Equal Opportunity Mercs

Chapter 4

The next day, Evelyn and Will set up a makeshift command center in the hotel room, with their own VPN, direct comms to Wilkeson in Japan and to the offices in Dallas, and a cache for the quick storage and dumping of intel. By the time Levi entered the shared space, their command center was already up and running.

"Where are the others?" Levi asked.

"They went out." Will leaned back in his chair. "Want some coffee? There's a fresh pot in the kitchen."

Levi frowned to himself, but he nodded and fetched himself a cup of joe while thinking on the problem. On one hand, going out to canvass the city had been his plan as well; he just would have preferred that the others not leave before him. On the other hand, if he allowed the team to do as they wanted, they would continue to take liberties, and potentially endanger the mission—or, more likely, endanger Levi himself.

He could be the bad guy now or he could be the bad guy later.

"I think I'm going to take a look around myself," Levi remarked casually as he returned to the command center, as if he hadn't spent most of the past night doing just that.

"You should, while you have the chance. I'm jealous," Will replied. "Bring me a souvenir or something, will you? For the hero who sat around watching computers compute."

"Sure. I'll get you something special," Levi drawled. "See you in a few. And let me know if something happens."

"Will do." Will gave a little salute and spun around on one leg of his chair. Somehow, he remained upright.

It wasn't difficult for Levi to guess where each of his team members had gone. His first stop was the capitol building, which happened to be a nearby skyscraper. All of the official buildings, including Fosterman's residence, were said to be within that single, soaring tower.

Qumenee was nothing if not beautiful. With the deep blue lagoon not far off, the crispness of the cool air, and the quiet but pleasant chatter of the locals around him, Levi could have fooled himself into thinking he was on vacation. The beaches were idyllic; the houses were neat and colorful, each placed by careful design. The trees were manicured with care. Even the government offices looked like they'd been pulled out of high-fashion travel brochures.

"Ayala," the lobby receptionist said to Levi, and Levi quickly wove a translation spell. At least here he didn't have to worry about being seen using magick; in fact, the use of it probably worked in his favor. He could seem more as if he was one of them.

"—I do for you?" the receptionist asked. Levi could now hear him in English. Unfortunately, the spell didn't make the words sync with the man's lips. Oh, well.

"I'm just looking for someone," Levi replied. Fortunately, he would look and sound as if he was speaking Almajoyese. "A business contact. Is there a restaurant or food court here?"

"Yes, sir. Keep going down this hallway and you'll run into it."

"Thanks." Levi gave a small bow and headed down the indicated hallway. Following a brief pit stop at a sushi stand, he crossed the broad open court to where Hector was sitting at a high table, watching the Antemystics come and go.

The man looked up from his swirly ice cream cone and scowled when he saw Levi.

"What the fuck, dude? Can't I eat in peace?"

"No," Levi replied. "Not when you're outside when—What even the fuck flavor is that?"

"It's lemon and strawberry," Hector sniffed. "And what's wrong with me being out here? I'm gathering intel."