Page 14 of After 5
One of Gian-Carlo’s other grandsons came into his power last year. With Toches and Caiyan joining the Mafusos, they were short two keys unless Gian-Carlo was continuing to travel—then they needed three.
Caiyan had traded his key and his vessel to Mitchell in order to save my life; however, Gian-Carlo was quick to confiscate it from Mitchell.
If it was true and Mortas was calling the shots, the WTF might have their hands full trying to figure out who is where. Mortas didn’t exactly play fair.
“Switching keys makes it difficult for us to find them in the past,” Jake said. “We can’t match the travelers with what Pickles sees.”
Pickles was the federation’s only seer, a time traveler with the gift to foresee the travelers’ decisions where they will jump when the portal opens. It was a rare gift and not one I envied.
“We’re not going to know which brigand to scout. It could be any of them,” Marco said.
“Yeah, a live shell game. You can’t tell which shell the pea, or in this case Caiyan, is under,” Tina added.
Gerry gave a snide chuckle, and I mentally flipped him the bird.
I agreed with Tina—if the Mafusos switched keys, they could give Caiyan any of the keys to travel with instead of his own, and we wouldn’t know where to find him. Since Mahlia was the Mafusos only transporter, if they transported him back without a key, it would have to be with Mahlia.
Brodie stroked his small beard. “Rogue doesn’t work with the Mafusos, but he went to the premiere of a Broadway musical. Damn wanker, I had to sit through an entire musical about a bunch of cats. Most disappointing trip of my life.”
Tina and Ace snickered. I tried to contain a laugh, but it escaped through my lips like a motorboat. The image of Brodie watching a musical was priceless. The guy literally turned green when we suggested any outings that included the arts, especially if singing was involved. Unless it included a guitar and a bar.
“I’m betting if they offered Rogue payment in exchange for a random travel, he’d take it,” Marco said. “I’m surprised they were able to track him down.”
If the payment were big enough, Rogue would oblige. A permanent end to Caiyan’s travels would make the stealthy brigand come out of hiding, I assumed, but didn’t share my thoughts. Caiyan was disliked enough at the moment.
“Why do you think they’re doing this?” I asked instead.
“My guess would be to throw us off track.” Jake rubbed his chin as he glanced up at the map displaying the places the brigands went this cycle. “There was no rhyme or reason for the choices they made, and there weren’t any violations to the code.”
“Wasn’t Toches arrested?” Gerry asked.
Jake explained the circumstances surrounding Toches’s ride to the WTF. He was still checking out the girl Toches saved, but he was coming up empty-handed.
I felt Gerry’s criticizing eyes on me for allowing them to think Toches was in custody.
“Where did Mortas go?” Tina asked.
“As far as we know, he didn’t jump this cycle,” Jake responded.
“He would have to wear the Thunder key if he jumped,” Gerry said. “No moron in his right mind would wear that key.”
Caiyan wore that key when he asked me to marry him.
“I’m more concerned about them dumping McGregor in the past and leaving him there.” Jake reflected what I held inside.
“How are we going to find out what Caiyan is trying to steal?” Tina asked. “It has to be something big.”
All eyes looked at me.
“I haven’t seen him.”
“You mean he’s gone all this time without getting any booty?” Gerry asked.
I narrowed my eyes at Gerry. “I told you. I haven’t seen him.”
“Maybe he’s unsatisfied, and he’s getting his tail somewhere else,” Gerry snickered.
I leapt over the table and lashed out at the dwarf, missing him by inches. Marco and Campy were both on their feet.
