and closing the laptop. “I know who wrote this security at least – Akio, this whiz of a computer genius. He trained me. I think he’s overseas, though, otherwise I’d ask him to help us crack it when we go to HQ.”

“Woah,” I said, sitting up straight. “Who says you’re going to HQ?”

Keon gave me a mildly surprised look. “We have to. That’s the only way to change the burn order. And I’ll need at least a few hours to do it. This is the tightest security I’ve ever seen at the Order HQ. Not surprising, for what it is…”

Swearing in Russian, I tipped my head back and closed my eyes.

Everyone was talking at once, except for Faye and her hand squeezed my knee. Raising my head, I opened my eyes and saw she was looking at me.

“We have to go to LA,” she said quietly and the conversation died down. “And I think we should go tonight.”

My stomach dropped and I shook my head, even though I knew it was pointless. But the thought of bringing Faye into that pit of vipers made me ill.

Soraya sounded grim as she spoke up, “Faye’s right. Let’s go. We can all go to my parents. Keon, you’re more than welcome to stay there.”

I shook my head, glancing at my phone. Roy still hadn’t had a chance to go to Faye’s apartment. Which would mean we would have to stay in Malibu.

“It’s safe, Zima,” Soraya said with a scowl.

“Just for tonight,” Faye said in a reassuring voice.

“No,” Dez said firmly and we looked at him. “That is a seven-hour drive! We should wait and leave first thing in the morning. Far less suspicious than leaving in the dead of night.”

There was some argument, but I sided with Dez and everyone left it at that. Soraya made up a bed for Keon on the couch, then brought Talori to another guest room, while Faye and I retired to ours. I sat on the edge of the bed, racking my brains and coming up with nothing.

Faye crawled up behind me and wrapped her arms around my neck. “Everything is going to be okay,” she whispered in my ear. “I’ve got you, Andrei Zima. I’m not worried.”

Reaching up, I gripped her elbows and closed my eyes.

Silently, I prayed that would be the case.

 

Dez had us up and out the door by the time the sun had risen. Inhaling the coffee he’d given me, I opted to drive the SUV and follow him. Much better than clown-crowding everyone into one car. Faye was once again in her black wig and sunglasses as she sat next to me. Keon was passed out in the backseat. He’d stayed up all night trying hack in from different angles even though he promised he wouldn’t. I should have known better and taken away his computer.

By the time we got to the 280, I could tell Faye was nervous at the thought of going to the Lafi’s; she kept bouncing her knees and staring down at her twisting hands. And I couldn't tell her not to be because I was too. Maybe even more so, from the way my neck ached from clenching my jaw.

Once we got far enough south, Dez headed for the Pacific Coast Highway. Rather than the 101, that went straight through the desert, I’d remembered Finni’s advice. It would be less obvious.

And secretly, I had a hunch Faye would like it. Nothing like the slow and gorgeous drive along the curving cliffs over the ocean to soothe her nerves.

I was right. She sat up straighter as we turned on the PCH, gazing out at the water. Her body slowly loosened and her hands lay face up in her lap. And she was smiling.

By the time we got to Malibu, it was well past lunchtime and Faye had nodded off. At the gates of the shifter neighborhood the Weslarks and Lafis belonged to, I found myself growing anxious as Soraya talked to the guard and pointed at us. I waved, praying I would not have to get out. I didn’t want anyone to recognize me. Or look too closely at Faye.

But then he waved us through and I breathed a sigh of relief. We drove through the neighborhood, past the Weslark’s and up to the Lafi’s. It was strange to be here again.

My stomach jolted as a realization hit me. The last time I’d been here had also been that night after Dez’s hearing – when Mirois asked me to assassinate the woman next to me.

Glancing over at Faye’s sleeping form, I was tempted to carry her into the house and let her sleep a bit before dealing with everyone. Then the back door of the SUV opened and closed, as Keon got out, oblivious. The slam of the door woke her up.

Faye blinked as she looked at me, then at the house. “We’re already here?”

Soraya was coming over to the car while Dez brought Keon and Talori inside. I could see Piper waving from the front steps and Kai behind her.

“What if I’m putting them in danger?” Faye asked, pushing herself back into the seat as though she could vanish. “I don’t know about this, Andrei… Maybe we should leave.”

Locking the car doors as Soraya approached, I leaned over and kissed Faye. It was a hard, deep, and passionate kiss. We didn’t even hear Soraya tapping on the window.

“I told you I’d get you home,” I said in a rough voice as I pulled back. “I meant it.”

