I put my hands in my pockets. “He won’t be there until eleven, so they’ll have to let in regular shoppers. If not, we force our way in.”
Christian nodded. “I see where you’re going with this. I’ll take care of the numpty in uniform.”
Gem cringed. “You want to kill all the workers?”
I shook my head. “It shouldn’t be hard to subdue them since I doubt they’re professional fighters. We can use stunners and our gifts to immobilize them. Then, after we capture Ivar, Christian will scrub their memories. If they’re a Breed shop, they won’t have surveillance cameras or security alarms.”
“I like that plan,” Shepherd said. “A hell of a lot easier than chasing them around the city. We need to impersonate the workers and make it believable.”
Viktor looked between us. “Gem will give him the tour. Perhaps if there is no interpreter, you can speak his language. On the other hand, money needs no interpretation. Christian will be guard. Shepherd, you smell like sweat. A Chitah would find that suspicious in a fancy store.”
He pulled his leather jacket away and sniffed. “I’ll stay outside and secure the perimeter.”
Viktor gestured to Claude. “You are very good with people. I want you to play second helper to Gem. Christian and Raven will secure the shop. You will need to figure that out. If there is a guard, one of you must put on his uniform. No one escapes alive.” He turned his attention to Gem and Claude. “Change into nice clothes. Hurry up.”
Gem flashed up the stairs, Claude right beside her.
“Am I not assisting?” Niko asked.
“Nyet.” Viktor tucked his hands in his sweater jacket. “If someone escapes, I need people who they have not seen so we can use them on the next mission. That is why you and Blue stay home—as a precaution.”
Niko bowed. “As you wish.”
I looked at Christian. “What cars should we take? We have to get in the store first, and someone has to be a big-shot buyer.”
“I’ll get my Honda.”
I snorted. “Really?”
“And what’ll you suggest? Blue’s Mustang? Or perhaps Wyatt’s toy car? We don’t have many options for luxury vehicles, and no man hires a driver for a Porsche.”
“Maybe we should buy a fancy car for jobs like these. Fine. Get theHonda. I’m sure that’ll impress them.”
He gave me a peevish glance before heading outside.
Pinching my bottom lip, I stared at the floor. Arriving early would allow us to case the joint. I didn’t have any problems fighting a Chitah so long as he wasn’t an expert swordsman. I looked at Shepherd. “I bet he puts a couple of his men outside to guard the door.”
“I’ll take care of them.”
When Gem and Claude finally returned, Gem had on a pristine white silk blouse with a black pencil skirt and tall heels.
“Nice hat,” I said, admiring the old-fashioned black accessory.
Gem adjusted the short brim. “Behold, the cloche hat. A trendy design from the 1920s. I needed to cover up my hair. Nobody would believe a store like that would hire anyone with purple hair. Isn’t it divine?”
Claude finished tying his grey tie. “There are no pockets inside my jacket. Any suggestions?” he asked Shepherd.
“I got a sack of weapons in the van,” Shepherd informed him. “Head out with Christian since you’re dressed like a businessman, but wait for me at the front gate. I’ve got something you can strap on your ankle beneath your pants if it’ll stay concealed. If not, we’ll figure something out.”
“I will tell Switch to watch over the boy,” Viktor assured Shepherd. “Be careful. All of you. This man cannot escape. Do what you must.”
* * *
Christian and Clauderode ahead in the Honda, Claude sitting in the back, pretending he was a wealthy man buying his mate an anniversary gift.
Our van hit another bump before slowing to a stop. While Gem and Shepherd were watching everything from the front, I rummaged through a sack of weapons. “Maybe we should stay away from the guns,” I suggested. “They’ll attract attention. I was hoping we’d be going to an underground location or abandoned warehouse.”
Gem twisted around in her seat. “There aren’t any apartments or clubs on this street, and most of the shops are closed. Even if someonedidhear gunfire, they’d ignore it. Nobody likes the cops sticking their noses in Breed business.”
