by Davis, Dee
"So in a way you did save him—at least from the speculation that would have surrounded his disappearance," Jessie said.
"I don’t give a shit about speculation. The point here is that I killed my brother. My arrogance killed him as surely as the bullets that shattered his skull. If I’d listened—really listened—I’d have known he was in trouble. I’d have gotten there in time."
"Which means you’d probably be dead, too." Faust was only stating the obvious, but David wanted to shut him up. To make them both understand the horror of what he’d done.
"All my life I’ve had one simple responsibility: watch out for my brother. And the only time it ever really mattered, I wasn’t there. So all that’s left for me is to find the man who did this to him, and make him pay. A life for a life."
"Yours." Faust stood up, trading his teacup for whiskey.
"Maybe. If that’s what it takes."
"And that’s why you’re here."
"Yes. If Jessie finds the box, then there’s a chance it’ll lead me to Jason’s killer. Quid pro quo. I help Jessie, she helps me."
"And you’re okay with this, Jessie?" Faust asked.
Jessie pushed to her feet, her expression inscrutable. "Even if I didn’t need the box for a client I’d want to help. I tried to before."
"But I stopped you," David said, the room suddenly seeming to hold only the two of them. "Threw you out on your ear actually. I can’t believe you’re willing to risk that again."
"I’m not risking anything. We said it before. It’s all about mutual goals. I get the box, you get Jason’s killer. It’s win-win. Everyone gets what they want."
"Things rarely turn out that neatly, Jessie." There were undercurrents that had nothing to do with Jessie’s client or David’s torment, but he couldn’t seem to stop the words.
"It’s like I told Faust. I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself. And the simple fact is that I need your help. Faust’s, too, if you’re okay with it. He really is good at logistics."
David turned to study the older man. On the surface he seemed harmless enough, but that was often the first sign of trouble. Still, Jessie trusted him. And in all honesty it was probably a good thing to have someone else in the mix. Even someone as enigmatic as Faust. "It’s your ball game. If you think Faust can help us, I can deal with it."
Faust nodded, his expression making him seem suddenly older. "All right then, we’re in agreement. Cards on the table. Jessie wants the box, you want vengeance, and I want to be sure Jessie comes out of this little mission in one piece." There was a warning there, but David chose to ignore it.
"Look, if you two can’t get along, then I’ll figure out how to do this by myself. I’ve got enough on my plate without having to play umpire for the two of you." Jessie stood up, any hint of softness disappearing as she eyed them both. "Seems to me we’re overly clear on everyone’s motives, but the skill set is what interests me. You obviously think you have something to bring to the table, Faust—besides playing watchdog. So it’s your turn for confessions. What exactly have you got?"
Faust leaned forward, both hands on his knees. "It’s simple actually. You see, I know where the Protector is."
Chanter Four
David was halfway out of his seat, anger making his face flush. Jessie reached out to restrain him, her gaze on her brother’s friend. "What do you mean you know where it is? The actual location? Why didn’t you just tell us?"
"I needed to make sure David wasn’t a liability."
David sat back on the chair, a vein in his temple pulsing. But at least he hadn’t tried to throttle Faust. Not yet anyway. Jessie blew out a breath. Truth be told, she was still reeling from David’s confession about his brother. She’d known that he blamed himself for Jason’s death, but she had no idea that the guilt ran so deep. It explained a lot, but it also left her feeling strangely bereft.
She shook her head, clearing her thoughts. What mattered now was finding the Protector. It was what they both needed. Whatever else lay between them, it was far too late to mend it now. She turned to Faust, summoning the strength she’d spent centuries perfecting. "I’m not sure that questioning David’s loyalties was your call to make. But since we all seem to be working toward the same goal now, I’ll leave it at that. So where’s the box?"
"In Milan. At least that’s what my sources tell me."
"And just who exactly are your sources?" David said, his anger still simmering under the surface.
"I’m sure you can appreciate the fact that in my business contacts prefer to remain anonymous."
"But you trust them?" His eyes narrowed as he studied Faust.
"Of course I do, or I wouldn’t be here, would I?" The two of them rose, gazes locked, clearly posturing for one another. Jessie resisted the urge to throw them both out on their asses. Men could be such idiots sometimes.
"It doesn’t matter where the information originated; as long as Faust believes it’s accurate then I believe him," Jessie said, working to keep her exasperation in check. "And you’d be wise to do the same."
"Well, it’s a little easier for you. You know the man." David fisted his left hand, then released it and fisted again, the gesture mirroring the frustration in his eyes.
"And you know me. Whatever problems we’ve had in the past were personal. When it comes to business you trust me, right?"
"Yes." The pronouncement was grudging but immediate.
Jessie nodded. "All right then, I’m telling you I trust Faust. With my life, if it comes to that. Which means that you can trust him, too."
"Or at least for the moment, give me the benefit of the doubt." Faust shrugged, the tension in the room easing a little with the gesture.
"Fine." David sat down. "Do you know where in Milan?"
"In a vault below the Club Azure," Faust said, moving over to refill his whiskey.
"That’s one of Max Braun’s clubs, isn’t it?" Jessie asked, following Faust to the table to refill her own glass.
