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“Either I tell A-branch, or we have to go with SOP on medium-transmitted testimony.”
“Which is jack-fucking-all,” I pointed out.
Raj nodded in agreement. “Get me something some other way, then,” he said.
“Isn’t that your job?” I asked him irritably.
“We’re both drowning here, Hart,” he pointed out. “You haven’t gotten me anything else on Shelby I can work with.”
I made a face.
“That’s not all the bad news, though.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake, what else?” As though the idea of the Antiquus Ordo Arcanum being a national organization—which is what this sounded like—wasn’t shitty enough news for one night.
“These shifter kidnappings.”
“You’ve got more of those, too?” I knew I sounded incredulous, but multiple cases focused on Nid victims that crossed state lines at the same time… it was bad. Very bad. Like going back to civil rights era riots and mob violence and KKK bad. I made a note to check the official stance of the KKK on Arcanids, because I didn’t know—although I could guess. The kind of people who hate someone for their skin color are absolutely the kind of people who would hate someone for their magic or their fangs or hooves or fur.
“DMV area only so far,” Raj answered.
I sighed, leaning my head back against the couch. “So far,” I repeated. “Fuck.”
“I don’t want it to spread any farther, either, Hart. Right now, we’ve got possible matches in Baltimore, DC, Falls Church, and Richmond. It could all be concentrated locally.”
“I buy that for the first three,” I told him, given the fact that Baltimore and Falls Church were practically on top of DC. “But why the fuck did they come down here?” Richmond was another two hours south, assuming you didn’t run into traffic on 95, which you absolutely would if it wasn’t three in the goddamn morning, and that could turn two hours into four, easy.
“That’s a good question I don’t know the answer to,” Raj replied, running his hand through his hair.
“Ugh.” I glared at my piece of extra cheesy pizza. I hated this shit. Not the pizza. I loved pizza, and the more cheese, the better. I didn’t want to be in the center of a cross-state conspiracy to kidnap and kill shifters, and I really didn’t want to have to worry about two different organizations targeting Arcanids.
“You know these cases better than anyone,” Raj said, then. “Do you think there’s any chance we’re looking at a new MO from this Ordo group?”
I shook my head. “I suppose it’s possible, but I wouldn’t bet on it. The Ordo hates all Arcanids—including vamps. I also can’t see them making an exception just to take out shifters when they’ve got a tried and true method already.”
Raj made a soft thrumming sound in the back of his throat. “But you did just arrest most of the Virginia branch of the Ordo. Maybe they’re getting desperate.”
Beside us, Anubis whined loudly. We both turned to look at him.
“There’s something you want to tell us, isn’t there?” Raj asked him.
Chuff.
“This isn’t gonna be a fun yes or no question, is it, bud?” I asked.
A soft growl.
“Didn’t fucking figure.” I sighed and took another bite while I tried to figure out the appropriate angle to start questioning. Raj followed my example, eating another slice.
Anubis ignored his pizza, staring at me with his mismatched eyes.
“Okay, bud,” I started. “Let’s try it this way. Do you know the name of the organization that kidnapped you?”
Growl.
“Okay. Um. Were you taken from Richmond?”
Growl.
