concern.” The Dingo smiled at me. “Please give my best to your sister, when it is appropriate. She was a lovely young lady, and I hope she’s doing well?”
He meant Caroline Chase, my sorority roommate and bestie. The Dingo had been dating her, sort of, during Operation Assassination, though she’d had no idea he was an assassin. Our lives were just that kind of glamorous.
“Um, will do, and yes, she’s doing great. I’m sure she’d tell me to say ‘hi’ for her. If, you know, she knew you were here and we were chatting.” Maybe. Anything was possible, after all. “So, what do I do now?”
The Dingo shrugged. “Return home, have your party. We will deal with your problem.”
Shook my head. “I don’t think it’s just Raul.” My phone continued to ring. I continued to ignore it and hope whoever was calling would take the hint.
Both assassins looked at me. “How do you mean?” Surly Vic asked.
“Someone had to help him get the package into the UPS truck. And I’m here because I was chasing someone I thought was dead. Raul may actually have a paying assignment.”
They both shook their heads. “He does not,” the Dingo said vehemently.
“Oh, so it’s the old ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend’ ploy, right?”
The Dingo beamed at me, looking all proud. Even Surly Vic seemed impressed. Nice to know that I was considered Top of the Class by someone. It was always the folks on the wrong side who thought so, but better to be appreciated than not at all, right?
“You must be cautious,” Surly Vic shared. Wow, clearly I’d moved into that “family” spot for him, too. I was lucky that way.
“I’ll do my best. But isn’t it kind of bad for you guys to be back in town? I realize Operation Assassination went down months ago, but you’re still on everyone’s most wanted lists.”
They both shrugged and seemed completely unfazed by my name for the big event. For all I knew, they were flattered by my naming choice. “We have work to do,” the Dingo said. “Not work you will care about, I must add.”
“You’re sure?”
“Positive. I would not lie to you about that.”
“Why not?”
They both chuckled. “You are . . . special,” the Dingo shared. “You have honor. And, therefore, you deserve the truth. We are not here on assignment for anyone you would care about.”
“You’re here to off Raul.”
“And other enemies. Of ours and yours.” Surly Vic shook his head. “We need to take this and disarm it. We have time. I believe it’s set to go off in a few hours if it’s not opened.”
“Are you that amazingly good—and don’t for one moment think I’m insinuating that you couldn’t be, because nothing you two can do will surprise me—or is that just a really good guess?”
Surly Vic smiled at me. I managed not to faint or let my total shock show, but it took effort. “Just a really good guess. Based on a great deal of experience.”
“What is it, just out of morbid curiosity?”
“Most likely a small bioweapon,” the Dingo replied. “It would explode, killing and maiming some, but it would also spread a dread disease amongst all there, and within the building.”
“A raze the building to the ground kind of disease?”
“Most assuredly.”
“Um, you know, my letting the two best assassins in the world walk off with a scary bioweapon bomb is, well, not sounding like a good idea.”
Surly Vic shrugged. “We could let you take it with you, and then, when someone who did not know how to disarm it triggered the bomb, you and your family and friends could die. Or we can remove the danger.”
“Gosh, when you put it that way . . .”
The Dingo came to me and patted my shoulder. “We both give you our word—this bomb will not be used against anyone. We will dismantle it and deal with its creator. In the meantime, exercise caution and open nothing remotely suspicious.” He handed me a phone. “This is the phone I used to call you. It is programmed with only one number. Use it if you need our help or even think you need our help.”
The top international assassination team in the business had just given me their version of the Bat Phone. Didn’t know whether to be flattered or freaked out. Settled for both.
“Thank you. I assume this is a burner phone and so is the one it will call. I won’t let anyone know.” I hoped. Jeff might already