To my surprise, Faye put a hand on my face and smiled at me. “Wherever you are, Andrei, that’s home.” My eyes went wide and she bit her lip. “Listen, I think we should–”

Soraya’s hand slapped the glass and we both jumped. “Stop making out and let’s go!”

Piper had loped over to the car. She was back to her trim form and looking a lot more well-rested. Slinging an arm around Soraya, she peered at the car. “Who’s in there?”

“You’ll see,” Soraya said ominously.

“We can talk later,” Faye whispered, reaching over and opening the door before I could stop her. Soraya and Piper popped around the open door so they could peer in the car.

Piper’s eyes danced as she met mine. “Zima. Hello.”

“Weslark, nice to see you,” I said, getting out and stretching.

Coming around, I saw Piper eyeing Faye as Soraya led her into the house. Once in the entryway, Piper let out a gasp, stepping forward and tugging off Faye’s wig. Faye’s hands went to her hair and Piper let out a laugh, then the brunette was squeezing the blonde tightly.

“Oh, Faye, you’re okay! Oh my God, we’ve missed you,” Piper said, her voice muffled.

Faye, Soraya, and I were staggered. Piper didn’t sound surprised, she sounded relieved. Faye and I stared at each other, but Soraya let out an angry yelp.

“You knew?” she screeched at her cousin.

“Hoped,” Piper said, stepping back and rubbing her blue eyes, which always reminded me a little of Roy’s, in spite of the touch of gray. Brushing back her long dark hair, she gazed at Faye. “When they didn’t find a body, just a phone… It seemed planted and I wondered…” She gave Soraya an apologetic smile. “There was so much going on and I didn’t know if I was right, it was a hunch.”

“Since when are your hunches wrong, Piper!” Soraya shouted.

“No, I understand,” Faye said, trying to calm Soraya down. “And I didn’t want to be found–”

“Well, there was that, yes,” Piper said, then her eyes flashed at Soraya. “Calm down, Sora. I didn’t start putting this together until a few weeks later and then I was giving birth to twins. But I have been looking into it, of course.” She looked at Faye and smiled. “You covered your tracks well.”

“I found her just fine,” I said smugly. All three girls looked at me, rolling their eyes and I grinned. “What can I say? Zima brains beat Weslark's once in a while.”

I could see Piper eyeing me, her look clearly saying our situations didn’t compare when it came to resources and the fact that I didn’t have two tiny infants to take care of.

“So, you’re with him?” Piper asked Faye who gave me a flirty smile. “I guess Balt was right about you, Andrei.”

“What’s that mean?” I asked, immediately intrigued.

“That you’d probably wind up with someone sweet because you’re not as much of a hardass as you like to think you are, and that nice girls are your weakness,” Piper retorted.

I cleared my throat, trying to play it off. “Well, that’s why Baltsaros is a stand-up man.”

There were a few more minutes of hugging and apologies on all the girls’ parts, then Faye asked softly, “Can I see the twins?”

Soraya blinked, “Oh gosh, of course, why are we still standing here?” She ushered us into the living room, where everyone was. Keon, Talori, Kai, Enele, Isla, Roy, Kesari and Baltsaros.

I let out a hiss of air. “This is too many people!”

But it was too late. Kesari had spotted Faye and let out a shriek. In another second, Kesari had flown across the room, followed by Kai, Enele, and Isla. They were all hugging and clamoring over Faye, most of them overcome with shock to see her. Tears were flowing and I sighed.

Piper, who was standing next to me, shrugged and said, "Dad, Auntie Tish, and Uncle Hiro are all out for the day. What was I supposed to do? Tell them to leave?” I shrugged. “Andrei, think of it like a brain trust of people you can trust.” She paused. “Oh, Svetlana should be back soon – she ran out to visit some friends. Dara and Obi are with her, though, so don’t worry.”

I sighed as Soraya patted my shoulder on the other side. “It’s fine. This is our family. If we can’t trust each other, then who do we have?”

“Ours?” I grumbled.

Throwing back her head, Soraya laughed and dragged me forward. “Like it or not, Andrei, you’re one of us.” She reached up and pinched my cheek. “I’ll be keeping an eye on you.”

Baltsaros was now picking up Faye and I watched as her face lit up with laughter. Eyes starry with tears, Faye kept looking at each of them in turn, as though she couldn’t believe they were here. My throat ached to see her like this.

Over her head, I met Roy’s eyes and he gave me a smile, as though to say, all thanks to you.

Oddly, I’d never felt so proud and humbled at once.