“We can’t keep his car idling around the back.”
“Claire said it had to be here for him first thing in the morning.”
“But Queen Street will be blocked off until fourA.M.”
“That’s fine. He always practices early.”
Queen Street. That meant the Waikiki Dance Studio, the only spot with the right facilities in the area. Sydney smiled a little as the two men argued, keeping them at the edge of her vision. Half an hour earlier, one of them had rapped on her window, asking her how long her equipment van was going to be parked here. She’d just given him an innocent shake of her head.
Claire told me five minutes, she’d said, holding up one hand with all her fingers outstretched. The man had shrugged and walked off, thinking Sydney was part of Winter’s team, and then promptly forgotten all about her.
“Jackal?”
“Ouais chef?” she replied distractedly to Niall’s gruff voice in her ear. This was her habit when talking to her mentor, greeting him in one of the twenty-seven languages she knew.
He grunted, as he always did, and she smiled.
“Syd, this isn’t a game,” he said.
“Fine, stopping.”
“You’re waiting in the van until dawn?”
“Unless you want me to knock on Winter’s door. I could grab a bellhop uniform,” she offered.
“No. Fine. Whatever works best,” Niall said. “Just letting you know we only have that van rented out until ten in the morning.”
“Ten’s all I’ll need.”
“You sound so sure he’ll agree.”
“Because I am sure.” Sydney glanced up at the hotel. “After thatnightmare of an interview, Winter’s mood will be much better when he wakes up tomorrow. And I’d prefer him at his happiest if I’m going to be asking him to risk his life. Again.”
“Just try to keep the insults to a minimum.”
“Me?” Sydney feigned shock. “But I’m always nice.”
Niall laughed, warm and genuine, and Sydney smiled again. “Just be careful. That area’s crawling with security. Don’t get yourself a black eye from one of his guards.”
Sydney raised an eyebrow. “Are you telling me, the agent you once sent to infiltrate a Swiss bank, that you’re worried I can’t handle a superstar’s security detail?”
“I don’t know, you can tell me later which is worse. Our intel says Winter’s detail has gotten much more serious since last year.”
“Have you forgotten that you promoted me to full operative? I’ll be okay, Dad.”
He sighed. “I’ve told you to stop calling me that.”
“But it’s our last mission together,Dad. When will I ever get to call you Dad again?”
Niall snorted, but didn’t argue the point, and a pained silence cut through their conversation. Sydney felt her chest seize, even though her lungs felt fine.
“What are you going to do,” she asked, keeping her voice light, “once you’re officially retired from Panacea?”
“Take a vacation, maybe. Go to Bora-Bora. I hear the water’s very nice.”
“Is Quinn excited to see you?”
Another pause, followed by Niall clearing his throat. He never seemed comfortable talking about Quinn, but Sydney was always fascinated by Niall’s biological daughter. Hisrealdaughter. “I haven’t told her anything yet,” he said at last.
