Christian drank his wine and set it by his empty plate. “What’s the job?”
Viktor finished his bite and wiped his beard with a napkin. “I cannot tell you anything until we get there.”
I jerked my head back. “Get where?”
“I do not mean to imply that any of you will spill our secrets, but there are too many risks, so I cannot give you information at this time. A Vampire might charm you and accidentally discover the details of our assignment. If he commits memory theft and scrubs you afterward, how would I know that our mission is compromised? A gifted Sensor might read your emotions and know you’re hiding something big. Nyet. I have given this much thought. Christian knows a small piece of the plan but not everything, including the destination. Wyatt, I will need you to secure travel arrangements. I do not want you sharing this with anyone.”
“Can’t we all collaborate?” he asked.
“Better the right hand does not know about the left.”
“What the left is doing.” Gem corrected him, her eyes never leaving her plate as she gobbled up her quinoa salad.
“Spasibo.” Viktor lifted his fork and knife. “Once we arrive at the first location, I will explain everything.”
Niko’s spoon clinked against his plate as he set it down. “When do we leave?”
“When I say.”
“What shall we pack?”
“Only what will fit in a small bag. I do not want you to weigh yourself down with nonsense you do not need.”
That narrowed it down to comfortable shoes and a hoodie.
“Pack tonight,” he continued. “Keep your phones turned on. I am waiting for my contact to give me the signal, and I do not want to be searching for you. Nobody leaves the house unless I say.”
Holding a pensive look, Shepherd cracked his knuckles. “How long is this trip?”
Viktor pushed food around on his plate with his fork but said nothing.
Claude gulped down his water and cleared his throat. “Viktor, I have a business to run. Can I at least have an estimated time of return so my employees don’t panic? Two weeks? Two years?”
Viktor chuckled and scooped up his rice. “Days or weeks. No more than that unless we run into trouble. Tell them you are going on vacation.”
Shepherd removed a box of cigarettes from beneath his sleeve and wedged a brown filter between his lips. Instead of using a match, he craned forward and lit his smoke on a candle. “Is this something you need me for? I’ve got… responsibilities.”
“We all have responsibilities,” Viktor reminded him. “We have spoken about this. You cannot turn away from your obligations due to your… responsibilities.”
Neither of them said Hunter’s name aloud, but that was who they were talking about. The little boy ignored the adults while he tore his chicken into a million pieces on his plate.
Viktor picked a grain of rice off his silver mustache. “Kira is here.”
Shepherd blew out a cloud of smoke. “Kira is busy doing all kinds of shit, and you’ve got Gem and Wyatt working on stuff. That doesn’t give me any peace of mind.”
Sensing a well-timed opportunity, I folded my arms on the edge of the table. “Gentlemen, I have a proposition.”
Wyatt steepled his fingers and studied me closely. “This should be juicy.”
I looked between Shepherd and Viktor.Better now than never.“I think everyone here would agree that Hunter needs a tutor. None of us have the time or skills to educate him, not unless you want to give him classes on how to break legs and hack into the FBI. Trips like these are exactly why we need a nanny. Someone whose sole job is to look after him.”
Viktor sighed, and when he spoke, his hands were animated. “I have reservations. There are too many secrets within these walls. Too many artifacts, books, weapons, Wyatt’s computers, paperwork, and our conversations. I cannot look over my shoulder in my own home, worried that someone might be listening.”
“Do you worry about Kira?”
“She is family to me.”
“Switch is like family to me.”
