“You shouldn’t have to go alone,” I said. “You can do most of the talking and fill me in on what I’ll need to know, but this’ll be a joint venture, Nobles and Claws. That way we can put more clout behind it. My dad left behind some capital I can access.”
Kaige thumped his hands on the table. “In that case, why don’t we all go? I’m in!”
Wylder raised his head, but I spoke up before he could encourage the idea. “I don’t think we want to intimidate this guy. All of us together could be kind of… overwhelming. He’s a regular businessman, not a gang lord we need to make a huge show of power with. I think this probably needs a little more delicacy.”
“I can be delicate,” Kaige said, but then he cracked a smile, because he couldn’t even say it with a straight face. Gideon snorted.
“I think just Mercy and I would be perfect,” Rowan said. “It’s better this way and less messy. But all of that aside, I’m guessing it won’t be easy getting to Anderson. Someone that well-connected and in-demand probably has meetings and events scheduled out months in advance.”
Gideon had started furiously tapping away at his tablet. After a minute, he raised his head and grinned. “Well, we’re just in luck. There’s a charity fundraising auction happening tomorrow afternoon, and Anderson is one of the sponsors. You can meet him there.”
“What if the Storm’s there too?” Kaige asked.
“I don’t get the impression he’s paying enough attention to Paradise Bend to have bothered to find out what we even look like,” I said. “He’s letting Xavier handle everything while he pretends he’s a regular business mogul.”
Rowan nodded. “But events like a charity gala tend to sell out their tickets well in advance.”
“Which is why it’s always good to be friends with an expert hacker.” Gideon jabbed at his screen some more and then rubbed his hands together triumphantly. “Your names are now on the guest list.”
Kaige guffawed. “You’re fucking magic, man.”
“You are,” I agreed. “Now we just need to figure out what these deals are that the Storm is getting pissy about so we can steal them out from under him.”
“That’s right.” Wylder leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms over his chest. “We’re going to show the Storm what it means to mess with us. He needs to know that if he keeps on attacking us, we’re more than capable of taking away not just his men and his supplies, but his livelihood as well.”