It was neutral language; no mention of the ‘Vigilantia’ or the ‘Order’. He could’ve been any corporate executive meeting a client.
Although Cally doubted many clients turned up wearing jeans and a hoodie.
“This is my friend, Eve,” Cally said.
“Miss Sullivan,” Darian nodded a greeting.
“That’s going to get heavy fast,” Eve replied. “You Order types can use first names, right?”
Darian’s smile became a grin. “I had special training just for that.”
Eve narrowed her eyes.
“Shall we?” Darian said as the chauffeur opened the rear door of the limousine.
“Yeah, let’s go meet your boss,” Cally said, ducking as she climbed within.
Eve followed, choosing a seat near her, and Darian sat opposite. The car rocked gently as the chauffeur took his seat and started the engine, but they didn’t move.
Instead, Darian reached to a shelf beneath the crystal glasses and pulled out two black hoods. “Did they warn you about this part?”
“No,” Cally said bluntly. “They did not.”
“Apologies. But the location of our HQ needs to remain a secret. I’m sure you can understand.” He offered them one each. “And I’m going to need your phones.”
“We’re not wearing those.”
Darian let his hands fall as if he’d expected their reaction and wasn’t bothered. “I’m afraid this part is non-negotiable. And I should warn you: they secure around your neck. Not tightly, but you won’t be able to take them off without my help, and I wouldn’t advise you try.” A nonchalant shrug. “It’s either that or handcuffs, which are uncomfortable to travel in. Otherwise you could take them off at the wrong moment, and then I’d have to kill you.”
She stared at him. “Was that a joke?”
“No,” he said calmly. “But we can pretend it was if it helps.” He proffered the hoods again.
“If we refuse?”
“The plane will take you back to Boston.”
“We’ve come this far, babe,” Eve said, resigned, and handed over her phone in exchange for a hood. “If they wanted to kidnap us, they wouldn’t have bothered with the private jet and a limousine.”
“Fine.” Cally gave her phone over and took the hood with bad grace, pulling it over her head. A metal wire ran through the hem, and she felt Darian tighten it, pulling it snug around her neck. The material blocked most of the light, yet was breathable enough to keep her from feeling suffocated. As the limo pulled away, she could make out the faint shapes of buildings, vague shadows drifting past.
“Just so you know,” Cally spoke loudly, so there was no chance the hood would muffle her words, “if anyone touches me while I’m wearing this, I’m going to rip it off and kick the shit out of them.”
“What she said,” Eve added.
“I take my duty as your escort seriously,” Darian replied. “No one will be near you but me, and any touch will be nothing beyond a guide on your arm. Is that acceptable?”
Cally said nothing, seething. Eve’s hand reached out, brushing her thigh, and Cally clasped it in hers. She wasn’t sure if she was offering comfort or accepting it, but either way, it helped.
It was a long journey into the countryside of upstate New York, made all the more boring by the inability to see anything. Darian didn’t try to fill the silence with conversation, and Eve was uncharacteristically quiet, as though the hood had sapped some of herjoie de vivre. It left Cally time to contemplate what they might expect, and whether Noah would be angry when he saw her text message:back tomorrow.
Even angrier if she wasn’t back tomorrow.
Her thoughts turned to Antoine, floating in his hellhole, and how far from ready they were to rescue him. Gabe’s thralls were pulling together the equipment they needed, scouting WHOI,and preparing for extraction. The most optimistic estimate was two more weeks. According to a WHOI press release, the Human Occupied Vehicle deep-sea submersible Alvin was scheduled to depart on a research project in Puerto Rico early November and wouldn’t be back until the New Year. Time was tight.
Not long to finalize a plan and acquire everything they’d need to execute it.
But there was nothing she could do but wait, and hope Gabe had it under control.
