“It’s a shame we didn’t know when there were ships shadowing us, because we can’t compare it to the duty roster for the bridge. I suspect that we have a mole,” Link muses thoughtfully, his genius brain expressing exactly what I was thinking.
“Well, now that we know it’s happening, we can keep a discrete eye on it.” Silac uses the console in the war room to do something, his fingers flying across the screen in a way that makes me slightly dizzy, so I look away. “I’ve created a backdoor link into the outside sensors of the ship. I will monitor them from my tablet so we can see exactly if and when Smith is retrieved.”
“If we have a mole, we need to have the Madovian or the Filani she was posing as be seen by some of the crew members so they don’t grow suspicious that she hasn’t been seen,” Caspian points out. “Orion’s Belt is opening again, and she will be expected to perform. Nobody knows about the Madovian incident because Xavier wiped it from everyone who was in attendance. As far as they know, they just saw a Filani perform.”
“Yes, the mole doesn’t know we know about her. I’m sure the Syndicate will ask them to check if she really is on board oncewe advise them of having found the orb—or I would anyway,” Brannock says.
“So I need to make an appearance at the club as the Filani stripper? Shit, I haven’t mimicked one of those before. I’m not sure I will be able to without seeing one.” I gnaw on my lip with my teeth as my heart rate increases with my panic.
“And some of us can be in the audience scoping out possible moles. I’d really like to know who is betraying us,” Maxsim growls, and my eyebrows jump in surprise.
“You want to see strippers?” I ask him, and he looks at me with a frown.
“What? No, I want to know who the mole is.” He sounds confused, and I see some of the other guys grin at his naivety, but then he grins and shrugs. “And if it’s you stripping, then what is the harm in that?”
Echo laughs at my surprised reaction. “There is nothing wrong with us admiring our mate’s naked body,” he agrees. “I wish to be in the audience as well.”
“Are you two going to be able to control your instincts when you realize other people who aren’t your co-mates are also looking at your naked wife?” Nikos asks before shuddering. “I will pass. I am likely to stab them all in the eye with my trident. No, you can shake your lovely breasts for me in private.” He winks at me, and I roll my eyes.
Of course they are probably all going to want a private show after that.
“I’ll be in the form of the Madovian too,” I remind the cats, and they blanch and quickly decide they don’t need to go.
“So we have a plan then?” Ghosie speaks up over the rumbles of agreement, getting us back on track.
“Yes. I say Lila performs tonight, and I will send the urgent message to the Syndicate posing as the Madovian, saying that I know where the orb is and I am planning on retrieving it assoon as the ship lands in Singapore,” Brannock confirms, and everyone murmurs their agreement. “Then I will send another message once we are in Earth’s orbit saying the timeline moved up, I have the orb, and demand a meeting for three days’ time, saying I need that much time to make my escape.”
“I’m still not sure if I can mimic the Filani,” I remind them, and Silac shakes his head.
“You won’t have to. Although she got on the ship posing as a Filani, she was in her Madovian humanoid form during the performance,” he reminds me, and I heave out a sigh of relief.
“Oh yeah, you’re right, with all those wiggling snakes for hair. Yeah, I can do that, but remember, I get very primal when I’m like that, so you may have to knock me out or sedate me if I do anything you don’t like.”
“And maybe Silac and Tirrian should stay away. Your Madovian form likes both of them a little too much,” Link reminds us, and I grimace. Yeah, she does. I’ve only assumed it one more time just to practice, but she was obsessed with both reptilian men. She wants the dragon to fuck her in his animal form. Despite the huge gaping hole in her stomach, I’m pretty sure dragon cock would shred her to pieces.
With a plan well and truly in place, we split up. I head to lunch with Susie and Mark and I guess Aarin. I wonder when he’s going to grow a set of balls and tell Mark that he is his mate. I hope he like BOGO, because Susie and Mark are a team. There is no way they will give each other up, but I could see Susie happy to have Aarin as a lover as well.
We meet in one of the smaller cafes instead of the large dining room, which is only open for breakfast and dinner, while the cafes are used for lunches. Sure enough, the three of them already have a table when I arrive.
Susie waves me over, and I make my way through the crowded café, saying hello to everyone who greets me.
“Sorry I’m late. My meeting ran over a little,” I apologize as I take a seat, and Susie gives me a kiss on the cheek. Mark grins, and Aarin inclines his head.
“Where are my nieces and nephews?” she asks, and I laugh.
“Lunch would be chaotic if I brought all five of them as well. I’d also need to bring some of my guys or their nanny and bodyguard. We would never be able to have a conversation. I swam with them this morning, and they are probably napping now.”
She pouts prettily. “Fine, but I want some Aunt Susie time. Maybe we can paint our nails.” She wiggles her hands, and I see her polish is chipping.
I wince. “Good luck with that. I’m sure your hands will be a mess afterward.”And my children and the furniture and the walls, but I refrain from saying it
She waves a hand. “I don’t care, that’s easy to fix.”
“Listen, I wanted to talk to you about something,” I tell them, changing the subject. I wave a hand, creating a privacy bubble so nobody can overhear our conversation. I share the details of the meeting, asking Mark and Aarin if they are okay being on standby if any of the captives need medical assistance.
They readily agree and will come up with an excuse to stay behind when the circus pod heads to Earth.
I breathe out a sigh of relief and release the privacy bubble. That’s one less thing to worry about. I hear someone call my name, and I look around and find Magenta heading toward us.
