Chapter 4
brADLEY
In the so-called interview room, I considered my life choices, which were, by any stretch of the imagination, poor.
If I had stayed in the family business, in all likelihood, my only interactions with MEA would have been through fundraisers and if Elaine had ever decided to make dating an MEA agent her preferred method of rebellion.
As it was, there were few options if the MEA didn’t believe me.
As a humble researcher, I had no experience in whatever was necessary to stop a man like JA Williams from his intended goal of—well, of doing what, exactly?
Something sinister involving the Hive, clearly.
I doubted any of my friends would assist me, either.
Without any expertise in fighting or theft or law enforcement, I wasn’t sure what my options were. I doubted JA Williams would stop even if I offered him a lot of money—Father’s favorite attack strategy.
I was so wrapped up in my thoughts that I didn’t notice until the door swung open that my fellow detainee was back. A flush rose on my cheeks.
Well, so much for my hope that it had been adrenaline or shock that had made him seem so appealing. No, he was most definitely a very attractive man. Not that he’d be interested in me. Hunky treasure hunters and smugglers weren’t interested in me.
They all had equally gorgeous girlfriends, likely one in every city they visited. No. I needed to focus on the larger threat.
When my cellmate returned, he settled back on his seat and regarded me as though he could see deep into my soul, see the very heart of all of my inadequacies, and he wasn’t sure that he liked them.
“So…” my cellmate said. “What’s your name?”
It wasn’t a question so much as a demand. I raised my chin. “Bradley Brooks. You?”
“Griffin Gallows.” He raised an eyebrow. “Did you get electrocuted while I was out?”
“No.” I sniffed. Although it had been a close thing on my return to the room. No one here seemed to be listening to me. Granted, it was rare for anyone to listen to me in the first place, but it was particularly egregious when all I was trying to do was save us all—
“Any Hive show up and eat a bunch of babies while I was drinking MEA’s shitty excuse for coffee?” Griffin asked.
I felt myself freeze. It wasn’t the first time. It wasn’t even the hundredth time. I wasn’t sure why I always held out hope that someday someone wouldn’t go for the easy joke.
“You know they never ate babies,” I said, more tired than anything. “Although I suppose we’ll find out soon enough if my theories are correct. For all we know, they do eat children as appetizers.”
“Yeah, well, be sure to let me know when they show up. Anything to beat the boredom of MEA lockup.” He smirked, and something inside me clenched.
God, he was handsome. No, remember the countless girlfriends from his various ports of call, doing all sorts of illegal crimes and likely stealing artifacts from their historical countries of origin. Probably fighting other treasure hunters…
“Mr. Gallows,” I said. “If what you say is true, you’re a retrieval expert. A man of… abilities, would you say?”
Both of his eyebrows went up. “Abilities?” Griffin drew out the word. “Sure. I have plenty of abilities. Abilities coming out my ears. What abilities are you looking for exactly?”
I looked around, suddenly aware that the room was likely being monitored. “What I’m more concerned about is whether or not you’re interested in a job.”
Raising both of my eyebrows, I tried to explain to him with just a look what I needed, but I felt ridiculous. With my eyebrows raised, head tilted, I wasn’t sure what I looked like, but he smirked at me.
“I’m sorry, are you asking me if I want a job?” His smirk indicated that he thought I was propositioning him.
“No!” My voice was too loud, and he reared back from the sound. I modulated myself. “No. There is something I need… retrieved. And people who will probably be opposed to me… retrieving the thing I need retrieved.”
The more I spoke, the more ridiculous it sounded. I could practically hear Elaine cackling, see her holding her stomach. She likely would have already wrapped Griffin around her pinkie while I was sitting here, blathering on like a fool.
“You need something retrieved.” Griffin gestured around the room. “It doesn’t seem like I have any other options, and if you can pay me…”
He trailed off, the implication clear. Part of me was so relieved, I almost agreed without asking anything else. But then, I wouldn’t have been Father’s son if I did that.
“How much?” I asked.
“Well, that depends on what you want done.” He stared at me, his eyes calculating as I shifted uncomfortably in my seat.
“My normal retainer is twenty thousand. Each day I work, I earn a thousand. That gets you recon, planning, and normal retrieval.” His smirk was so taunting, I almost called it off.
“For anything not on the menu, that’s extra. ”
“And what isn’t on the menu?” I asked.
