I hesitate, debating. “There is ... something.”
His eyes ping to mine. His fingers once again freeze over the keys.
I exhale and rub my face roughly with one hand. “I visited my godsister, Cynthia, yesterday in the hospital.” Was that even yesterday?Quatsch.Time has ceased to have any meaning anymore. “Sorry—Saturday,” I correct. “Anyway, it was after the video stills I took were posted to Taranis’s socials.”
“Oh yes, I did hear about that. I reached out to the South Korean ambassador to wish her my condolences on her daughter’s injury.” He turns to face me fully, elegantly arraying his arms over his desk. It’s wood—glossy and dark and warm. His whole office is full of light up here on the thirty-fourth floor. A stark contrast to Taranis’s evil lair. Which is annoying. Because I’d still rather be therebent over his desk, tits mashed into the concrete, tail deep inside my ass, knot fully inflated inside me, pinning me. I snap out of it with a start, my whole body heating.
Mr. Singkham gives me a discerning look. “I also was a bit confused as I thought that the pictures of Taranis and Cynthia seemed rather ...lovey-dovey, to use the American expression, but that’s not theimpression I got from the ambassador.” I make a face. Mr. Singkham quirks his head. “Something tells me there is more to the story.”
“The images were clips from a video I sent Taranis’s PR team. They were cropped—made to appear that way—but the reality was much different.” He electrocuted her. “There is no love between Taranis and Cynthia. He’s since taken the post down and is fairly pissed about it.” Fairly. Mildly. Hardly at all. Ha.
“Oh.” Mr. Singkham’s eyes suddenly grow large. “Oh my.”
“Cynthia wasn’t in a car crash either. She was kidnapped.”
“Kidnapped? By whom?”
“The Marduk and an ally of his. They wanted information about Taranis’s reversion, but when they realized she wasn’t ... the cause of it ... he broke her legs.”
Mr. Singkham emits a curse in a language I don’t speak.
Still, I nod. “She’s pretty freaked out, but she’s safe. The Marduk and whoever was with him let her go after. They were the ones who dropped her off at the hospital.”
“My God.”
“She did say one thing I think might be worth mentioning. I asked her about the place they took her when they interrogated her and then broke her legs. She said it was a warehouse that smelled like the sea. I know that’s not a lot to go on, but I’ve been thinking a lot about it, and I did a shoot at the docks once as part of an exposé on forced sex work and human trafficking that passes through Sundale. I can’t see how it would be possible for an underground ring of supervillains to hide out there, but it’s the first place that came to mind. I just ... thought you should know.”
Mr. Singkham stares at me with his lips ever so slightly parted. I think he might be drooling.
“Mr. Singkham? Can I ... be dismissed? I’ve had a hell of a week.”Weeks. Not to mention, I still have a pile of unanswered emails and clerical work to do for my February gallery opening. Plus, feelingsabout an annoying alien to contend with. And a marriage license in my pocket.
Mr. Singkham nods, but as I rise to stand, he speaks carefully, like he’s saying the words out loud as he puzzles through them. “Not the docks, Ms. Neumann. The harbor.”
“The old Sundale harbor?”
He nods. “It could be. We have reason to suspect there may be VNA activity in that area. The fact that your godsister called it a warehouse narrows it down even more. Wemayhave reason to launch a covert mission, Ms. Neumann—one that might uncover a fair cache of the Marduk’s hidden weapons. This information may be helpful for our cause.”
“Good,” I exhale, relieved. “I’m glad I could help.” I start to leave—try to leave. I don’t make it two feet.
“Ms. Neumann, the COE may need your help again.”
I groan and stare up at the ceiling, wondering what I did so wrong in my past life to deserve this level of excitement.Okay, universe, I know I asked for thrills, but could you tone it down a bit?
Mr. Singkham turns away from his computer to give me his full, undivided attention. I want none of it. “We have been developing plans for the Wyvern to lead a contingent of COE officers to investigate our findings. We have scouted a few locations so far but haven’t found more than traces of the VNA’s presence. If your lead proves to have merit, this could be a big coup for the COE. And regardless, we need coverage, even if the mission turns out not to recover anything of direct value. There is a lot we’re missing relying solely on bodycam footage. I would like you to accompany the next mission and document their findings, whatever they may be.”
I groan and sulk toward the exit. “Fine.”
“Excellent. I’ll send word when the plan comes together and it’s time for your troop to leave. We also may need to interrogate your friend, Cynthia.”
“Give the girl a break,” I say, but not just for Cynthia’s sake—also because I don’t want her confessing that the Marduk gave me a cell phone that I can use to contact him and may or may not kill me if I share that information.
Mr. Singkham’s face screws up. “We can wait, but if our next mission proves fruitless, we will need to speak to her. In the meantime, do let me know if you have any trouble with Taranis. He’s not to know about these plans for now.”
I nod, understanding that entirely. “Taranis is giving me grief about my contract, but I think we might be able to work it out. If not, then I may need to get my lawyers involved.”
Mr. Singkham frowns. “You’ve been doing exceptional work, and he has no idea you captured that footage of him with Bia and the Meinad, correct?”
“No, he doesn’t know about that.”
