CENOTAPH

THE BLESSING OF CAUTERIZATION

TRIGGER WARNINGS

* ATTEMPT OF SEXUAL ASSAULT

* REMOVAL OF THE VILLAIN'S TOE

VEER

Back in their Casbah rented house, Jagger slammed the table. "That was a fucking mess!"

"Son of a bitch." Russo threw himself onto a purple sofa.

"That's why the motherfucker got killed before." Quinn kicked a large woven basket, scattering figs all over the mosaic floor. "He's fucking lucky I didn't have my sword with me."

Hollander drew out his pocket watch. "Guys, we have eight hours before transportation starts. If any of you want to get some shut-eye, this is the moment for it."

Five pairs of eyes landed on Veer.

"Are you all right, buddy?" Ramsey asked.

Veer rubbed his face with one hand and nodded, closing his eyes. He knew the night would be an unmitigated disaster the moment Bilodeau asked if he could take Quinn to his apartment as well. In theory, staying together seemed like a favorable start, but something about the situation hadn't sat well with Veer.

The thought of having Quinn around if he had to do things with their target was rather unnerving; still, he'd caught something disturbing in Bilodeau's eyes the moment the man suggested a threesome. The rain had stopped at some point while they were in the "strong" tent. Above them, a suddenly cloudless sky with one of the largest full moons Veer had ever seen seemed an ominous sign of things to come. They wandered through the deserted streets from the beach to a cluster of whitewashed buildings five to six stories high. Most of the privileged French bachelors lived in this area of Algiers. Bilodeau was married, but his wife was far more interested in the latest fashions of Paris (where she lived) than in her husband's efforts on this side of the planet.

The first alarm inside Veer went off the moment the two bodyguards accompanying them through the city (broad-chested men with thick handlebar mustaches and broken noses) stayed inside the room where Quinn, Veer, and Bilodeau had retreated to get acquainted. A different bodyguard duo had greeted them upon arriving to the apartment, but those ended up outside the entertainment room.

Bilodeau offered Quinn and Veer drinks. Both pretended to drink. The intake of powerful pills to counteract the effects of alcohol and most mind-altering drugs was standard mission practice, but they still avoided drinking or eating anything that came from a target if they could get away with it. Gramophone records with music very similar to that played at the club were quickly summoned, and before long, Bilodeau was undressing as Quinn and Veer danced.

Sitting in a high-backed chair (strikingly similar to the one Quinn had been sitting on when Veer arrived at the Casbah forty-eight hours earlier), Bilodeau ordered them to get close and remove each other's clothes as they kissed. They had put on coats to walk to the apartment, but they still wore nothing but their translucent genie pants and jewelry. They shouldn't have a problem out in the city as long as they were properly covered on their way back to their base, and their teammates should be strategically located nearby.

Quinn brushed his lips over Veer's and murmured, "It's all right. I'm here for you."

Not exactly the thing one'd say to a partner when they were about to start undressing each other for a mission. Veer kept telling himself this was for the greater good, that saving Bilodeau's life tonight would save thousands of lives during the war.

Nevertheless, Temptation whispered sibilantly— dripping arousing venom with each word, "Ah, deep inside you hoped for something like this to happen. You want his hands on you. You've dreamed of his hands on you, his lips, his body pressing against yours..."