His eyebrows waggled suggestively, and I thought about his initial proposition. He must have been joking. Surely he was mocking me. This was most definitely going to end in him laughing at me. Likely accompanied by finger pointing and an audience of the rest of the agents.
Haha, Bradley, you thought a man as intriguing and attractive as him would be interested in you.
I shook myself, realizing that Griffin had been speaking while I’d been picturing a taunting straight out of a high school rom-com.
“…and then there was a time in Pakistan where I had to dress up as a Russian oligarch, and that was fun, but there’s only so much vodka I can drink before my stomach lining gives out. Anyway, the portal disk was worth it in the end—”
“I’m sorry,” I interrupted. “Did you say a portal disk?”
“Well,” Griffin said. “I’d never go into details about a previous client…”
He clearly wanted me to ask for more information about the job, but I couldn’t help focusing on what was really important.
“Did it use an Albert link, or was it even older than that? Albert hypothesized that any pre-Edwardian magic would have to be powered by some form of portable magic, like a battery, but no one has ever been able to confirm it, because no one wants to admit they have a portal disk.” I huffed in annoyance.
“I understand they’re illegal, but honestly, you’d think someone would see the academic and research value of turning one over! ”
Griffin stared at me, his head tilted. “You know, when I was running from the four angry guys with ensorcelled guns, I wasn’t exactly paying attention to the spell work.”
I huffed out an annoyed sigh. “And I suppose that your client wouldn’t be willing to turn it over in order to answer one of the greatest magical mysteries of our time?”
For a second, Griffin appeared to be choking. When he was finally able to breathe, he said, “No. My point is that anything not on the menu costs extra.”
“Wait, was dressing up as the oligarch what cost extra, or was it the men with guns?” Because I imagined that there would be lots of guns involved.
Or… I wasn’t exactly sure what weapons JA Williams’ goons had been carrying, but they were most definitely unpleasant, and I wasn’t about to assume that anything was off the table with him.
“Everything,” Griffin said. “That whole job was off the menu, including the illegal artifact, which I most definitely turned in to the authorities anonymously.”
He said the last so loudly and with an obvious effort to look around and make sure that whoever was listening had heard him.
“Ah.” I cleared my throat. “Yes, I’m sure it all ended… aboveboard.”
“Anyway, do we have a deal?” He raised his eyebrow in challenge, as though I wouldn’t have the gumption and money to employ him.
Gumption I had in spades. Money, unfortunately…
“Yes.” I extended my hand, and he clasped it firmly. “Now, let’s get out of here.”
I straightened my clothes as much as possible given the wrinkles and walked to the door. Careful not to touch it, I called out, “Hello? I’d like to make my phone call.”
By the time Father’s lawyers had spoken with MEA, including the commander whose name I still didn’t know, they were more than ready to release both Griffin and me on our own recognizance.
The commander glared at me as we walked out, and Griffin, to my astonishment, stepped forward, blocking her view of me. I blinked, surprisingly touched by the protectiveness. Out on the street, I shook Lambert’s hand. Lambert, Lambert & Scott had been my father’s lawyers since before I was born.
I found myself chagrined that anyone from their firm had seen me in such a state. Previously, it had only been Elaine that had ever needed their services, and with her it was always for going over contracts or arranging some merger.
“Thanks for coming, Lambert,” I said.
“Of course. We’ll follow up with MEA, but they didn’t have the evidence to hold you, and, as we weren’t present at your initial interview, we’ll make sure that anything you said would be considered given under duress.
Judges tend to frown on that.” Lambert walked down the stairs, his driver holding open the door of his town car.
“So,” Griffin said. He was examining the envelope full of personal items that MEA had returned to him. A duffel with airplane tags still attached was resting next to his leg. “What’s the job? And where’s my retainer?”
“Yes.” I tried to smile. It was nearly midnight. Surely everyone would be asleep at this hour.
We could take a cab, if I had the funds…
“Master Bradley,” a voice called out.
From the expression on Griffin’s face, he was too amused to care that I felt exactly like a small child caught with a shattered cookie jar and crumbs all over my face.
Wincing, I turned slowly to see Nathan, standing still as he held the door to the Rolls Royce open pointedly. When I didn’t move, he raised both eyebrows nearly to his gray hairline. “Your father wants a word.”