“That’s not at all how-”
“Out of here,” OD ordered them. “And stay out. We don’t have time to be tracking you down.”
“But-” Teddy started, ready to defend his position on why Flir had it all wrong.
“Later,” OD told him. “Learn to pick your battles, Kid.”
“Fine,” Ryan sighed as they slunk out of the room.
Flir smirked at their backs. “Teach them to call me a fucking robot.”
OD and I glanced at each other and I shook my head. I didn’t bother to point out that the kids hadn’t been all that far off. Itwould just get Flir going on a tangent and we didn’t need that right now.
The boys waved at Devyn as they trotted past her. She waved back, then shot me an amused look. “This is what you get, you know,” she told OD.
He frowned at her. “What? What does that mean? None of this is my fault.”
Her eyebrows shot up and she put her hands on her hips. “You’re telling me these boys aren’t learning all this from you?”
“I’m blaming Kilo,” he muttered. “Besides, I really don’t watch Star Trek.”
“Uh huh.” She shook her head. “I meant stealing the money.”
“Oh right, that.” Holding my hand out to her, I linked our fingers as she came over to my side. “It’s a bit of a story,” I said, nodding toward the massive piles of cash.
“I can’t wait to hear it.”
“When you’re done, we could use your help loading it all up,” OD said.
“Sure,” I replied.
“Or guarding it,” Flir muttered. “Those hooligans are going to be back before we finish up, guaranteed.” He turned toward the door and then sighed. “No! Out!”
I chuckled as Norman froze during the act of slinking toward Flir.
“Take your dog with you,” Flir told OD as our VP left the room. He hurried after OD, cursing as Norman clung to him like a shadow. “Damn kids… And damn dog.” His words floated back into the room, though there didn’t seem to be as much irritation in them as when he thought we could hear him. Flir didn’t want us to know, but all of us could see how much both the kids, and the dog, were starting to grow on him.
Grinning, I turned toward Dev and started the story from the beginning.
* * *
“The Collective isn’tour only problem,” I said, as Ruck started up church a couple hours later.
We’d loaded up all the cash, equipment, and most of the guns we’d taken from The Collective and Merc, Hype, and Code were dropping it off in its new hiding spot until we decided what we’d do with it all. The storage unit was rented under a false name with a fake paper trail that wouldn’t lead back to us. We didn’t need those assholes stealing it all back.
“What now?” Ruck asked with a frown.
I quickly ran down the issue with Bowers. “He’s gotta be watching Dev’s every move.”
“Which means he knows she’s staying here,” Relay said, eyes narrowing.
I nodded. “Which means he at least suspects that we’re somehow involved in the fire and the apartment complex. He pretty much hinted to her that he knew.”
“Damn. This is getting complicated fast,” Strike said.
“Last thing we need is the cops on our asses right now,” OD said in agreement.
“We’re getting close to me needing to call for a lockdown,” Ruck said, giving me a meaningful look.
