on her chest, giving him a superior look. Marco growled. “Peter, do you realize what could have happened if Marco was sleeping soundly tonight?”
Suddenly, Peter’s eyes got impossibly big.
“The posts…” he swore and darted to the phone. He dialed a number, waited for it to connect, and spoke into it, his voice urgent and low. “Wake up twenty men, check the perimeter and the whole building. Take Jerry for help. There were Beasts on the third floor.” Peter paused to gather his thoughts. “After that, wake up everybody and count them; report back when you’re finished.” He listened to a short response on the other end and put the phone down.
“Marco, are you sure they were going to their room?” He pointed at the sisters.
“One hundred percent sure,” Marco boomed grimly in reply, “One of them had his hand on the doorknob when I came out.”
“Peter, where’s Ryan?” Jane put in.
“Yeah, where is he?” Pain supported her.
“He’s in the city, working undercover.” Peter waved his hand absently. “I’ve sent him to a meeting. He may find out about Eugene’s plans regarding Dave. He’s coming back in a few hours.”
The sisters nodded, stepping aside to let Chad and Dave through. They came to sit in the chairs by the wall, and after a moment and a weary sigh, Pain followed them, taking a seat beside Chad. Jane stayed by the doors with Marco, who stood there like a bull ready to attack any moment, his shoulders rounded, his head bent down slightly, and his posture tense.
Peter started to pace from wall to wall.
“You can no longer stay here, it’s not safe,” he speculated, his eyes on the floor.
“Are you trying to say there is some place safer than here?” Pain asked, perplexed, and his eyes stabbed into hers. He didn’t have to say anything, she understood what he meant instantly. “Oh…” Safety of the others, he was talking about the safety of the fighters, of course. Since Eugene’s moves weren’t that subtle, they just couldn’t draw his attention here anymore.
“Turns out, the location doesn’t really matter.” Peter grimaced, stopping and looking at her. “But I can’t come up with a place for you that Eugene’s men wouldn’t track down. Your group is too conspicuous, and he already knows about some of our new tunnels’ exits. He may as well know about the others, and we can’t take such risks,” he shook his head and continued his pacing.
Pain only sighed in response. Chad turned his look to her and saw Skull gaze at Marco’s short pajama pants. There was a spark of bemusement in his eyes for a change. Marco noticed his gaze after a minute and stared back questioningly.
“Do you have any clothes that actually fit you?” Skull asked in a low voice, answering his stare.
“I love these pants!” Marco waved him away.
“No, seriously, man. You should check out that store I told you about. We’re about the same size, and I’m even taller, but I usually find there everything I need,” the giant said and nodded encouragingly.
Marco only gave an exhausted exhalation and stared at the ceiling, leaning with his back against the door. Chad held back his smile, but his eyes gave him away, and he quickly switched his look to the floor.
About ten minutes later the phone rang, making Dave wake up and jump in his chair, and the sisters strain with expectation. They looked at Peter as he grabbed the receiver.
“Yes?” He listened to the report for a few seconds, growing more and more somber. “Okay. Double the guards, put only the skilled ones on the posts. The rest can go back to their rooms,” he said and put the phone down slowly, frowning at it.
“What is it?” Pain asked in a grave voice.
Peter turned to them, perching himself on the desk. He exhaled loudly and passed a hand over his face before answering.
“Four guards at the posts are dead. Elizabeth was among them,” he said grimly. “The other three were Patrick’s rookies.”
The
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