“I haven’t, but they aren’t my family.”
That cut far deeper than Jay’s comments.I should’ve trusted them sooner.
“If Jay’s right and the word LOVE represents the numbers 2-6-3-8, then I think I have it narrowed down.”
“Care to fill us in?” G asked before I could.
“We’re in position, ready for exfil,” Jay interrupted.
“The second floor has six rooms. Room six has lockers.”
“Damn, that was brilliant!”
“Thank you.” Jack beamed. “But I wasn’t done.”
“I meant the Singers, but I guess you deserve the accolades too.”
“Fucker,” he grinned.
“I say we go to room six on the second floor and let pretty boy Sheppard here work his magic,” Gibson said.
“Pretty boy? Really?” Jack ran his hands through his hair. “I prefer ruggedly handsome.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose.For the love of all things holy. “Just stop. Please?”
“Janerek’s taking a stroll to put eyes on your tail,” Jay informed us.
“Appreciate it.” I said. Maybe SSI would hire me after the CIA fired my ass for violating my oath. There was a certain appeal to the idea of working with my uncle and cousins. Their teams worked together effortlessly, and my job was a hundred times easier when my partners anticipated my needs and filled them.
“They’re enjoying a discount coffee while watching you like fucking creepers,” AJ said.
“We’re not in the CIA anymore,” G said with a laugh.
This was it. We all felt it. If the Singer’s treasure existed, it was inside the hostel.
“Jack, if we find anything, take it out the back and return to SSI.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Janerek, since you’re on foot, we’d love your support when we exit.”
“Copy that.”
“We should fill our bags so they don’t look empty when we walk out. They may grab them and leave us to fight another day,” Gibson said.
“I’m sure we can find something inside.” I pulled out my wallet. “How much cash do you have?”
“Two hundred and change,” G answered.
“One-twenty,” Jack said.
“I’m just shy of two. Five hundred should be enough to buy what we need to fill the bags.”And any bribes we might need to pay.
Inside, the helpful hostel manager told us the lockers could be rented long term, if someone paid up front, but that rarely happened.
“Is there any record of someone renting one for the last twenty years?” I asked.
“Don’t be absurd; our records don’t go back that far,” the manager laughed while looking at me like I was an idiot.
