“You try being responsible for an entire race and let me see your decisions,” Con said tightly as he took a step toward him.
Rhys didn’t back down. He leaned forward, anger radiating. “I was responsible for my Yellows. But you convinced us to send them away.”
“To keep them alive!”
“Aye! And look where we are now!”
They were nose to nose, the air crackling with tension. Rhys wouldn’t back down. He hadn’t always agreed with Con’s decisions, but he had always backed him.
“Enough,” Guy said evenly. “We need to band together, no’ fraction apart. Kellan and Denae need us, and I for one willna let them down.”
“I’m going to Ireland,” Rhys stated before Con could utter a word.
“We need a plan,” Con cautioned.
Rhys snorted and turned on his heel to walk to the lodge. “You come up with a plan then. I’m going to Ireland.”
Guy waited until Rhys was in the lodge before he turned to Con. “I’m no’ going to Ireland with him, but only because of Elena. But understand, Con, she’s the only reason I’m no’ going. For the moment.”
“Do you think we should go en masse, then?” Con asked sardonically.
Guy swallowed and kept his irritation for what happened to Kellan from boiling over. “I think a few of us going has a better chance, but if that doesna work, then we go to the queen.”
“Usaeil?” Con asked in disbelief. “Have you lost your mind?”
Guy’s control snapped. He whirled on Con and pointed to the house. “One of us was taken. A human under his protection was taken. By the Dark. Do I need to say more?”
Con suddenly grinned. “Just make sure Kiril stays with Rhys and keeps control of Rhys’s temper. Then get back to Elena quickly.”
Guy blinked, taken aback.
“I’ll be going with Rhys too,” Tristan said.
Con sighed. “Aye, but no’ yet. Let Rhys and Kiril go first and report back. I want everyone else filled in and ready if there is a battle.”
*
Banan slammed on the brakes, causing Henry to huff out a breath as the seat belt cut into his sternum. “Bloody hell, Banan. That’s the second time you’ve done that in a few hours,” Henry said when the SUV came to a screeching halt.
Banan’s knuckles were white as he gripped the steering wheel. Just as before, he stared off into space, his chest heaving and his jaw set.
Suddenly Banan turned to look at Henry. “Kellan and Denae were taken.”
“By MI5?”
“Nay. The Dark. But MI5 was there.”
Henry rubbed his eyes. “How were they found? And how the bloody hell do you know this?”
“Telepathic link.”
He couldn’t believe Banan had actually told him the truth. Henry long suspected that Banan wasn’t completely human, and after the past day with him, he knew it for a fact now. “Will you tell me what you are?”
“Soon,” Banan evaded. “MI5 are good, Henry, but no’ that good.”
“Could the Fae have found them and alerted the agents?”
Banan shook his head of short, dark hair. “Nay. The Fae can lose track of people just like anyone. They are no’ all-knowing. The fact the Dark and MI5 are working together is cause for concern. I had hoped it was just a onetime thing, but it looks more and more like it wasna.”
“When we do work with other agencies, it’s just for one mission. There has to be a good reason for this.”
“We need to find out.”
Henry pulled out his mobile and dialed his boss before putting it on speaker. “I’ve already called in all my favors, but there might still be a chance.”
The line rang six times before Stuart picked up and said, “You better have a damn good reason for calling me.”
“When have I ever let you down?” Henry asked.
Stuart’s sigh was loud. “Never.”
“Have I asked for favors before yesterday?”
“Never.”
“Am I fired?”
“Never,” Stuart said. “You’re too good for us to fire you. If we did, the CIA or someone else might recruit you.”
Henry briefly closed his eyes and released a breath. “Stuart, I think someone is using MI5 to attack certain individuals.”
“After your last phone call I did some digging. That entire section Lacroix worked under seems to be corrupt. We’ve got some housecleaning to do.”
“I’m glad to hear it. Meanwhile, do you have the name of who is leading the section? And do you know who that section would be working with?”
“They aren’t sanctioned to work with any other agency.”
Henry could hear the shuffle of papers and then the sound of Stuart punching the keyboard. “We think the head of the section, Frank, is the one doing the corrupting.”
“It goes beyond McCall. Be careful, Stuart. Whoever is pulling the strings has a long reach, and he’s dangerous.”
“And a fool he is to think he can run MI5.”
Henry wished he was at the office. Stuart was a good man, but he was older and had been in the agency for a long time. He operated by a code few recognized anymore.
“Don’t do anything alone. Have someone with you at all times, Stuart.”