Rei
Lisa stretched out on the floor beside Rei.
They were in the bedroom that had been cut in half for the secret room and behind the closed door that cut the condo into two sections.
Ellisandre’s security was manning the living room and kitchen, with access to the primary bedroom and bathroom, which left Lisa and Rei with the two rooms and bathroom in the back half.
Even though they weren’t under orders to be silent, making noise felt wrong. “Still working?”
Rei nodded and rubbed his eyes. The data he and Sevastyan had been building was good scaffolding, but they needed a lot more to make sure a full strike was going to be effective.
It would be easier if he could be out in the world, or even send Sevastyan to gather on-the-ground intelligence on some of what he was looking at. “I don’t want to miss anyone.”
“Even if you miss one, the head will be cut off,” Lisa said. “You have so many.”
Rei grunted. Too many. He pushed the computer away.
He’d been staring at monsters and their allies for hours now and he needed to remember that something else existed.
He settled on the ground next to Lisa. Sevastyan was spoiling them.
He’d bought faux fur rugs. They were soft and padded.
He rubbed his face on the white strands of fluff. “Hungry?”
“No.” Lisa shook his head. “You?”
Rei pulled a face. “Maybe in a while.”
“Bad stuff?”
Rei shrugged.
Lisa offered his hand and Rei took it. They tangled their fingers together.
“He’ll be back,” Lisa said.
“I know.” Rei squeezed Lisa’s fingers. “Want to practice English?”
Lisa groaned but rolled to face him.
Rei kissed Lisa’s nose. “Alice only speaks English. And she’s going to be in your combat and shooting lessons with Ellisandre.”
“Fine. How do you say ‘I don’t want to fuck?”