“Go ahead,” said Jordan. “I’ll be there in a minute.”
Mikael gave him a disapproving look but ambled toward the elevator at the end of the corridor, muttering under his breath.
Jordan stepped close and stroked my cheek with a finger. “You look good. Happy, healthy, and all that. You grew up on me.”
“It was only a few months.”
“A lot has changed. You’re not the same scared little girl who cried into my shirt.”
“No, I’m not.”
“Good. Don’t let anyone or anything ruin this glow you have going on. It suits you.” He dropped his hand and turned away. “Goodnight. I’ll stop by the office tomorrow.”
“Have a passport or three ready. We have missions to plan, and I want you on them.”
“Yes, boss,” he said, unable to keep the smile out of his voice as he walked away.
CHAPTER FIVE
WHEN MY ALARM WENT off the next morning, Nicholas threw an arm across my stomach and groaned. He’d come by my apartment late last night and had slept over like he did at least half the week.
“Don’t go,” he croaked. “I’ll make it worth your while.”
“You always do,” I said, giggling, “but I have a busy day and won’t get to work out unless I go now.”
He raised his head from the pillow and waggled his eyebrows. “Let’s burn calories here instead.”
I giggled again as he pulled me close for a kiss. His hand slipped under my shirt, his fingers dancing over my ribcage. The tingling spread across my torso and set off butterflies in my stomach. My will melted into a puddle.
“I can go later,” I said, pulling the blanket over us and losing myself in him.
✽ ✽ ✽
My cheeks were still flushed when I finally made it into the office, a mere five minutes late. I’d skipped the gym and, as promised, Nicholas had made missing a workout well worth it. I strode in with my head held high and a bounce in my step.
“Good morning,” I chirped toward Mikael.
He cocked an eyebrow and glanced at the clock on the wall. “Fun morning?”
The blush deepened. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”
“I’d rather not, but your face broadcasts the happiness that only comes from one thing, Milaya. It is rather unsettling.”
“Oh, please. Like I can’t tell when you’ve had a date. You bounce in your seat and can’t stop grinning.”
This time it was Mikael whose face reddened. “Hush. You have a full schedule today,” he said, standing and gathering his appointment book and notebook in his arms. He waved me into my office and shut the door behind us. “We are meeting with Danny at eleven to discuss the next several missions. He will provide the background intelligence, and you will decide how many assassins to send and in what manner.”
“Do you think Dakarai has spoken to Esai yet?”
“Doubtful,” he said, scribbling a note to himself. “It has been less than a day. Have patience.”
“Boo,” I said more to myself than to him. “I hoped that he would be calmer today.”
“Also unlikely. Yesterday’s meetings riled him. Last I heard, he is taking out his frustrations on a punching bag he has named she-boss.”
“Well, that’s nicer than I expected. Do I have anything else on the agenda?”
“Jordan has requested to meet with you, so I scheduled him for ten. He called me not fifteen minutes ago. He claims he is bored to tears already and wants a job.”
“He can take this one.”
“And mine. Though, he will not agree — I asked. Perhaps you can put his skills to other uses.”
“I have a few ideas, none of which excite me.” I sighed. “Although, having him around will make my life easier.”
“I’m sure. We must also prepare for this week’s staff meeting. Most of what we will cover will be decided in the meeting with Danny and subsequent discussions with Voss, so I’ve left that for the end of the day.”
I made a face. “There’s no time for the gym today?”
“No. You may not have time this week. Did you skip your workout this morning?”
“I skipped the gym,” I hedged, thinking about Nicholas’ declaration that we’d burned at least as many calories in bed.
Mikael shook his head. “I like Nicholas. I dislike the idea of him and you… you know. Not because… well, he is very attached to you. Too attached. Where you go, he follows. It must be overwhelming.”
“You sound like Dakarai,” I grumbled. “Let’s keep our talks to just teasing, okay?”
He nodded, pressing his lips together in a thin line as if he were holding back more unwelcome commentary. He had said little over dinner the previous night, but it seemed like he also had more reservations than he’d admitted. I wasn’t in the mood to hear criticism of my boyfriend or my relationship, and I was sure my face broadcasted that. He tapped on the pad of paper in his hands. “Do you need my help to prepare for these meetings? Or should I give you a warning ten minutes before?”
“I have reports to look over,” I said, gesturing to my desk. “A heads up would be perfect.”
Mikael nodded and exited my office, leaving me alone with my riotous thoughts. I had to contend with strong personalities today, and that required all of my focus and willpower. It was easy to let them walk all over me. They didn’t do it maliciously; they were just men used to being in charge. I was not, and it was just as easy for me to fall into the role of the student or mentee.
I had a ritual to psyche myself up for these meetings and considered it my warrior’s armor. If I looked like a confident adult, it was easier to play the role of one. I rubbed my hands together and focused my will on lighting up my fingertips. Seeing the energy flow through my body was a reminder I was the toughest and most powerful person in any room.
Next came my notebook of doom, the reminder that my brain was just as sharp. I wrote every detail of every meeting in my thick leather-bound journal. It helped me recall what had been said in previous meetings, anything I’d promised, and items still up for discussion.
