I counted my blessings that I’d avoidedanother lip-locking session with him.
Ace shut the door behind me.“Period-appropriate clothing and full immersion studying, huh?” Hetsked. “The lies you teens come up with these days.”
I shrugged. “He’s creative, you have to givehim that.”
“We had eyes on you until you entered thesubway. What happened? Where did you go? We worried when you didn’tget on the train.” We headed for the kitchen. Halluis came in theback door and winked at me, but said nothing. He’d seen thelip-lock, obviously.
“Yeah, well, Viktor had different plans forme. He—” I spotted Jeremy, leaning on one wall in the kitchen. Myface flushed as I remembered how his handsome face had filled mymind when Viktor kissed me. For some reason, I found I didn’t wantto mention the kiss in front of him. “He…was waiting for us when wegot to the platform. He, uh, wanted to give me a ride home.”
“Thus the text.” Ace chuckled. “What’s thematter, don’t you want some lip action with that fine young man?”He opened the fridge and pulled out some milk. “Anyone else wantsome cereal while we debrief?”
“Cereal? Really?” Halluis said. “What is itabout you and cereal in the middle of the night?”
“When no pizza is available, cereal hits thelate-night spot.” He grabbed some cereal and headed for thetable.
Halluis grabbed some bowls and spoons.“Well, it’s disgusting to listen to someone eat cereal when youaren’t. So I guess we’re all in. And the ruse to get the bug on hisphone was genius. Way to go.”
“I’m stuffed,” I said. “I’m the one who’sgot to fill you all in anyway. But yeah, great job on the bug.It’ll be nice to know who he’s talking to and when. Is it alreadyonline?” I leaned my elbows on the table.
Ace pulled out his phone and after punchingsome keys, he said, “Not yet. I wonder why?”
“Give it a bit, it has a lot of muck to getthrough.” I chuckled.
Jeremy still hadn’t said anything. Ifurrowed my brow. I would have thought congratulations were inorder—I’d pulled off the evening with flying colors. Didn’t thatmerit a word of praise from my mission leader?
I related all that had happened, minus themake-out session, and how Viktor was certain he could get me intothe family dinner at his uncle’s house. “If I can get into his homeoffice, I can find his files, maybe some paperwork. He’s likely tokeep his paperwork close to him, right?”
“It’s a good place to start, in any case,”Halluis said. “We’ve got to rule the house out, may as well be youthat does it since there’s no getting in there day or night withoutsome in. It’s a well-guarded fortress.”
“Good thing you’re so great at sneakingaround without being caught,” Jeremy said.
I bristled. “What does that mean?”
Jeremy shrugged. “You’re just good at whatyou do, that’s all I’m saying.”
“Oh. Thank you,” I said hesitantly. I couldhave been imagining it, but I thought I’d heard a tone ofaccusation in his voice. I tried to shake it off—why would Jeremybe upset? I’d done my job, and I’d done it well. It was only myridiculous imagination that was making me think that he might bejealous. He probably didn’t even know about the kiss, and if hedid, why should he care? I fought back a flush of embarrassment atthe realization that maybe that was exactly what I wanted. For himto care.
“We’ll try to get some guards distractedwhile you work. Fireworks or something. The intel on the uncletells us that these family dinners last a good hour before theystart to break up and head into the sitting room. I think your bestopportunity would be twenty minutes into dinner.”
Ace pulled up the uncle’s house plans. Onelook and I had the plans memorized. Luckily, the bathroom was onlythree doors down from Alexander’s office. I knew it was a long shotthat anything to do with the stolen cars would be there, butHalluis was right, it was the best chance we had and totallynecessary to eliminate. I also knew that if I’d refused Viktor’skisses, my chances of getting an invite to the dinner diminishedquite a bit.
The plans for the next two days were set,and as my brain became fuzzy and my yawns could no longer bestifled, I headed to bed. This would be another four-hour sleepnight. I wouldn’t be full force tomorrow. Five hours is what Ineeded, but I’d make it work.
***
I surprised myself when I beat my alarmwaking up. I showed up at the auto shop at the school five minutesearly. S-Dub taught me some more bratva insider tricks to stealsome of the cars that had supposedly unbeatable alarm systems. Iknew from being a part of Division that nothing was unbeatable—Ijust didn’t know other groups proved that point also. When I walkedout, I was greeted by an eager Viktor, who scooped me up into ahug, kissing my cheek as he did. I found myself looking around forCarson and Jericho. It was stupid. Did it really matter what theythought?
“You looking for someone?” Viktor asked, noworry in his voice.
“Oh, no, I was just hoping I didn’t forgetanything after that awesome night last night.”
“It’s crazy, even though I didn’t get a lotof sleep, it wasn’t hard to get up at all. Not at all. And Irealized why as I drove to school this morning. It’s because I knewI’d get to see my girl and get a bit of action.”
His breath was minty and he moved in for thekiss, but I turned my head and said, “Yeah, I woke before my alarmclock.” Sure, it had nothing to do with him, but the admission fitso nicely into what he’d said, I couldn’t resist.
His smile broadened, and he kissed my nose.Some kids walked by us and into the school. I heard whispers andchuckles as they passed. I pulled back from him. “I am reallyexcited to see you—I’m just not a big fan of PDA. I hope you canunderstand that.” I had this terrible thought that he would beholding me and kissing me throughout the day. I couldn’t stand thatidea.
