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As Z strode down the aisle between the workstations, he was amazedat how quiet it was. Then again, V hated the sound of clicking of keys and had designed the equipment himself.
Nobody spared a glance away from their screens. Not a surprise. The V-team, as they were called, weren’t a laugh riot and no doubt had little appreciation for social graces—something that Zsadist could totally get. The males and females were super-serious IT brain trusts ambulated by scrawny, left-behind bodies—because when you were that smart, and your job making sure the vampire race stayed secret was that important, you didn’t have a lot of time to Planet Fitness yourself.
Out the far end, he came up to V’s glass box, and paused before he knocked. Inside, a tall young male with a shock of black hair and a lanky frame was staring over the brother’s shoulder. The two were talking about something neither of them was happy about, their identical frowns the kind of thing you might see in a movie that spanned an entire lifetime, one the boy, the other the man.
Vishous glanced over and motioned for entrance.
“Another night in paradise,” the brother said as Z came through the door.
“Always.” Z waved at Allhan who, as usual, appeared surprised that there was someone else with them. The kid always looked surprised. “What’s good, Al.”
Vishous’s protégé stammered something, then went back to looking at the four screens that were obstructed by a privacy filter. The flush that hit that lean face was another as-usual. His social anxiety was so crippling, it was a wonder he could acknowledge anyone.
“Whatta we got about the Bathe parking lot shooting? Anything?” Z asked.
V shook his head. “I sent a representative down there as soon as they opened tonight. Management said there was no footage, that the system’s ‘malfunctioning.’?” The air quotes were mimed with a dry look. “When the human’s brain was investigated, it was a lie—big surprise. But the club hadn’t followed up with the CPD and there’s nothing in thepapers or the news. I’m guessing that rear entrance sees a lot of illegal activities and they don’t want any trouble.”
“And no bodies showing up anywhere.”
“Nope. And no mention of a Mercedes full of bullet holes in the CPD impound, or at any of the major tow services. Right, Al?”
The kid stuttered a response that was in the general range of affirmative.
“Okay, good.” Z stepped in behind so he could see what was on the monitors. “Can I watch the tunnel footage from that office building?”
“You got it.” V leaned forward and tapped on one of his keyboards at lightning speed. “Here it is—Al, you can go.”
Allhan nodded like a bobblehead on the dashboard of a car, and disappeared out the glass door.
“Lessersfreak him out.” V sat back as the screens changed what they were showing. “So we avoid exposing him when we can.”
“He still living with you?”
Those diamond eyes swung up and around. “Why wouldn’t he be?”
Z put his palms out. “Just making conversation.”
“Luchas House is too noisy. He doesn’t sleep well there.”
“You’re really good to take him in.”
V frowned. “He’s just staying with us. His utility here is invaluable, and without a stable environment, he’s not able to function at a high level.”
“So it’s just about work, riiiiiight.”
Those diamond eyes narrowed. “It’sjustabout work. Don’t complicate a critical member of the team’s efforts with sentimentality.”
Even though it wasn’t in Z’s nature to submit to anything, he put up his palms, all don’t-shoot-me. ’Cuz the shit was fucking amusing.
“I wouldn’tdreamof doing such a thing.”
As the brother went back to the monitors with a determination that bordered on a temper tantrum, Z had to smile a little. But he knew better than to keep ribbing the guy, even though, as Lassiter always said, Vishous could use the exercise.
And then it was time to focus on the screens and the various images of the induction site with all those buckets.
“Infrared… a thing of beauty,” Z murmured.
“You had a great idea. Those micro-cameras are highly effective, and we got really good angles.”