"Max Braun," David said. "I’ve heard that name. He’s a big player in the international entertainment scene, right?"
"Yes. He owns a dozen or so casinos and at least that many clubs. They’re scattered around the world. Ibiza, New York, L.A., Paris, Nice, Monte Carlo. Azure is the jewel in his crown."
"I don’t remember his name coming up with regard to the Protector." David folded his arms. "Does he have an interest in religious relics?"
"If you’re asking if he’s the one selling the Protector, I don’t know," Faust said. "He owns the vault, which at least points to his involvement on some level. But even if he is the one who’s selling it, there’s no guarantee that he was behind your brother’s murder."
"Yeah, but there’s also nothing to say he’s not." David looked as if he wanted to sprint for the nearest door. Jessie held her breath, wondering if Faust was testing him again.
"Agreed," Faust said. "But if you jump to conclusions and launch a vendetta against him, it’s only going to drive the box deeper underground. What you need is leverage. And to get that, we need the Protector."
Jessie nodded, hoping that David could see the wisdom of Faust’s words.
"All right, so we need to break into the vault. Any suggestions on how we do it?" David asked, accepting the drink Jessie offered. They were all going to need fortification if they were going to figure out how to get into Braun’s vault. The man wasn’t the kind to skimp on security.
"We’ll need blueprints of the club to start with. And information about the kinds of security Braun has in place." Jessie sat on the arm of the sofa, her mind considering options. "I ought to be able to locate both with a little digging."
"Already ahead of you as far as the blueprint," Faust said. "I brought it with me."
"How did you manage to get it?" Jessie asked, not really all that surprised. Faust had been around even longer than she had. His immortality a quirk of fate rather than parentage. He and Marcus had met on some battlefield or another. Killed each other,
actually—more than once, to hear them tell it.
"You’re not the only one who can ferret out needed information," Faust protested, but not with any real conviction. "Unfortunately I wasn’t as successful with plans for the security system."
"Don’t worry. I can get that. And once we’ve got that figured out, David can get us into the vault. Right?"
He nodded. "Yeah. I can get us in, if we know what we’re up against. The key, though, is going to be getting information about the vault. Once I’ve got that, with the right tools, getting to the box should be a piece of cake."
"We’ll make the perfect team," she said. "I’ll handle the security systems, you’ll take care of liberating the Protector."
"And I’ll have your backs," Faust said. "Keep watch to make sure nothing unexpected gets in your way."
"So, are we on?" Jessie was surprised at the excitement she felt over the prospect of working with David. Despite everything that lay between them.
"Yeah." He nodded. "We’re on. I’ll help you secure the Protector, and in the process I’ll finally be able to nail the bastard who killed my brother. Like you said, we’ll kill two birds with one stone."
"All right, then," she said, surprised to see Faust frowning.
"Looks like Faust has a problem," David said, clearly aware of the other man’s displeasure.
"I just don’t want you to let your quest for vengeance do anything that could jeopardize the operation. Or put Jessie at risk."
"I’m not going to hurt Jessie. How many different ways do you want me to say it?" They were back to posturing, but this time Jessie failed to see the humor.
"I can take care of myself. I don’t need either of you. So get off the testosterone merry-go-round and give it a rest. If we go into this, it has to be with the understanding that David’s overriding goal is to find out who killed Jason. For him that’s all that matters." The minute the last words were out of her mouth, she wished them back. She hadn’t meant them as a dig, but they’d still come out that way. She ducked her head, avoiding his gaze, wishing to hell she could just quit thinking about it. They’d had a brief affair. People did it every day. And then they went their separate ways. Finito. It’s over. No looking back.
Besides, it wasn’t as if she wanted a relationship. Given her longevity, any commitment was destined to be a one-sided affair. Everything was as it should be. Better to keep her focus on what mattered—fulfilling her quest and finding the box for her father. Then maybe she could put all of this behind her once and for all.
"Why don’t we have a look at the blueprints." She crossed over to a library table in the corner, moving books out of the way to make space for Faust’s schematics. "How old are these?" she asked as he spread them out on the table.
"Fairly new actually. The club just went through a remodel. Nothing major, but a few walls were shifted here and there. So it required an updated blueprint."
"Do you have photographs as well?" David asked, leaning over to take a look at the plans.
"Yes," Faust said. "Aerial and outer facade. Braun is peculiar about cameras inside his clubs, so I couldn’t get any photographs of the interior."
"That’s all right. We can run recon when we get to Milan."
"Fine, and in the meantime, I can download the pictures, if you’ll let me use a computer," Faust said.
Jessie looked up from the blueprint. "There’s a laptop in the corner. Help yourself. The password is Hades."
Faust’s eyebrows rose, but he refrained from comment, heading over to the computer instead.
"Looks like there are four stories including the ground floor," David said, studying the crosscut of the building. "I assume the vault is in the cellar?"
"Yes," Faust replied, the computer clicking and whirring as he waited for it to boot up. "The whole building is set into the side of a hill. The vault is set back into the bedrock, and from what I’ve been told has all the latest safeguards. This isn’t going to be easy."
