I nodded. “Leaks. We have to accept that not everyone will be loyal, and after seeing how many the vampires have fucking had alone… We need to prepare for it. Do better.”
I was glad when a few snorted and all agreed. We’d all been through too much to trust blindly.
Ever.
“Leaks, but not just traitors,” Joshua muttered. “Other supe groups trying to hint something is wrong with the German government now to destroy us as a council. They’ve tried that with France. Also, anyone who might be thinking to out demons as a whole is a problem.”
“Yes and yes,” I agreed.
“This is fantastic, Jasmine,” Ally praised. “Honestly, way better than where we last left it, and not only covered everything Arthur and I discussed—it’s everything I had and more. Well done.”
Relief swarmed me as they all agreed. We spent a bit adding details and filling in this and that.
Also deciding on how to divide between Arthur and Ally. Given Arthur would be front and center in the next few years, he was going to take intelligence, public relations, and risk assessment. Which left Ally with health and social services, new demons and education, and bureaucracy.
Both seemed very pleased with the split and how it would all tie in together. Fan-fucking-tastic.
“I also would like us to each have an ancient council aide—or seven total—that can and will go handle anything council at any time,” Elijah added with a bang. “Like you did with that demonwho the supe started trouble with in public and ISLE was there. You cannot just run all over all the time for that. We can send—we know enough people who would do that.”
“Who would do it and not let the power go to their heads nor want it.Butthey would want the position for the new IDs and papers—the help to come into this century,” Rita added. “The safety to learn to adjust and tech—all of it. We will make it clear that is the deal. A decade helping us really form and strengthen the council to protect the young ones and we will teach them this new world. No more in the dark.”
“If you think we can find them,” I agreed when they all seemed sure.
“You haven’t met that many you can trust, but you haven’t lived as long,” Elijah said gently.
I raised an eyebrow at him. “I’ve met enough to know five years can completely change a person, and some you will reach out to you haven’t spoken with incenturies. That’s a risk, not an ally in my child eyes.”
“She’s not wrong,” Ally cut in. “We will choose carefully, and any problems we will do better to communicate and stop being so full of fucking pride. We made it this far. We deserve the pat on the back. Now we are out and have to implement new plans or we’re all dead.”
Well, that made us all a bit nervous.
But she definitely wasn’t wrong.
“I also want three ancients working with a team of younger ones to audit everything,” Elijah continued. “Clubs. Corporate. Anything we’re putting into place. Not to be harsh or the law. It’s the only way things stop falling through the cracks. It’s the way to get better and always be on top of things. Talk to people and learn what’s really going on.”
“How is that different than risk assessment?” Arthur asked, his tone tight like he was insulted Elijah was undercutting him.
“Business side,” Elijah clarified. “I’m talking more like secret shoppers and…” He sighed. “I guess it does tie in, but I see it not as—it’s notriskbut more gossip. Keeping an ear to the ground and making sure the menus are working out and the kitchen is really doing their job—”
“His head is how much we’ve learned from Ricco playing a whale at clubs with his people,” I cut in, feeling their exhaustion and not wanting to get off track. “Nails in parking lots trying to get tires of mostly human dancers. That’s not government or council.”
“Yes, of course. My apologies,” Arthur told Elijah.
“I would never undercut you and certainly not like this,” Elijah told him. “And even if I misspoke—this was a lot to take in. I was thinking of other things to add in the future.”
“Yes, something to add later,” Natalia muttered, nodding when they all agreed.
Okay, goals for later and I didn’t disagree.
And just like that, we were reorganized.
Yeah… Just like that.
Fucking nightmare and I wasn’t even sure itcouldfit into a standard fucking organizational chart without a million fucking footnotes, color-coded chaos, a logistics degree, and a bottle of whiskey to put the damn Monet together.
It was a bit longer, but then it was done… But I wasn’t. I walked out of the meeting to so many messages my head about spun off. Luckily, the first message I received was from Kyle saying they had a hit on the victim’s credit card.
And it was for a nail salon.
