Fire and Ice - Anne Stuart [1]
“Maybe the Russians haven’t heard. Maybe they’ve moved on to other things, but our intel is spotty. Either way, I’m not about to take a chance. We’ve lost too many operatives to risk it. Besides, I’m rather fond of your cousin.”
“So am I. I also think he could hold his own against half-a-dozen retired Russian operatives,” Reno said.
“Probably. But we’re not going to find out. They stay hidden until we know it’s safe. You got that?”
Reno didn’t respond, changing the subject instead. “How is Mahmoud doing?”
“Fine,” Peter said gloomily. “I’m supposed to bring home a Play Station Three. The kid’s a ruthless, soulless assassin, so Genevieve’s plan is to get him blowing up virtual heads instead of real ones. No thanks to you.”
Reno laughed, heartlessly. “I’ll give you a list of games.”
“Christ,” Peter grumbled.
Reno looked around him. “So why don’t we move the offices in here? There’s plenty of room. Or even better, why don’t I move in?”
“For the same reason we’re out of Kensington. It’s been compromised, and so has this place. The house in Golders Green will be fine for the time being.”
Reno made a rude noise.
“You don’t like it, you can come out to Wiltshire and stay with us,” Peter said.
Reno could imagine just how much Peter would like that, and he was almost tempted to accept the invitation, just to annoy him. But then he’d have to put up with Genevieve’s mothering, and at twenty-seven he had no more need of a mother than he’d had at seven. He did very well on his own.
There was a muffled sound of an electronic beep, and Peter yanked out his PDA, staring at the incoming text message. “Shit,” he said. He looked at Reno, who was doing a piss-poor job of hiding his curiosity. “We’ve got trouble.”
If it wasn’t the first time Peter had come up with the word we, it was close to it. “What’s up?”
“We’ve got word from one of our informants in America. It’s about your cousin.”
Reno froze, dead serious now. “You said they were safe.”
“They are. Even I don’t know where they’ve gone. That’s the problem. Taka’s sister-in-law, Jilly, decided to make a surprise visit. So while Taka and Summer are somewhere safe, hiding out, the girl could be walking straight into danger. And I don’t have anyone to send in….”
“I’m going.” Reno’s voice was flat, implacable.
“You can’t. You were kicked out of Japan for the time being—”
“My grandfather kicked me out, not the government. I can go back anytime. The Toussaints are back on their mountain, half your operatives are dead or missing. I’m your only real choice.”
“Are you asking my permission?” Peter said.
“Fuck, no. I’m going. You can send someone else but they’ll just get in my way.”
“I don’t have anyone else to send and you know it. I still haven’t heard what happened to MacGowan.”
Reno nodded. “So it’s up to me. How long ago did Summer’s sister leave?”
“They’re not quite sure.” He took a long look at Reno. “I think Taka wanted to be very sure you didn’t get anywhere near his wife’s sister.”
“Taka wants a lot of things. He thinks he knows best. Right now he’s gone, and there’s no one else. You try to stop me and I’ll kill you.”
“I doubt it,” Peter said. “And I don’t think you want to waste time trying. I’ll see to transport for you. Not that I approve, but trying to stop you will take too much time. I’ll send backup as soon as I figure out who’s left alive.”
“I don’t need backup.”
“I’ll send backup,” Peter said.
But Reno was already gone. Out into the late winter night, into the ice-cold city. London was at its darkest in the last few weeks before spring came, and during the months he’d lived there it had never once felt like