Chapter 382


    Sephie


    “We have it on very good authority that two of your police chiefs are loyal to the mayor,” Adrik said. We


    both saw Henry’s face fall.


    “Do you know which ones?” he asked.


    Adrik nodded his head. Ivan got up and put two files down on Adrik’s desk in front of Henry. “They both


    met with the mayor. After you met with all of them to discuss taking down the mayor. We only have


    confirmation on these two, but I wouldn’t trust any of them at this point,” Adrik said. Henry looked


    stunned. “How much have you told them about the mayor? Or about Ricardo?”


    “Nothing about Ricardo. I’m sitting on that one. I’ve been after that guy so long that I don’t want to risk


    messing it up. But they have everything I have on the mayor so far,” Henry said.


    Adrik looked to Viktor, saying in Russian, “we definitely need to hurry that journalist up.”


    Viktor responded, still in Russian, saying, “I contacted him earlier. I’ll check when this is over to see if


    he responded.”


    Adrik nodded, then looked back to Henry. “We’re working to gather more information on the mayor, but


    it takes time. Until we get more on him, be very careful what you tell the other police chiefs.”


    “Agreed. Let me know when you get something definitive on the mayor. Until then, I don’t think we


    should do this again,” Henry said. He suddenly looked worried, like he was nervous. I nced to


    Andrei, who caught it as well. We both focused back on Henry, trying to figure out the reason for his


    nervousness.


    “We have other ces we can meet the next time, if you’re nervous abouting here,” Adrik said. He


    had also picked up on his nervousness.


    They conversed for a short time more, while I quietly studied Henry. The first time we’d met with him, I


    got the feeling that he was a good man, trying to do the right thing. This time, something had changed


    about him and I wasn’t sure what it was, but I wasn’t sure I liked it.


    Henry stood up to leave, once again shaking Adrik’s hand. When he did, I saw Adrik stiffen ever so


    slightly. That’s new. I nced to Andrei, who clearly had seen something as well. Stephen’s phone


    beeped as Viktor was walking Henry back to the elevator. “Dinner’s here. Be right back,” he said,


    jogging out of the office to catch the elevator.


    Once we heard the doors close, I walked to Adrik. “What happened when you shook his hand before


    he left?”


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    “Did you feel it?” he asked.


    I shook my head no. “I didn’t feel anything, but I saw you tense. It’s different. You don’t do that.”


    Ivan chuckled. “Vitaliy is also a Game Master, it seems,” he said.


    I remembered. Adrik was like Vitaliy. “That escted quickly,” I said, raising my eyebrow at him.


    “Did you feel it when he first came into the office?” Ivan asked.


    Andrel spoke up, “something changed while he was in here. He made some decision while he was


    here and something changed. I couldn’t figure out what it was, though.”


    “It’s something to do with power. He wants it. He doesn’t like it that Adrik has it. But we should wait for


    Stephen. Somehow I think he’s going to have Insight into this,” I said.


    It didn’t take Jung and Viktor and Stephen returned. We were all waiting for them at the elevator, so we


    could go to the penthouse, where we knew wo could speak freely. When the doors opened and we


    were all standing there, Viktor and Stephen both looked surprised.


    you guys that hungry?” Stephen asked.


    Iughed. “No, we just need to be in the penthouse to finish the discussion we started. And we needed


    your insight and Viktor’s sleuthing skills. We were saving time.”


    “I just really feel like d is going to make you his Director of Operations. Logistics, efficiency,


    systems, you’ve got it all handled. His army is going to run like a well-oiled machine because of you,”


    Stephen said.


    “Da mmit, I was really hoping for Supreme Leader, but Director of Operations does have a nice ring to


    it. I’m not opposed to working my way up through his organization.”


    “Okay, somebody catch us up,” Stephen said as we started dinner.


    “Boss felt something different when he shook Henry’s hand at the end. He didn’t feel it when he walked


    in. Andrei said something changed while Henry was in the office, like he made a decision while he was


    in there and things are different now,” Ivan said.


    “I couldn’t get as many details as I wanted from him, but I think we can fill in more in a bit with Misha.


    What I did get, however, was that it was rted to power. Henry wants it. He doesn’t like that Adrik


    already has it.” I looked to Adrik. “Do you remember when we first met with him – how ufortable


    he got when you first told him you were getting rid of the other bosses?”


    He nodded his head. “You made thement he thought that was too much power for one man. He


    was worried I was going to be a tyrant.”


    I started to speak, but Ivan said, “he wants to be the tyrant.”


    “He got it in his headst time that he could rece the mayor and he would run the city. When Boss


    knew more than him this time, it pi ssed him off. I bet he made a decision toe after Boss now. I


    don’t think he’s st upid enough to try it right away, but if we keep the n of trying to get him into the


    mayor’s seat, he’ll do it then,” Stephen said.


    Adrik looked to Misha. “Do you think you can find out? We’ve never tried to find a specific answer


    before.”


    “I’d be happy to try. Sephie and Andrei help make things clearer. It’s different almost every time it


    happens,” Misha said.


    I looked at Andrei. “I could clearly see your thoughts thest time we did it. Did it happen for you too?”


    “You could? What was I thinking about?” Andrei asked.


    I startedughing and almost couldn’t stop myself. It took me a few minutes to answer. I couldn’t


    believe I’d forgotten about this. “We were looking. for Martin, so you were thinking about him. And a


    cheeseburger. Not necessarily in that order, either,” I said, still trying to contain myughter.


    “That seemspletely urate,” Andrei said.


    “He wasn’t holding back. He was just focusing on cheeseburgers instead, Misha said,ughing. “That’s


    why it wasn’t as clear with just him.”


    “To be fair, I spend a lot of time thinking about cheeseburgers, too,” Viktor said, his deep bellyugh


    filling the penthouse.


    “I mean, who doesn’t love a good cheeseburger?” Andrel said. His cheeks were flushed, but he was


    laughing just as much as everyone else.


    “New rule: we can only look for people after Andrei’s belly is full. For best results,” Adrik said, which


    caused another round ofughter from everyone.


    Vitaliy and Aleksel walked into the penthouse as we were stillughing about Andrei’s random


    thoughts. Vitally was surprised to see us allughing so heartily. “You guys must’ve gotten very good


    news today,” he said, a small smile on his face as he watched us all try to gain control of ourselves.


    “The opposite, really. But one of Sephie’s many gifts is giving us a reason tough for a few minutes.


    It’s always perfect timing and it’s always much needed, Adrik said, his wide smile stretching across his


    face as he looked at me. I felt the pull in my chest that meant he was thinking about how much he


    loved me.I answered by sending my warmth back to him, loving the wink he gave me when he felt it