"Favorite?"
"The latest incarnation." I grinned. Tao and I had this argument all the time. "Better beefcake."
Stane groaned. "And I had such hope for you, too."
"I like my men less cobwebbed, I'm afraid."
He snorted softly, but didn't bother removing said webs as he parked his butt in the plush chair of his "bridge." There were several light screens to the left that were showing images of the building, both outside and inside, and others to the right running everything from games to websites. He touched the nearest screen, and on one of the others a blue shimmer flared up around the entrance downstairs. The containment field was once again active.
"Marcus Handberry, as we know and love him today," he said, touching another screen.
A picture of a pockmarked, thin-framed, dark-haired man came into view, and something within me shivered. The picture had been taken from a side angle, but he was looking at the camera and there was nothing resembling humanity in the muddy depths of his eyes. Even if Marcus Handberry was human, he'd left any semblance of it behind long ago.
"According to his driver's license," Stane continued, "he was born in Ireland and came here ten years ago. He holds dual citizenship, but travels on an Australian passport."
"How can he have all that if he only popped into existence a year ago?" Tao asked.
I glanced at him. "It's easy enough to do if you know the right people and have enough money."
He gave me a long look. "And you know this because …?"
I smiled. "I have an aunt and uncle who were or are guardians."
Stane glanced at me. "Then why are you the one investigating this creep and not them?"
"Oh, they are. I just refuse to sit back and twiddle my thumbs."
"It would undoubtedly be safer."