He already knew it was a lost cause, but he tried anyway. “I’d hoped my next assignment would be somewhat more challenging.”
And ideally, at the other end of the country.The further he stayed from Camp Thunderbird, the better.
Hunger raked at him, sharp as tiger claws. His stomach twisted, letting out an embarrassingly audible growl.
Min-Seo’s hearing was as sharp as a fox’s even in human form. Her gaze flickered in the direction of his midsection. “It’s getting worse, isn’t it?”
He set his jaw, attempting to silence his traitorous gut through sheer willpower. “I have it under control.”
“Uh-huh.” Min-Seo’s tone held more skepticism than a church full of atheists. “You want to try saying that again, this time while looking me in the eye?”
He pushed his wraparound sunglasses further up his nose. “If you have doubts about my fitness for duty?—”
“I don’t,” Min-Seo interrupted, and then grimaced. “Shit.”
He’d already tasted the lie, bitter and smoky on his tongue. “Yet you think it’s a good idea to send me to a camp full of children?”
“Yes,” Min-Seo said firmly, and this time his mouth filled with sweetness. “I know you, Shan. You’d never hurt anyone.”
“Lie.”
Min-Seo flashed him a sharp, wicked grin. “Well, no onewho didn’t have it coming. You’re no danger to anyone at that camp.”
He let out an ironic huff. “Another lie.”
“No, it’s not.” The words tasted like peaches and cream—though that only showed she believed what she was saying, not that it was actually true. “Look, I don’t know exactly what’s eating you, but you’ve been even angstier than normal recently. Which, speaking as your oldest friend, is quite a feat. And speaking as your boss…get over yourself, Shan. I can’t afford to have one of my best agents out of commission.”
He folded his arms. “Yet you can afford to send me to chase ghosts at a children’s summer camp?”
Min-Seo leaned back in her chair, rolling the lollipop from one side of her mouth to the other. “Shan, what’s the purpose of our department?”
The words rolled off his tongue without thought, a mantra as familiar as his own name. “To protect the safety of shifters and prevent the general human populace from discovering our existence.”
“Exactly.” Min-Seo jabbed the lollipop stick at him. “And good as you are at the former, you’re a liability when it comes to the latter. We’re stretched thin enough as it is. I don’t have the resources to scramble an emergency cover-up team every time you have a wardrobe malfunction at Starbucks.”
His fingers twitched guiltily in his gloves. “That will not happen again.”
Min-Seo shook her head. “As the head of this division, I can’t take that risk. But as I said, I also need every agent I can get. Which is why you get the Camp Thunderbird job. Everyone there is either a shifter or knows about us already. No risk of exposure.”
Her logic was sound, much as it pained him to admit it. “I would still prefer a different assignment.”
“Tough, because this is the one you’re getting.” Min-Seo flicked her chewed lollipop stick into the trash. “Why are you making such a big deal out of this? It’s hardly a difficult assignment. In all probability, it’s just a bunch of bored kids making up shit for attention. All you have to do is go to the camp and ask a few questions. Piece of cake.”
There was one other factor that considerably complicated the mission, at least from his perspective. But arguing any further would only make Min-Seo suspicious. The last thing he needed was her figuring out exactly why he didn’t want to return to Camp Thunderbird.
Still, at least this time he was forewarned. He could take precautions.
He pushed back his chair, tucking the dossier under his arm. “I’ll set out for Camp Thunderbird immediately.”
“I’ll inform the camp director that you’re on your way.” Min-Seo’s eyes softened a little. “And don’t rush back to the office, okay? Take this as an opportunity to clear your head. A bit of time in a nice, peaceful, shifter-only environment might do you some good.”
Anything he might have said would have been a lie. He inclined his head in acknowledgement, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, before ducking out of Min-Seo’s office.
The Federal Bureau of Shifter Affairs maintained a network of bases, mostly hidden in plain sight. This particular center of operation masqueraded as a small regional office for the Department of Land Management (Freshwater Quality Monitoring subdivision), thus ensuring few unauthorized mundanes ever accidentally strayed onto the premises.
Shan made his way through the deliberately shabby office building until he reached his own small, plain cubicle.Sinking into his chair, he opened the dossier again, flipping through it until he found the page listing the camp staff. They were all printed in the same bland, black font, yet to his eyes, one name stood out as starkly as if highlighted in neon:
Leonie MacCormick - Head counselor
