Page 104 of Black and Brown

When the waiter returned to refill Mirage’s glass of dessert wine, a feeling of dangerous energy rolled down Grace’s back.

It wasn’t their regular server.

This guy was handsome. His eyes were a startling green, and his skin was the color of sun-warmed honey with rich caramel undertones.

He didn’t wear a polite waiter’s smile. Rather, his cut jaw was clenched tight, and subtle freckles sprinkled his cheeks.

The new server wore a crisp white shirt and brown instead of black slacks. He approached cautiously, his rich moss-colored eyes fixed on Grace.

It was Zelmir Benton.

Their mark lurking right there in plain sight.

Neither he nor Mirage made a move as they watched Zelmir lean in to fill Mirage’s glass before he slipped a folded note onto the edge of the table.

He turned and disappeared back into the kitchen as Mirage took the note and read the four words scribbled inside.

Whispering Pines Park. Now.

Mirage crumpled the note and shoved it into his pocket.

Grace dropped ten one-hundred-dollar bills on the table, got in front of Mirage, and the two of them left out the side door.

“This is who we think it is, yes?” Mirage whispered, his warm breath brushing the back of his neck.

“I’m sure of it,” Grace answered. “The Greens came to us. Locate Ex and Meridian”

Mirage

Mirage and Grace walked through the familiar gates of Whispering Pines Park.

They walked single file on the narrow path, past the bench and small lake half-covered with large lily pads.

Zelmir was several yards in front of them, walking at a brisk pace as he led them farther into the towering pine and birch trees.

He now wore an olive-green hoodie that swallowed his taut frame and brown khakis.

After a few more minutes of follow the leader, a wide clearing opened, and Zelmir disappeared behind the thick base of a centuries-old oak tree. It was the last they saw of him.

Unless this was fucking Narnia, Zelmir was hiding there, probably with someone at his side protecting him.

The open space was littered with half-inch-deep pine needles and maple leaves.

He and Grace sped up until four sleek projectiles sliced through the air before plunging into the ground less than a foot in front of them.

Shock waves from the arrows entering the ground sent surges of energy up Mirage’s calves.

Grace didn’t take another step.

Mirage flicked four blades from within his sleeves at the same time Grace drew his Berettas. It was enough firepower to tear away large pieces of tree trunks.

The thirty-inch-long arrows were a clear warning for them to stop.

“That’s far enough.”

The voice coming from the depths of the trees was deep, each syllable echoing with a unique timbre. It sounded like the words weaved in and out of the rustling leaves before reaching them.

Mirage had better than perfect vision, and so did Grace, but if the Greens were in the dense trees, the many hidden corners provided the ideal cloak.