"But easy takes all the fun out of it," Jessie said, more comfortable now that she’d dodged the emotional bullet.
"Access from the ground floor?" David asked, frowning down at the blueprint. "There’s no sign of a door to the cellar."
"That’s because there isn’t one," Faust said, returning to the table with the laptop in tow. "At least not on the ground level. The club occupies the first and second floors, with storerooms and coatrooms on the ground level. The third floor, at the top, houses Braun’s private offices. And an apartment that I’m told he uses when he’s in Milan."
"He doesn’t live there?" Jessie asked.
"No. He spends most of his time in Seville." Faust turned the computer so that they both could see the screen. "This is a picture of the building."
The granite structure was almost austere in its presentation, its angles cold and unforgiving. Not exactly what one expected of a nightclub.
"It looks more like a bank," David noted with a frown.
"Well, considering what we’re planning to do, that seems appropriate, don’t you think?" Jessie asked, the question meant for no one in particular.
Faust clicked a button and a second photograph filled the screen. "Here it is at night."
"Whoever it was that said it was all about lighting was right. If I didn’t know better I’d say you were showing us a totally different building." Jessie shifted so that she could see the screen better, her skin brushing against David’s in the process. Heat rushed down her arm to pool deep inside her. For a moment she met his eyes, then pointedly looked away. "This is the same place, right?"
"Absolutely. Just a little neon here and there and the occasional spotlight." He enlarged the photograph until only the front entrance was visible. "This is the only way in. There are no windows or back doors on the ground level."
"Sounds like somebody violated the building code," David said, moving to the other side of the table, the action somehow insulting. It was one thing for her to move away, but quite another when he was the one creating distance.
"Italians are pretty lax about building codes," Faust responded, ignoring the simmering undercurrent. "Especially when it involves someone like Braun."
"So how hard is it to get into the club?" Jessie frowned down at the blueprint. "I can see elevators and some stairs, but they’re all located at the back of the building. I assume this hallway"—she pointed to the drawing on the blueprint of the ground floor—"is meant to serve as a funnel, leading to access to the club."
"Exactly." Faust nodded. "There’s a small security office to the right of the entrance and the gatekeeper, so to speak, is behind a podium that fronts the hallway. In order to get into the club you have to get past the bouncer at the front door and then be cleared for entrance into the club. If you’re not on the list, then you’re not getting in."
"How do we get on the list?" David asked. "Pay someone, I assume."
"Actually I think I can manage that," Jessie said, chewing the side of her lip as she considered the possibilities. "Is the guest list automated?"
"Yes. There are PCs at the reception stand and at the security office." Faust pointed to the corresponding points on the blueprint.
"So all I have to do is hack in, and make sure we’re on the list."
"You make it sound easy," David said, his expression skeptical.
"It is. Or it will be after I’ve gathered a little more information. I can take care of the VIP clearance at the same time."
"Okay," he said, "so once we’re on the VIP floor, all we have to do is figure out how to slip the guards and take the elevator up to the offices. And then from there we can take the second elevator down to the vault."
"Right," Faust said. "I’ll keep watch for any unwanted attention, while the two of you break into the vault and steal the box."
"So what happens once we get the thing?" David asked. "We can hardly stroll through the club carrying the Protector of Armageddon. Even with you running interference."
"No. I think that wo
uld be a bit much," Faust said, "but according to the blueprint, there’s a shaft that was cut through the rock to the cellar. I assume that’s how they got the vault in. Anyway, you ought to be able to get the box out that way. Although you’ll have to cut through a steel panel to do it."
"Shouldn’t be a problem," David said. "So what’s next?"
"You all get a good night’s sleep," Jessie said, "and tomorrow we’ll head for Milan."
"And what are you going to do?" David asked, his dark eyes inscrutable.
"I’m going to break into a computer." And try her very best not to think about the man who, at the moment, was driving her to drink.
*****
The sun hung low in a gap between the hills surrounding the lake. The reflection colored the water pink and orange, ripples sparkling as they crested. In the distance, David could see a fisherman pulling his boat to shore, the day’s catch stored in a red and white cooler.
The breeze was cool, a counter note to the still warmth of the dying day. The sound of olive trees moving in the wind was soothing, a sort of white noise against the backdrop of the darkening landscape.
Pinpoints of light flickered across the lake. Normal people going about their normal lives. No thoughts of vengeance, or of religious relics. No thoughts at all, really, except that another day was ending.
A picture of Jessie flashed in his mind, laughter cresting in her eyes as she wrestled with him on the bed. Amusement had crescendoed into something more and suddenly it was just the two of them standing together against the rest of the world.
The door behind him slid open, and he turned, thinking it was her, allowing himself, just for the moment, to pretend that this was his normalcy. The dying light, the villa, the lake—Jessie.
"I thought maybe we should have a talk." Instead of Jessie, it was Faust, holding two large glasses of whiskey.
"I think we’ve already covered my motivations and the reasons behind them."
"That’s not why I’m here," the other man said, offering David a glass.
"All right, then, what do you want to talk about?" he asked, taking a long sip of the scotch, the amber liquid glowing in the hall light.
