"So can the Directorate," Riley said. "And it'll be easier and faster. I'll get Rhoan on it immediately."
I frowned. "I'm not sure it's a good idea—"
She waved my objection away as she picked up her phone. "Jack owes me more than one favor. Besides, if this goes sideways, it's better that the Directorate be involved."
Please, God, don't let it go sideways. I licked my lips, then nodded. As Riley made the call, I glanced at Quinn. "I'm meeting Lucian at eleven thirty. I know that doesn't leave much time to plan anything, but I can delay him for at least an hour."
He said, "The longer you can delay, the better it will be. We'll ring—"
"You can't. My phone is dead and I left it home."
"Then I will shoot you a telepathic message when we've freed her."
"But I'm wearing nano microcells—"
"Which have not the capacity to stop me, no more than they could Riley." Quinn glanced at her as she got off the phone. "All set?"
"Rhoan is gearing up surveillance as we speak, and Jack has approved full Directorate participation." Her gaze met mine. "He said he owed you a favor. Care to explain that?"
I kept my expression—and thoughts—carefully neutral. "I was asked for advice on some demon-related killings Rhoan's investigating. Couldn't do a whole lot to help, though."
"Hmm." Her expression suggested she very much didn't believe my reply, even though it was the truth as far as it went. "We're not going to need your friends, so tell Tao and Carwyn to cool their jets. We'll contact them the minute we can."
If they are not going to help free Ilianna, perhaps we should bring them in on the key—
No, I said, before he could finish. Definitely not.
Risa, I do not trust the Aedh, and it might be wiser—