When he heard Victor’s voice, he smiled.So he wasn’t the only one working late tonight.He’d thought Victor had left earlier, but maybe he’d come back to grab something.If he hadn’t gotten dinner yet, they could stop somewhere and eat together.
Alan hiked his messenger bag higher on his shoulder and stepped toward the open office door.He was already thinking about where they could eat when he realized that Victor wasn’t alone.He could hear two voices, and he didn’t recognize the second one.
“What more do you want me to do?”Victor was asking.
“We need more names,” a second man said.“The hunters have stopped providing us with as many people as we need.”
“That’s not my problem.I told you when you started working with them that you’d have that kind of trouble, but you went ahead anyway.”
“There’s no need for you to tell me that you told me so.I’m aware.”
“Yet you’re here to beg me for my help.”
“Will you give it to us?You know we pay well.”
There was a moment of silence.Alan held his breath, wondering what the fuck he’d walked in on.Who was Victor talking to?What were they talking about?
They’d mentioned the hunters.Alan knew who they were.He’d never understood why those humans felt they were better than supernatural beings or why they felt the need to hurt and kill those people.Shifters should have as many rights as humans to be safe and live in peace.It was what Victor was working for.
So why was he talking about the hunters?Why was he talking about providing names to the man in his office?
“I’ll help you, but it’s going to be more expensive,” Victor eventually said.
“We already pay you handsomely.”
“You do, but my position is delicate.You know what would happen if anyone were to find out what I’m doing.”
“You know better than to allow anyone to do that.”
“It doesn’t mean it’s safe.Considering my position, I’m the one risking the most.”
“How much more money do you want?”
“Five thousand for every name.”
“That’s outrageous.”
“It’s the price you’ll have to pay if you want more people for your labs.I think the Glass Research Company has more than enough money to pay me.”
Alan couldn’t breathe or move.He couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
Victor was selling names to the labs.He was selling people.
The labs and their existence were easy for most people to ignore.That was what Victor and Alan had been working so hard for.They wanted people to understand what happened in those labs and to help prevent it from happening again.They wanted to save the people who were still being hurt.
Well, it was what Alan had been doing.He didn’t think that Victor had the same goals in mind anymore.
He didn’t know what to do.He should confront Victor, but not right now.Alan had no idea who the other man in the office was, but if the guy worked for the labs, he had to be dangerous.What would happen to Alan if he tried anything?Would he be one more name added to the list of people Victor had apparently sold to those monsters?
He needed to get out of there.He had to put as much space as he could between himself and Victor.He didn’t know what he’d do with the information he’d just heard, but he couldn’t ignore it.Right now, though, he also couldn’t do anything about it.It was too easy to imagine what would happen if the man in the office hurt him.As far as Alan knew, he was the only one aware of what Victor was up to, so if he wanted Victor to be stopped, he’d have to take things into his own hands.
He took a step back, then another, eager to get away.His messenger bag slid off his shoulder, and he scrambled to catch it.As he did so, he bumped into a small table that was placed against the wall.The vase with fake flowers in it that was on the table wobbled.Alan tried to snatch it up, but he wasn’t fast enough.The vase tilted sideways, then hit the ground, shattering.
The conversation in the office stopped immediately.Alan held his breath, hoping against all odds they hadn’t heard the noise.
They did.
“Who’s there?”the man Alan didn’t know asked.
