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Trust Director Sakamoto to underline the ‘cult’ in Occultech. She’d claimed that it was how the corpo started, after all.
“You must have a reason for calling, Director,” Morrow said patiently.
Sakamoto zipped back to the present, her gaze focusing on him even as her image went on its weird rotation, the hologram slowly pacing its way through a three-sixty turn.
“Oh, of course. We have an update on the whole Happy-Loki situation, and I’ll need you to inform Frost, pronto, because — oh. Hello there, Frost.”
Her hologram had spun to face me at just the right time, a quizzical look on her face as she scanned what she could see of my body. Her eyes darted left, then right as she took in my apartment.
“Huh. I thought there was something different about your apartment, Morrow.”
He cleared his throat. I threw him a puzzled look.
“She calls you at home?” I muttered under my breath.
He threw me a warning glare, as if it was any surprise that this woman who understood neither human sleep cycles nor the concept of personal space would hesitate to call her subordinates at any time of day.
“I see that the two of you have been spending more time together,” Sakamoto said, the tone of her voice suspiciously even. “That is most commendable. Why, I’ve read that knowing the ins and outs of your peers can be most beneficial for a working relationship. Especially the ins.”
“So good to hear from you, Director,” I stammered, cutting her off before she went off on a ramble about human insides. “What was it you wanted to tell us about Happy, Inc.?”
“Yes, of course. It seems that Alexandra Thorpe — that is to say, Loki — does indeed pay their employees well, though not enough to guarantee the tightest lips. It appears that a hefty supply of Happy Links charms are sequestered in a warehouse somewhere in the city. The boys in surveillance are tracking down the precise coordinates as we speak.”
“That’s outrageous,” I said.
Somehow I hadn’t considered the possibility, mostly operating on the likelihood that the charms were being trucked or flown in from somewhere else. A different city, or wherever they were being manufactured. But now that we knew Paralumen was helping Loki with the charms, it all made sense.
“There’s something we do have to report to you, Director,” Morrow said.
He told her about the attack at the Black Market. The sour-lemon pucker that took over Sakamoto’s face said everything we needed to know.
“So this self-styled goddess is still in the city, and she’s helping Loki create these things? All the more reason to strike now.”
“Now?” I blurted. “You want us to attack the warehouse?”
“Tonight,” Sakamoto said. “The sooner, the better. Lest you forget, gentlemen — a full moon is approaching.”
I chewed the side of my thumb. “And we’ll be getting plenty of backup at the warehouse, right? A squad of field agents? Some Occultech gadgets? Um. Doris, at least?”
“Terrible idea,” she said, waving her hand again. “The reason you’re striking at night is to take them by surprise. The smaller the team, the better, to attract as little attention as possible. A quick operation, in and out. You two would know all about ins and outs, wouldn’t you?”
In my peripheral vision I could see Morrow’s ears burning bright. I rushed to fill the awkward silence.
“Again, Director, maybe you have some tech to lend us that will help. Some top-secret Occultech super weapon, maybe.”
Her hands that we couldn’t see slammed on her desk, her imaged vibrating from the wave of power that pulsed throughout her office.
“Who told you about that? There are no secret super weapons at Occultech.”
‘Weapons,’ plural. Of course. No chance she was going to let two lowly grunts borrow some deadly prototype, even if one of those grunts happened to be one of her favorite field agents. Still, it was worth a shot.
“Not to worry,” she added. “I’ll be there to lend my support. Ah, in spirit, that is.”
I frowned. Sakamoto’s idea of working support for a mission meant loudly announcing her master plan over a PA system, or making video calls with the most awkward timing, or barking orders through one of her terrifying ocular drones.
“Yay,” I said weakly. “Good to know, Director.”
“I’ll update you just as soon as I receive the coordinates. So. The two of you look quite cozy. I see the conquered remains of a lovely meal on the table. Quite the lunch date you’ve had today. I wonder if you shared a lovely breakfast, too.”
