8. EMBEDDED #2
Not exactly a win. More like a temporary ceasefire no one believes in.
Tuesday Morning, Day 6
Even the morning light in the Luciano mansion feels expensive. It slides through those tall windows like it’s auditioning for an art film. Golden, soft, a little smug. The kind of light that whispers old money.
The Luciano mansion has been in their family for generations and it’s the only place that has ever been a real home to me. Enzo and Eva have been unwilling to make any changes to the design after losing their parents.
We sit in the kitchen debriefing last night over breakfast. Vaulted ceilings, a black marble island big enough to land a small aircraft, copper pots suspended like jewelry above the stove, every high-end appliance you can imagine. A space too grand for the only two Lucianos left.
“So, let me play this back,” Eva says, staring between us. “You tailed Pippa to a secret warehouse on the wrong side of town and in a plot twist none of us saw coming, my idol Luna Steele was there, and you uncovered some sort of vigilante assassin lair?”
“That’s the short version,” I answer.
“That’s the awesome version,” she says, grinning. “You’re telling me it’s three badass women out there cleaning up the trafficking scum who’ve evaded every major organization? Ours included. I love everything about this.”
Enzo shoots her a look as he deadpans, “They almost shot us.”
She waves a hand. “You did break into their warehouse. You two totally give ‘shoot first, ask questions later’ vibes. You can’t blame them.”
That gets a chuckle out of me. Eva is always keeping us entertained. “You’re way too excited.”
“Because it’s brilliant. They’re like modern-day superheroes. But even better, because they’re women!”
Enzo rolls his eyes. “I take this to mean you agree we should help them.”
She gives him a mock glare. “You’re not one to ask dumb questions, Enz.”
I raise an eyebrow at my best friend. “Pretty sure they made it clear they don’t want help from us.”
“Us as in you,” Eva corrects, setting down her coffee as she hops down from the counter. “They might be more open to someone who isn’t playing a double agent at the FBI or running a criminal empire. Or—more importantly—someone who isn’t a man.”
“Eva,” Enzo says, his tone serious, “they made it clear that we are not to approach them.”
On the drive home last night, I tried to get Enzo to open up to me about what he is thinking—about Pippa, about his offer to help them.
He said he needed more time and would talk in the morning.
I know him well enough to know pushing wasn’t going to get me anywhere.
So, he dropped me at home, and I headed here first thing.
“Yeah, but that’s because they don’t know how delightful I am yet.”
“You only want to work with them so you can finally meet Luna,” I say.
She smirks. “And what if I do?”
I laugh. “You’ve been obsessed with her since that paper you wrote about her in school.” Eva has had a not-so-secret crush on Luna for a while. I have had to warn her more than once they are not allowed to accidentally cross paths.
“I prefer the term professionally fascinated,” she quips.
We both give her disbelieving glances.
“What can I say? She’s so ahead of her time.
She’s everything the hacker world pretends it wants women coders to be but actually punishes them for.
It makes so much sense that she’s behind TruthDrop.
No one has ever tracked the sources. The media thinks it’s a large international group, but it’s just her.
I mean, I'm sure the other two help, but she’s obviously the tech-savvy branch of the whole operation. ”
Enzo mutters, “You sound like you’re writing her fan mail.”
“She’s one of the few people doing something real—not waiting for permission, not pretending the system works.”
“No one is under the illusion that the system works, E,” I say.
“E, let’s run a file on Jules Sinclair. Then, compile what you can find on Luna and Pippa with it. I don’t think they are going to take us up on our offer, but if they do, I want as much info as we can find.”
Eva perks up. “Enzo, you already told them we have clients that are on their hit list, right?”
“Right.”
“Good. Then we start there. Let’s offer to set up a meeting with a high-value client—someone they couldn’t easily access without us. You give the girls the name, the location, the setup, whatever they need, and then you get out of the way. Let them handle it however they choose.”
Enzo rubs his jaw, thinking. “It’s not the worst idea.”
“I know.” She grins. “What about Jonathan Vale? He’s been causing problems for our other clients ever since his son landed on Troy’s ticket. You said Troy was on their list, so this could be perfect.”
The suggestion lands heavily. Even the sunlight seems to dim a little. Jonathan Vale, father of the Vice President, advisor to world leaders, political kingmaker, and the kind of man who could make a phone call and ruin a life before breakfast.
“So, we open negotiations with offering them the father of the Vice President?” Enzo asks, incredulous.
“Relax. All we have to do is make the offer. See if it’s the olive branch they need.”
“Let’s pretend this isn’t a stupid idea—that it’s not the kind of plan that is likely to get us killed by Vale’s cronies. How exactly should we make that offer when they’ve specifically told us not to approach?” I ask.
“Last I heard, you and Luna still work together.”
Enzo and I scoff.
“It’s not like she can avoid you forever.”
I sigh, rubbing my temples where a dull headache is starting to form. “So, I ambush her at work. Which, let me remind you, is the FBI headquarters…and offer a chance for her and her friends to take out a golden goose? Someone too tempting to ignore.”
“Exactly!” Eva claps in excitement. “Even if she’s mad, she’ll realize what we are offering.”
“And what’s that? Besides our possible deaths?” Enzo retorts.
“A way to prove that we are in this with them, that we have skin in the game, and maybe a reminder that not everyone in this city is an enemy,” Eva says. She clearly knows she has us hooked.
I look at Enzo.
He gives a slight tip of his chin.
“Fine,” I say. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“How hard was it to admit I was right?” Eva teases.
Enzo and I both chuckle as we leave the kitchen.
I guess I’m going to find out if Luna Steele and I are still friends. That is, if she’s even willing to talk to me after last night.