“What are you two up to?”
Catriona giggled. “What?”
The sound of her mirth made Broch grin. He couldn’t stop it, as much as he wanted to appear tough and professional in front of the woman who seemed to be their new boss. He glanced at Catriona and she peeked at him.
Ah juist want tae grab her and steal her away.
Anne laughed. “You two are too much. Follow me.”
She walked past them to the garage where a man sat, legs dangling from the driver’s side of a black Range Rover. “This is Con. He’s—” Anne seemed at a loss to describe him and let her attempt die on the vine.
“Ready for the big time, boyo?” Con asked Broch, standing to entangle him with a bracing slap of an embrace. His accent was Irish and Broch stood his ground as their bodies bounced off each other’s. The Irishman seemed less excited to see him and more interested in testing his strength.
“Ah’m always ready.”
The glint in Con’s eye made him look more like a predatory cat than a man.
Anne slapped Con on the shoulder. “Dial it back a notch, will you?”
Con sniffed, winked at Catriona, and took his place in the driver’s seat.
Anne glanced at Catriona. “Men. It doesn’t matter what species or variation they are. They’re all about six years old.”
Broch grunted, unhappy to be lumped with Con. Catriona smiled at him and he melted.
Anne motioned to the SUV and moved around to take her place in the passenger seat while Broch and Catriona clambered into the back.
“Where are we going?” asked Catriona.
Anne twisted to talk while Con pulled out of the garage.
“Fiona’s being held in a house on the edge of West Hollywood. Rune and another man have been spotted entering and leaving.
“We’re goan tae rescue her?” asked Broch.
Anne nodded. “Hopefully. That’s the plan.”
“How do we know she isn’t just living there with them?” asked Catriona.
“We don’t. If she’s partnered with them, that’ll be plan B. But our scout said she rarely leaves the main living room, as if she can’t. When she does, she’s always got Rune with her.”
Catriona grunted and pulled her phone from her pocket to stare at it.
“Whit are ye doin’?” asked Broch.
“Sean said not to do anything dangerous without telling him, but I don’t want him trying to join us. You know he will.”
Broch imagined Sean’s panic at hearing their plans.
“Aye.”
“And I don’t want him to worry until we’re back...” She tapped on her phone and then slipped it back into her pocket. “Maybe I’ll just hold off.”
“Anne, is this dangerous?” asked Broch.
Anne nodded her head from side to side. “It could be. I’ll be honest, I was hoping to have the day to start your training.”
“Is there anything you can tell us now?” asked Catriona.
Anne grimaced. “We don’t really know the extent of their powers. We don’t know much about the man with Rune other than his name, Joseph Almas. But with Con and me both here, it should be more of a learning experience for you than anything. We should be able to handle the dirty work. I want you to see what we’re up against, but stay back.”
Broch looked at Catriona and she placed a hand on his knee.
“Just a training exercise,” she said.
He nodded, but he could feel his nerves jangling. Not for his own safety, but for Catriona’s.
To lose her now would be too much for him to bear.
***
They pulled to the curb on a residential street and Con cut the engine. Broch admired the man’s driving skills. The Irishman had remembered to flip on his turn signal at every intersection, something with which Broch struggled.
He still didn’t like him much, though.
Seems lik’ a troublemaker.
Anne pointed. “It’s the sixth house down; the yellow one. Con and I are going to knock on the door. They don’t know us. We’ll pretend we’re lost, looking for a friend’s house. You two find a spot across the street behind those cars there. Once we’re in, if you want to move in to see better ,you can, but be careful. Either way, we’ll let you know when it’s done.”
“When what’s done, exactly?” asked Catriona.
“We’re running with the assumption Joseph is an infected Kairos as well. We’re going to reboot him and Rune and extract Fiona.”
Catriona pressed her lips tightly and nodded slowly. “Okay.”
Anne frowned. “I know they’re family—”
Catriona was quick to shake her head. “I barely know them. What I do know of them, what memories I have, aren’t good.”
“Rune murdered her once,” added Broch, making a gun with his hand and pantomiming a shot. “Fiona stabbed me.”
“Nice family,” muttered Anne.
Whoops. Mebbe she doesnae want everyone tae ken that.
“And I thought my Da was rough,” mumbled Con. He looked at Anne and circled his finger in the air. “Let’s go, Red. Ah’ve got things to do.”
Anne looked at him, seeming exasperated. “Drinking whiskey by the pool isn’t things to do.”
“‘Tis in my book.” Con flashed Broch and Catriona a grin and with another trademark wink rolled out of the truck.
Catriona looked at Anne. “He seems...fun.”
Anne sighed. “Tons.”
Broch and Catriona exited the vehicle and met Anne outside.
The latter tapped Broch on the bicep, but locked her eyes on Catriona to say, “I’ll try and give you a sign when we have them. Maybe we can hold off syphoning them until we can test if you’re capable. This could be a great opportunity to explore your powers.”
Her gaze had locked on Catriona’s and Cat nodded. With that, Broch understood this training exercise was about his wife’s powers and not his own.
Mah wife.
He felt a wee trill of happiness dance up his spine.
Anne clapped her hands together. “Alright. Let’s go.”