Too soon, Mikael knocked on my door and announced Jordan’s arrival. Much to my surprise, Jordan wore a crisp tailored suit and tie. He had a leather portfolio in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. I stood to greet him and tried not to gawk.
Hello, Mr. GQ, purred my inner voice that had been silent for so long. She, my feral being and the second half of my split personality, rarely appeared anymore. She was all primal wildness, a being who viewed blood and violence as pleasure and pleasure as the highest goal of all. Where in the hell had She come from? And why now?
“Wow,” I said. “What’s with all of this?”
“I’m asking for a job, and that usually requires an interview. I hope it’s okay.”
Before I could invite him inside, a commotion broke out in the hallway. Someone called out Jordan’s name, and we both turned around to see Hernandez grinning. He strode down the hall and clasped Jordan in a tight hug.
“Kiddo, where ya been?”
Jordan laughed, returning the affection with equal vigor. “Traveling. You know how it is.”
Hernandez peered at him meaningfully. “You’re good?”
It took a second for me to realize that Hernandez was asking how Jordan was coping with the death of his girlfriend at the hands of the cult. That, and whatever had happened since then.
“I’m fine.”
He stared at Jordan for a long moment. “You don’t have to lie.” Hernandez’s voice was so soft that I barely heard the words.
Jordan smiled and ran his fingers through his hair. “I’m good. I appreciate you holding down the fort while I was gone.”
“I wouldn’t leave the new boss on her own. You should know me better than that.”
“All the same.”
Jordan swore under his breath as a crowd formed around them. He smiled and acknowledged each one with a handshake and a knot formed in the pit of my stomach. The adoration the
team had for him was palpable. They rushed past me, knocking into my shoulder and stepping on my feet, just for the chance to be graced with a word or a look from the legend that was Jordan.
When Esai walked into the room, the atmosphere changed again. He couldn’t see Jordan through the crowd, but pushed his way to the front, convinced of his own importance and necessity in the middle of the action. He took in Jordan with wide eyes and extended his hand.
“Great to have you back,” he said. “You’ve been missed and needed. When will you be up to speed and back to work?”
Jordan glanced at me over the heads of the crowd, his eyes narrowing and no doubt remembering my concerns about the man. “I’m just here to catch up and to talk with the boss about my new job if she even has one for me.”
Esai’s face turned to stone. “What do you mean?” he growled. “You’re in charge. We need you to be in charge. There’s too much at stake.”
“Let’s talk later. I’m late for my meeting now, but I’ll be around.” Jordan managed to politely but insistently extricate himself from the crowd to reach my office. Pausing, he turned and flashed an appreciative smile at the little throng before entering and closing the door at our backs. “That was special.”
“Yeah. Um, sit down.”
He lowered himself into one of the guest chairs and sipped from his coffee as if this was an everyday occurrence. “So, let’s get down to it. I realize you’re only somewhat familiar with my background, so I’ll fill you in on some other details. I cut my teeth in the assassins as a trainer under Marcus, first as an assistant, then as head trainer. From there, I was placed in charge of a squad with unique skills… you know, ones that involved murder and mayhem. I did that for two years before I took over for him. You know the job now. You know what I’m capable of. I’d love a position that would allow me to use my skills to help the team.”
I took the sheet of paper he handed me and stared at it in shock. He’d prepared a legitimate resume as if there were a chance he didn’t have the job.
“Take this whole thing over again. Everyone wants you back. You heard them.”
“No.”
“Please?”
“No,” he repeated. “Sorry, I wasn’t meant to lead. I was meant to serve and protect you. All I want is an opportunity to do that and to contribute. I can teach classes in the armory or lead seminars on specific techniques.” He shrugged. “I can also sweep and mop if that’s what is needed.”
“Dude.” I shook my head. “I mean, Jordan, you’re too good for any of that. You should have a major role. We need you. I need you.”
“Tell me what to do, boss.”
I opened my notebook and glanced at the potential jobs I’d jotted down minutes before he arrived. There was one area where Voss and I struggled. We were just spread too thin.
“Training. Would you take over as the head trainer again? I’ll also need you to help with mission planning. You know who’s best suited to go into the field and in what capacity.”
Jordan smiled at me. “Consider it done. Does that include the armory?”
“Yes. Dear gods, yes. Hernandez has done a good job in keeping everything running, but we need someone to be a real taskmaster in there.”
His smile widened. We both knew how much he loved organizing and handling weapons. Most people went to our range to practice their skill. He considered it as a break in the day, a way to relax. On more than one occasion, I’d found him singing to himself as he dismantled and cleaned his favorite guns.
“Fantastic,” he said, smacking his hands together with delight. “When do you want me to start?”
“Today? I have a meeting with Danny, and I’d love your input.”
“Sure thing. Where should I put my stuff?”
That’s when it hit me that he didn’t have an office because I now occupied his former space. “The office next to Voss is empty. Consider it yours.”
“Yes, ma’am. Anything else?”
“Voss has the current training schedules. Pick them up from him and work your magic. I trust you.”
“I won’t let you down.” He wrinkled his nose and swept his hand down his body. “Do you mind if I go home and change first? This monkey suit won’t work for the rest of the day.”
