My team had gathered in the meeting room. Frank van der Veldt was there as well to oversee it and keep Markus informed. I'd already sent someone to pay one of the waiters to drop a bug near where Eliza and Rick were going to sit. Bar and restaurant staff usually were willing accomplices as they were always in need of some extra cash. We had sussed out beforehand who would be reliable and suitable people and done a few practice runs, which all were carried out successfully. Everyone knew what their task was, but best case scenario we wouldn't have to do much, but observe. I sincerely hoped that would be the case, but my gut feeling told me not to be complacent.
I gave Eliza the tracker.
“Swallow this." I ordered.
She looked apprehensive but looked for some water to swallow it down with. It wasn't going to be the most pleasant feeling, but it had to be done this way.
“It's the most secure way. The only drawback is that it obviously has a time limit as it will pass through your system."
She nodded with comprehension.
“Tell me your signal in case you want to bail out.” I checked.
"If I say I need the Ladies, you will start the emergency extradition procedure immediately, no matter what." she answered dutifully.
I grabbed Eliza's chin and made her look straight into my eyes, clearly giving her the chills.
“If you feel at any time things are going out of control or you notice anything suspicious, or feel in danger, you must use that signal. Do you understand? That's an order." urging her to understand the importance.
“Yes Sir." she said determinedly, but I knew she would do anything to avoid that from happening. She wanted to succeed this evening and I fucking well hoped she wouldn't be reckless enough to put herself in danger.
CHAPTER 43
On our way to The King's Arms, I could still feel the tracker making its way down my gullet and gave myself a little rub. It was larger than a normal capsule so it had been quite difficult to swallow, and nearly made me gag. Just as well I was used to taking lots of pills. Though, the sick feeling could also be down to nerves, as I was nervous as hell.
I could still feel Zack's hand on my chin, his eyes only inches away from mine, issuing a stern warning. It had given me goose bumps all over. I hoped, undoubtedly in vain, that he hadn't noticed but now was not the time to ponder over these things. I had got to focus on the task in hand.
The plan was to ease into the conversation, suss out his vibes and then hit him straight out with the question about his involvement, to catch him off guard, then gauge his reaction. It had sounded straight forward when we discussed it, but I could see all sorts of pitfalls. What if he wasn't relaxed and was suspicious already? I knew we had discussed several scenarios, but none of them were ideal. Zack also relied on my improvisation skills a little too much in my opinion, but he seemed super confident in them. I just hoped it was going to go as planned so those skills weren't going to be tested.
I took a taxi as it was safer not to be seen with any of the Sensorians, who'd all made their own way to their stations. I walked over to the entrance, taking a few deep breaths to steady myself. I was a little early, but decided to go in anyway. Rick may be there already. I was totally bricking it, but trusted Zack to have thought through any scenario to ensure my safety. I just hoped I could get the information out of Rick and that I wasn't putting him in danger. I was worried the organisation my father was working for, whether it be voluntarily or not, had got wind of my existence and that would be bad news. They could in theory use me as extra leverage to make Rick do what they wanted even more.
I glanced over to the bar and spotted Rick immediately. His head turned instantly towards the door when I opened it and he lifted his hand to attract my attention. I walked over, having to work on tuning out my senses very hard. I still wasn't used to all the sensory signals that people in public spaces emitted, especially in crowded places. Rick must have sensed my struggle as he walked up to me and gave me a hug. I hoped he just put it down to nerves.
“How are you doing Eliza?" he asked as he looked me over.
“You look..." he seemed to be looking for the right words. “...so grown up!”
I sensed pride and sadness at the same time. I was hit by the intensity of his scent once again. The bond was evident and hard to ignore. It made me want to snuggle into his hug, but instead I pushed him slightly away. I had to stay focussed and not get befuddled with emotions.
“Okay. Thank you.”
I smiled a little.
“Have you been here long?" I asked awkwardly.
He shook his head and smiled too.
“This is weird, isn't it?” he admitted.
He felt uneasy too, which I hadn't expected.
“Shall we find somewhere to sit? What would you like to drink?" he asked, taking the initiative.
“May I have a coke, please." I answered politely.
I wasn't going to have any alcohol tonight, although I could really do with some Dutch courage. It was against the rules, however. No drinking whilst on a mission. I was still under age anyway.
I went to find a suitable table whilst Rick fetched the drinks. I observed him whilst he walked back with a beer and a coke in his hand. I noticed again how handsome and charismatic this man was. I had already spotted four women's interest spike when he walked past.
I tried
