Laura Anne Gilman - 03 Tricks of the Trade by Laura Anne Gilman

Author:Laura Anne Gilman
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2016-02-02T16:00:00+00:00

Ian Stosser knew that the pups were having their weekly meeting, no bosses invited, so he wasn’t too worried about them poking their noses in at the wrong moment when he took the phone call, already knowing who was on the other end.

“I want to see you. Alone.”

The meaningful emphasis in Aden’s voice made it clear who she meant: no pups. Particularly, no Benjamin Venec.

His sister hadn’t always hated hiis best friend, had she? Ian pinched the bridge of his nose, and shook his head. “We have nothing to talk about, Addy. The Council is deliberating my most recent proposal. Go politic at them – leave me alone.”

There was a pause, the click of china cup against saucer, and then she spoke again. “This isn’t about that.”

Her voice was still the cold, dry tone she had used with him ever since he had first gone up against their home Council, years ago. But Ian remembered the little sister who had clung to his leg when he was a teenager, who had called him every Thursday night when she went away to college to ask his advice about classes, and dating, and talk about what books she had just read.

Across the office, Ben frowned, but didn’t say anything, aware that on speakerphone she would be able to hear him as clearly as he heard her. Ian didn’t need to ping his partner to know what he was thinking. Ben didn’t trust Aden not to have something else up her ever-fashionable sleeve. That was wise, probably. Aden was not to be trusted any more than he, Ian, was to be trusted. Not when it came to the survival of this office, or of the idea behind it, that no Talent could escape accountability for their actions.

Aden truly believed that rank had privileges, and one of those was being accountable only to others of that same rank. Or, in the case of Talent, of equal or greater ability.

She was also his little sister.

“My choice of time and place,” he told her.

“Agreed.”

Ben looked startled, and then covered it up behind his usual stone-faced exterior. For Aden to agree so readily, either she was plotting something interesting, or she genuinely needed to talk to him about something other than their ongoing disagreement. Ian wasn’t sure which one worried him more.

“Half an hour. The old diner, down in Philly. You know the one?” Ian would have had her come here, but she was still under Council ban from entering New York City limits, and even his direct invite could not put that aside. And in that short a period of time she would not be able to adapt any schemes to the location, or call in backup. Hopefully.

The click of the phone being hung up on the other end was his only answer.

“This should be… interesting,” Ian said, his voice as dry as hers had been.

Ben shoved his hand through his hair, a move that harkened back to when they were teenagers, and scowled. “What do you think she’s up to?”

Ian laughed: a real laugh, with real amusement.

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