ThenIdisconnect the tablet, shove it into my bag, and head out into the hallway.
“Tobias!”Elizasays when she sees me, all smiles. “Whatare you doing here?Wedidn’t have an appointment, did we?”
“Eliza,”Isay as ifI’menchanted to be in her presence. “Noappointment—Iwas hopingIcould see you and didn’t want to wait until tomorrow.Areyou possibly free to go get a drink?”
“Oh, aren’t you just a charmer.”Shereaches out andgives the lapel of my blazer a little tug, like maybe she’s thinking about yesterday when she saw me not wearing it and wants it off again.Thewoman has a bit of a cougar in her.Sure, the realTobiasis only six years younger than her, butI’ma full fifteen.Thenshe meets my eyes andIcan see regret in them. “Asmuch asI’dlove to,Ican’t today— every moment’s already accounted for.ButI’dlove to sometime after the auction tomorrow.”
“Ofcourse,”Isay then lift her hand and place a kiss on the back of it.
Shelets out a sound that is suspiciously like a giggle.Thismilitary-esque woman just giggled.Ireally hope the realTobiasflirts with her, too.
“Imust dash and finish my meeting withMr.Savovic.Itwas lovely to see you.”
“You, too,”Isay, then watch her with whatIhope is a look of longing, just in case she turns to look back at me.Themoment she’s out of sight,Isay into my comms, “Okay, the coast is clear.Meetme by the back door.”
“AndI’min the back lot now,”Damjansays.
Iround the corner to the back hall just asZoeis doing the same from the opposite end.Weboth get close to the door when we hear something andIspin to look behind me.Milais coming around the corner, and she has the realTobiaswith her.
Idon’t catch more than a glimpse of him beforeMilasays, “Oops!Wrongway,” and turns to push him in the other direction.Thenshe pokes her head back around the corner, mouthsStay, and leads the realTobiasup to the lobby.IwishIcould’ve gotten a full glimpseofTobias— since pretending to be him,Ifeel an odd sort of kinship with the man.
IleadZoeto an area in the hall with a weird bend thatInoticed isn’t covered by the security cameras. “Missionaccomplished?”Iask.
Zoegrins and nods. “Wedon’t set alarms off on purpose nearly enough.”
Milarushes back into the hall andIwave her over to us and away from the cameras. “Sosorry—Flynnwas the other direction, soIledTobiasthe long way around.Nowhe is up front waiting forEliza.”Shegrins. “That’llbe fun whenElizafinds that theTobiasshe’s been talking to isn’t the realTobias.Ithought of a great story to tell them about what might have happened.”
“Oh, yeah?”Iask.
“Da.Don’tworry.I’vegot this.Wereyou good?Didyou win?”
“Wewere,”Zoesays. “Youhave been amazing,Mila.”
“Wecouldn’t have done this without you,”Itell her.Becausewe really couldn’t have.
Milais grinning, and she has a look on her face like she enjoyed being part of it.Idon’t blame her.There’sa reason whyIchose this job.
“You’vebeen accepted back into college,”Zoesays, “and the rest of your education is paid for.”
“Wejust need your bank account number, and we’ll deposit the amount you’ve been making here until you graduate.Doyou know your number?”Shenods and says it out loud. “Didyou get that,Kella?”
“Idid,”Ihear her say through my comms.
Inod. “Classesstart in six weeks.Areyou excited?”
Shenods and then hugs us both.I’mnot sureI’llever get used to an asset hugging me, but it’s nice.Itfeels good that she loves this likeIdo.
Zoesmiles at her. “We’vegot to run beforeElizaorFlynnreappears.Thanksfor everything— you saved us many times.”
Thenwe rush out of the building and into the back seat of the waiting car.Likethe maniac driver that he is,Damjantakes off like the mission was a failure and everyone is after us.
“Youcan relax,”Zoesays. “Wearen’t being chased.”
Damjanlooks at us, confused, then lets off the gas a bit. “Sorry— didn’t realizeIwas speeding.”
“Congratson a successful operation,”Kellasays through our earpieces, but something is off in her voice.
“Whatis it,Kella?”Iask.
