“Will you be in the audience?” I tapped the VIP passes on her desk. “Or backstage?”
“I’ll be everywhere.” She hesitated, then quickly scribbled something on a sticky note. “My number. In case you find yourself with free time after the event.”
I glanced toward the conference room. Malcolm caught my eye briefly, and I extended my arm to adjust my watch—the success signal. “Looks like I’m needed.”
“Of course.” She extended a hand. “It was nice to meet you…”
“James,” I said, shaking her hand. “The pleasure was very much mine.”
Malcolm and Scarlett emerged from the meeting room with Gabriella.
“Thank you for your time,” Malcolm was saying. “We’ll definitely be in touch after we’ve reviewed the materials.”
“My pleasure,” Gabriella said. “I’ll have those sample itineraries sent to your hotel this afternoon, and the upper bowl passes will be in your email.”
I stepped forward. “We should leave soon to make your next appointment.”
Malcolm nodded. “Of course, James. Thank you.”
We walked out together in silence.
But once the doors to our vehicle were closed, Scarlett leaned forward from the back seat. “Well?”
“I obtained three VIP passes.” Once I’d pulled into traffic, I handed the passes to Scarlett. “They’ll provide full access.”
“Was there a list?” asked Brie over my earpiece.
“Yes. She had it printed on her desk.”
Brie hummed aloud. “I’ll get my team on it. We’ll find a way into their system and figure out the best course of action. Scar?”
“Already scanning them.” A special mode on her custom Reynolds phone could upload any digital signature in the passes for Brie.
“Got it,” said Brie. “Signing off unless you need anything else?”
“We’re done,” said Scarlett.
Everyone turned off their earpieces, and she tapped me on the shoulder. “I just got a text from Drew. He’s about to leave. He’ll pick up Malcolm and me at Pompeii, so you can head straight in.”
I nodded, accelerating slightly. “Tell him to bring me a change of clothes.”
“But you’re so handsome in a suit.”
I glared at her in the rearview mirror, recognizing the singsong tone in her voice—the tone she used when she was setting me up with someone.
She cocked her eyebrow at me, clearly conveying that I was right.
“There are lives at stake, Scarlett,” I said, turning my glower on the vehicles around me. “A lot of them.”
“You know, sugar butt…” Malcolm kissed Scarlett on the cheek. “I think lives were at stake when I fell for you, too.”
Chapter 15
Brooke
I checkedmy watch as I strode across the university parking lot, the rolling case of thermal suits trailing behind me. Constructed of glass and concrete, the physical sciences building was far newer than some of the other campuses, which ranged from centuries to over a millennium old. It felt oddly fitting for our mission: cutting-edge science deployed against a threat rooted in ancient symbols and myths.
Percival waited for me at the bottom of the stairs to the front door. He scanned his surroundings, a habit shared by most operatives I’d worked with over the years. When his eyes met mine, he gave a slight nod of recognition.