“Meet me at Danny’s office at eleven.”
“Will do.” He crossed the room and paused with his hand on the door’s handle. “Thank you for this. I appreciate it.”
CHAPTER SIX
MIKAEL AND I WALKED side-by-side as we made our way to the Command Center. Danny and his intrepid team of data analysts were housed there. It was an impressive setup and always reminded me of the NASA control rooms that appeared in almost every space-related movie. Rows of staffers sat in front of screens, combing through newspaper reports, crime statistics, epidemiological data, and firsthand accounts from our contracted spy network. They synthesized that information and produced real-time cases of incidents that disturbed the Balance or threatened our members. If the assassins were the arms of justice, the Command Center geeks were the backbone. And Danny, with his supernatural ability to process obscene amounts of facts and figures, was the perfect person to lead them, not that I’d have admitted it to his face.
We slowed a few yards before the entrance and found Jordan waiting there for us with another cup of coffee in one hand and a new notebook in the other.
Mikael gave him a brief nod. “I hear that you will join us for these meetings.”
“So I’ve been told,” he replied. “Although I’m not sure what help I’ll be today considering I haven’t trained anyone yet.”
“You’ve trained everyone, just not in the last few months,” I said, annoyed. I’d wanted him there to help me avoid the small mistakes I’d made in the past. He was the epitome of institutional knowledge, and I had every intention of milking him for what he was worth. “You’re here to lend your expertise on the mission planning.”
“From what I’ve heard, you have it down to a science,” said Jordan in a conciliatory tone. “Your learning curve is impressive.”
I frowned as my cell phone buzzed in my pocket. It was Nicholas, so I answered. This was, by my count, the third call today and I’d seen him this morning. “Hi. Is everything okay?”
“Hey,” he said. “Everything’s fine. Just wanted to tell you that I won’t be able to see you tonight. I’m going to my parents’ place, and I’m staying over.”
“Oh,” I said with mild disappointment. We’d had plans to have dinner at his place.
He paused. “You’re welcome to join me.”
Unadulterated panic flooded my system. Meeting his parents and siblings? My body trembled. The phone in my hand shook, and my knees quaked as they tried to support my overbearing weight. My mouth went dry as a desert, and a light sweat coated my body. “I can’t tonight,” I blurted.
“Oh? Why not?” he said, disappointment coloring his words. “Too soon?”
“I’m sorry. It’s just… I can’t.” I shrugged. “Can we talk about this later?”
“Okay, another time then. I’ll call you when I get there.” Nicholas disconnected the call and left me staring at my phone.
Mikael walked over and put a hand on my shoulder. “Are you okay? Did you receive bad news?”
Struggling to regain my composure, I stood straighter and tried to smile. “I’m fine. Let’s not keep Danny waiting.”
Jordan flashed a crooked smile behind his cup. “Danny assumes the meeting is canceled if someone is over five minutes overdue, so I used to show up four and a half minutes late when I wanted to annoy him.”
“I’ve made it my business to be five minutes early after the first time he yelled at me,” I confessed.
“He’s all bark.”
I touched my head, remembering the nasty concussion Danny had given me a few years earlier. “Agree to disagree. It seemed like a smart idea to stay on his good side.”
Mikael opened the door for me, and I led the way through the pit
of computer stations and into the main conference room. Danny sat at the head of the table with a scowl on his attractive face. He tapped his watch.
“You’re three minutes late. Begin.”
Danny was one of the few people who could make me feel like a mischievous student being reprimanded. I sat and opened my folder.
“Amsterdam, London, San Francisco, Vancouver, and Isla Mujeres,” I blurted. “Does that seem like the best order to handle those missions?”
“Vancouver should come before San Francisco if you want to move north to south,” said Jordan. “But yeah, it makes sense.”
Danny agreed with a quick nod. “It will require the fewest number of flights. When do you want to leave?”
“Sunday morning,” said Mikael. “We’ll make it to Amsterdam by nightfall and can start working.”
Nodding, Danny passed over the files of intelligence his team put together on the cases in each city. Amsterdam, one city where a few clusters of Vespers lived, had seen a rash of threats from anonymous sources for weeks before the first kidnapping. There were three adults and two teenagers missing. We had a few guesses where they’d been taken, and we’d need a select team of our best assassins to extract them. London hadn’t had any kidnappings yet, but strangers in dark, wannabe paramilitary clothing and strange jewelry reminiscent of the cult had been spotted around a Vesper child’s school. We would investigate and eliminate the threat.
Jordan flipped through the file. “Amsterdam needs at least six men. Mikael and Voss should stay behind to make sure things run here. I’d say Hernandez, Kosuke, Jones, and Marin besides Jasper and me.”
Mikael pressed his lips together in a thin line. His expression shouted his thoughts at us. He resented being sidelined after having been at my side while Jordan was gone. While he was still fragile in many ways, he had come a long way and had proved to be a vital part of my team.
“Marin is too green,” I said. “Mikael should come instead. If we’re going to be there a while, I’ll need him to help handle the day-to-day interactions with Voss.”
The Black Knights Page 6