“Considering it’s your agency that royally fucked things up, I’m not inclined to trust whoever she sends our way.”
“She sent me,” Patrick said. “Am I suddenly not good enough for you now?”
“I never said I didn’t trust you. I said I don’t trust your agency.”
“That’s nice. Remember that week you gave me? It’s not over yet. I need to get to work.”
“I need updates.”
“I’ll call you.”
Patrick hung up and tightened his grip on his phone. Nadine studied him with tired eyes, but it was Emma who spoke up first from where she stood inside the warehouse, propping open the heavy door with one foot.
“Are you done? Food is getting cold,” Emma said.
As if right on cue, Patrick’s stomach growled. Jono’s hand on his hip tightened.
“Come on,” Jono said, pulling him along as Nadine took down her shield. “Let’s get you fed.”
The wind chased them back inside Ginnungagap, the threshold making Patrick grit his teeth when they crossed over it. Jono somehow seemed to know something was off judging by the questioning look he gave Patrick.
“What’s wrong?” Jono asked.
“What isn’t wrong?” Patrick countered.
Marek had set out the food Carmen had delivered, the food boxes holding hamburgers and fries ready for anyone to claim. He was holding a hamburger in one hand and typing away with the other, his MacBook hooked up to a portable generator. Patrick didn’t know where Carmen had disappeared to.
Patrick frowned at the setup. “Didn’t think we got signal in here.”
“We don’t. I used a hotspot off my phone outside to download some stuff earlier. I’m working offline,” Marek said, not looking up.
Jono pulled a folding chair back and gestured at it. “Sit. Eat.”
For once, Patrick listened without arguing and sat down.
“Can your director be trusted to do the right thing?” Emma asked as she settled onto a metal folding chair.
Patrick opened the takeout container and popped a fry into his mouth. “Yes, but it’s her methods that are questionable.”
“Personal experience, I take it?”
“And then some.” Patrick hesitated but opted for a bit of truth that Emma and Jono could smell. “I was Setsuna’s ward for nine years. She means well, but it’s more a means to an end for her.”
“Can she fight against this Zachary bloke or send someone who can?” Jono asked.
“That was supposed to be my job.”
“You’ve done enough, mate.”
Patrick picked the top off his hamburger to get rid of the pickles. “It’s never enough.”
“Why?”
He suddenly wasn’t hungry, but it felt like all the times in the field when he knew he needed to eat, needed to choke down some calories, but didn’t want to. Patrick picked up his hamburger and took a bite, chewing slowly.
“What do you know about this?” Marek asked, directing his question to Nadine.
She shook her head. “It’s not my story to tell.”
