Gameboard of the Gods (Age of X, #1)(145)

“Yeah, but we don’t need his technical genius sharp and alert.”

The foursome ended up taking Leo and Dominic’s rented car out to the grant and used Mae’s credentials to get them in. As a fellow patrician, she had short-term access for herself and up to four guests. Justin could’ve obviously gotten them in as well, but he was afraid identifying himself as a servitor would attract too much attention—not that an armed pr?torian was exactly low-profile either.

Once they were finally inside the borders, they ended up at another bar and simply waited for the clock to tick down. Leo had some of the satellite images of the warehouse that he went over with Mae, pointing out the most likely surveillance areas. Although she had more respect for his skills now, the “most likely” part unnerved her a little.

The appointed departure time came just before the bar closed, when most people were winding down and going to bed. Mae and the others drove to the warehouse, which was situated outside of town, and parked in a spot that kept the building in sight but was too far away to show up on any cameras. The thick trees and lack of lights on the road also kept their car well concealed.

“I should come with you,” growled Dominic.

“I’ll keep pinging you.” Leo, sitting beside him in the front seat, rested his hand on Dominic’s. “The fewer people here, the better. If we’re caught, I don’t want you taken out with the rest of us.”

“You won’t be caught,” said Justin in what Mae recognized as his I’ve got your back voice. “As long as you don’t get picked up on surveillance, you’re good. Get in, get our evidence, and get out.”

Mae looked at him and saw that although his words were glib, his face was drawn and tense. Noticing her scrutiny, he started to automatically smile but then faltered.

“Be careful,” he told her. “I wish you didn’t have to do my work for me.”

“It’s what I’m here for. We don’t want to get you dirty.” When he didn’t smile, she added, “It’ll be okay.” She wasn’t sure it would be okay but needed him to think it would. Seeing Leo and Dominic engaged in their good-byes, she lowered her voice. “Maybe you can get to know Dom better.”

The look of distaste on his face was far more in line with the Justin she knew. “Don’t count on it,” he said. “And, Mae…” He started to reach out his hand to her and then stopped. After several moments of contemplation, he astonished her by snaking forward and kissing her on the cheek.

She had no chance to be outraged. She was too awestruck by the kiss itself. It had been light, but her skin literally burned where he’d touched her—and not with desire. There’d been actual heat in his lips. A fiery image flashed into her mind of a strange symbol, like a Y with an extra vertical line running through the top. Even after that flash, the afterimage of the symbol occasionally appeared in her vision as she blinked. She stared at him, aghast.

“What did you just do?” she exclaimed.

He had no time to answer because Leo was already getting out of the car. “You coming?”

Mae gave Justin one last questioning look and then opened the door. Her cheek was still warm, and that symbol kept popping in and out of her mind. What did he do? she wondered frantically. There’d been power in that kiss, but she didn’t understand it. When had he started using supernatural means instead of just documenting them? That unsolicited show of power was just as unwelcome as the Morrigan.

The almost-full moon peeked through the clouds as Mae and Leo trekked across the field. She saw no signs of life anywhere, and all the building’s windows were dark. One light shone near the entrance, lighting up the door. She’d worn all black tonight as the obvious camouflage choice, though it made her feel strange, like she had on a parody of her uniform.

“How does it feel to be a soldier of the Republic who’s breaking its laws?” Leo whispered. He shifted a bag on his shoulder. Allegedly, he had a whole technological arsenal with him.

“Bigger laws say murder and runaway cults are worse,” she replied. She didn’t give voice to her fears about Justin. Her whole purpose in suggesting this breakin, aside from the obvious, was to help him. Cornelia’s threats still hung heavy in Mae’s mind, though she never would admit it.

Leo laughed softly. “Picking and choosing what you follow, huh?”

“Is your problem that I’m a pr?torian, or is there just something about me you don’t like?”

“I like you just fine,” he said, growing sober. “I’ve just been around a lot of pr?torians in my life. They’re unpredictable, that’s all. Stop.”

They had nearly reached the back of the building. Here, the wall was shorter than the other sides and had no windows. He pointed at it.

“There’s going to be minimal coverage there. You sure you can get up it?”

Mae assessed the wall, noting the corners and building’s texture. A window would’ve made a better handhold, but that would’ve defeated the purpose of choosing this side. “Of course.”

“Of course,” he repeated. She suspected he was rolling his eyes. “Here.” He showed her a square metal object that fit in the palm of her hand. “Once you’re on the roof, see if you can get a view of the security panel above the door. It’ll probably have five red lights on it—that’s the most common system for a building like this. Hold this out and push the silver button here. It’ll send a signal to switch the system into daytime mode. The cameras will still be on, but they won’t trigger an alarm. We’ll wipe them once we’re in.”