When Viktor got out, Wyatt hopped over to the driver’s seat.
“Let’s roll,” Shepherd said, opening the back door and jumping out.
Niko and Blue followed behind him.
As I stood up, Christian caught my wrist. “Are you armed?”
I showed him my new bracelet. “That’s some armoire Shepherd has in his bedroom. At what point does a hobby become a fetish?”
“If he starts wearing a leather thong with a concealed dagger, you’ll have your answer.”
The team was more jittery than usual, and maybe part of that had to do with the fact that we hadn’t yet rescued the baby. What would a desperate man be willing to do to escape? My thoughts drifted back to when Darius had thrown that little boy over the ledge so he could flee, and I imagined Cristo was brazen enough to pull a stunt like that.
My boots hit freshly fallen snow as I stepped onto the curb and looked around. The buildings in the immediate area appeared uninhabited and partially demolished, in much worse condition than the other parts of the Bricks I’d seen.
I stepped closer to Viktor. “Are we near his building? I don’t think walking out in the open is such a good idea.”
“Nyet.” He brought us into a huddle. “The address Shepherd provided belongs to a residence underground. Tunnels run below the city, constructed many years ago by Breed who were not given permission to live topside. It is an elaborate maze, and the tunnels lead to underground dwellings. I’ve been here once before. Do not speak to anyone, and do not let yourselves become distracted.”
Shepherd unzipped his jacket and stared at the pothole in the center of our circle. “Are there rats down there? I don’t like rats.”
Viktor raised the collar of his long grey coat. “Let’s not be dramatic. Blend in.”
We all exchanged glances.Blend in with rats?
One at a time, we descended the iron rungs. Christian was the last one in and moved the cover back in place. I was surprised there were working lights affixed to the walls. This wasn’t at all like crawling around in the sewers. The tunnels were tall so that you didn’t have to hunch over. There was even a sign on the wall in front of us with arrows pointing both ways, a series of numbers below them.
“This way,” Viktor said, leading us to the right. “Spread apart so we don’t look suspicious.”
I fell back with Christian. “Okay, now this is getting weird.”
“You haven’t seen anything yet, lass.”
Without wind, the temperature underground was tolerable. In front of us, Niko made no attempt to conceal his two katanas beneath his black coat like he usually did. He wore them affixed to his back. Blue kept pace with him, her midnight-blue cloak covering the tops of her tall boots. She’d drawn the hood over her head to conceal her long hair, probably for the best. Christian and I were in the rear, with Viktor and Shepherd up front.
“Did you live down here or topside?” I asked.
Christian glanced behind us before answering. “Both. Neither offered privacy, which is why I have a little house in the woods.”
“You mean cellblock eight?” I quipped.
He suddenly grabbed my sleeve and pulled me to a stop. “Keep your eyes low.”
“Superstitious immortals?”
“Not just that. In our line of work, you always want to avoid anything that makes you stand out in a crowd. Think about when we first met in the bar and how later it took you a minute to recognize me. People tend to ignore hair and clothing, because those are things you can change. Down here, people pay attention to eyes, tattoos, and scars. If we run into a tangle with any of these shitebags, you don’t want them putting a bounty on your head. And a girl with a blue eye and a brown one isn’t so hard to find. Make yourself forgettable.”
“What about Niko? He’s got a distinctive eye color for his race.”
“He’s also learned a lot in his long life. Notice how he always keeps his eyes low. It’s a submissive gesture.”
I snorted. “A man with two swords isn’t exactly the submissive type.”
“Most people arm themselves down here; they’ll just assume he carries them for show.”
“Maybe I should have worn contacts if it’s such a big deal.”
“Ever been punched in the eye while wearing a contact lens? There’s a reason most of us don’t wear those.” Christian tucked my necklace beneath my shirt. As if my hair wasn’t disheveled enough, he ran his fingers through it and scrunched it up. “Don’t smile at anyone.”
