Making the Rent the Hard Way - 30

"Makes sense to me," Rocky said, "but it still didn't answer Orchid's question."

"Sure it does," Luca replied. "Once this information's released to the press, Farnham will be damned sure that Cade found…what? Notes I made and hid somewhere? The recording? Whatever it was, in Farnham's mind, Cade would be the logical choice to be The Tetrad."

I nodded. "He might figure I located you somewhere along the way, and you gave me more information. That won't make him happy." I looked at Luca. "He's going to want your hide, as well as mine."

"Then we set it up so he can get it. Well, not really. I like my hide on my body, not being used as a fireplace rug."

That got laughs from the others before I said, "The best way to get him to come after me…us…in person is to keep taunting him. First, these flyers, then more detailed ones revealing other things we found in what Orchid got for us. Keep upping the ante until he's pissed enough he decides to take things into his own hands."

"And hope he doesn't send half his goons after you first," Luca said with a worried frown. "You're hardly in hiding, although you should be."

Orchid looked at me, then Luca. "Starting now, he will be. Right, Luca?"

"You're asking me?" Luca said.

"You're the one with the perfect hideout."

"Well…" Luca shrugged, "so far, anyway."

"There you go, then. Cade's staying here until this is over."

"Who died and made you queen?" Rocky asked. I wasn't sure if he was kidding or pissed.

"Well, one of us has to make sure Farnham doesn't get his hands on Cade until we're ready," she pointed out. "He doesn't know about Rocky and me, so we can play delivery people." She frowned. "Persons?"

I shook my head. "Whichever. We get the point." I paced, thinking. "Two things. If I'm staying here, I need to set up a message on my machine that I'm going to be out of town for a while. Before you ask, I can do that remotely with my cell phone. Then, we have to get the flyer printed up and come up with the next one. All the info's on Luca's laptop, which helps."

Luca snapped his fingers. "You're pretty well known in the shifter community for your ability to spot us, Cade. Would you be willing to say you've checked out the people we're after and know for certain what they are?"

"Hell, I'll already be on Farnham's shit list after the news outlets release the information we're giving them."

"If they do release it," Rocky interjected. "They might think the whole thing's a hoax."

"Some will. Some won't. I know at least a couple of the reporters are shifters," I said. "We'll make sure they get copies. Then, when we get to that point, if I announce to the world that I know for a fact the people on the list are shifters working for Farnham, they'll believe it."

"We need a printer," Orchid said, looking around the room.

"We can use the one in my office," I replied.

"There's no we in this case," Orchid retorted. "Just me and Rocky."

"I have one at my apartment," Luca told her. "Rocky's been there."

"Good, and goodbye." She linked her arm with Rocky's, startling him momentarily before he obviously got the point. Then they vanished.