Page 217 of The Defiant Curse

That amused him.

Why?

Because he was right.

“I do have a question,” Ethan offered.

Gene was curious.

“What?”

“How pissed is Ivan?”

Gene laughed.

And laughed.

And laughed.

“Oh, EJ. Let’s just say he went to Defcon ONE on Raphael’s ass. He fired him.”

Ethan gasped.

“Oh, don’t worry. I pulled an Elizabeth, threatened his job right back, told Winn he wasn’t fired, and shut that shit down. He’s not happy with any of this, but he’s calmed down. We gave him time off, and he’s with Blue, I’m sure, making more crayons. It was quiet today. Oh, and no one tried to kill us, or lock us down.”

Well, that was good.

“As for Ivan, I just wouldn’t recommend doing the escape thing again, or if you do, take an Archangel on that journey with you.”

Oh, he wouldn’t.

Trust and believe.

Now that he had time, Ethan wanted to talk to him about something.

“I need a favor.”

Gene waited.

Honestly, he couldn’t imagine what it would be, but if they needed something, count him in.

“What?” he asked.

“Know how Callen and Chris asked me to go in on this castle with them? To be their partners?”

Yeah, he remembered,

“Yep. Why?”

Ethan went there.

“I want to go in on it and pay them back for some of the money they invested so we can be part of this.”

Gene was surprised.

What was this?

“You want to be part-owner of a haunted castle? The one you told Callen was going to be the reason Elizabeth had him neutered, and wore his balls like disco ball earrings after she bedazzled them herself?”