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“You’re ridiculous,” I muttered to myself, climbing under the covers.
8
TYPHON
Rather than on my way to join my parents, brothers, and sister in the Cotswolds, or to my house on the ocean in Portugal for a quiet Christmas, I’d been summoned to the command center in Shere for a meeting with Margeaux “Nemesis” Jordan.
She hadn’t even had the courtesy to ring herself and ask. She’d foisted it off on Oleander.
The only positive thing about being in Surrey last night was that I’d be able to see Kima. When we last spoke, she’d said there was too much going on for any of the task force members to take a holiday.
What I should’ve done was refuse to meet with Nemesis and insist Kima come to London. From there, I could’ve taken her to my family’s Christmas gathering. It wouldn’t have been the first time, and I was sure they’d all love to see her.
By the time I pulled through the gates of the command center, my mood was foul.
I stalked inside and was met by Nemesis. “I’ll speak with Oleander first before I meet with you,” I said, spotting her on the other side of the room.
“But, Oleander is a member of?—”
I leaned in. “Unit 23, and you’d do well to remember it. She is here, assisting with your investigation, only because I agreed to it as a courtesy. Do not push me, Agent Jordan.”
I left her standing with her mouth open and motioned for Oleander to follow.
“What was that about?” she asked once we entered the first room I’d come to, went inside, and locked the door.
“The coalition commander needs a lesson in rank.”
“Is that all this is, you showing her who’s boss?”
I took a step forward. Today was not the day. My anger sat too close to the surface as it was. “Watch it, Smith. I put up with shit like that from one person: my younger sister, who you are not. I am your boss, and you’d do well to remember it.”
“Apologies, sir.”
When I didn’t catch a hint of sarcasm or disrespect, I nodded. “The reason I asked to speak with you was to pass on intel Unit 23 received.”
“Go on.”
“You asked me about Ambassador Godwin.”
Oleander nodded. “Correct. He showed up on the scene when Bexli Everdeen was rescued, saying Xavier Vella worked for him at the US Embassy in Malta.”
“Then he harbored Vella in the time before he killed Mithras.”
“That’s right,” said Oleander.
“According to Antaeus, the Maltese have been trying to get rid of him for years.”
“Poseidon’s father said close to the same thing.”
I recalled something about him being an ambassador as well, but I didn’t want to get sidetracked by it.
“You asked if I knew why Godwin left Malta and returned to the US. He’ll be arrested and indicted on a number of charges within the next few days,” I told her.
“Do you intend to pass this information on to Nemesis?”
“I haven’t decided yet.” When I smiled, she did too. “I’m glad you haven’t moved over to the dark side yet.”
She chuckled. “Most say Unit 23 is the dark side.”