Chapter Twenty-Six

The bottom level was composed of unadorned concrete.

A guard at the security desk greeted me. “Agent Seven.”

“Hi. I wanted to introduce myself since I’m new.”

“Roger.” He extended his hand for a shake. “Down here, you have two options—the cells and the archive.”

I shrugged. “Mind giving me a tour?”

He smiled. The skin around his eyes crinkled, making me think he was closer to forty than not. “I can do that.” He locked his computer screen and stood from the desk.

Then led me to a security door, used his ID card, and typed in a code.

The seal released, revealing a library.

A proper English library, with the wood and shelves to the ceiling. And old book smell. I followed Roger and spotted researchers here and there focused on tomes and scrolls.

Halfway back was a row of tables and chairs with a lamp on each tabletop.

“All of our knowledge is stored here. While the database Agents have access to contains everything you’d commonly need to look up, this is the most extensive library on the supernatural in the world. Excepting maybe the Shadow Knights. Continue all the way back to reach the vault.”

There was another security panel protecting an actual vault door, like in a bank.

“Anything too dangerous or valuable goes in there.”

“The code wasn’t in my dossier.”

Roger shook his head. “You have to earn that one, dear. Provided you and your Guide come across such an item, one of us guards will secure it where it belongs.”

“Earn it how?”

“Seniority.”

“I thought Agents were the tier below the Council.”

“Generally, yes, but you have only been on the job for a month.”

That was fair. “Then I have a completely unrelated question.”

Roger started for the exit. “Yes?”

“I know nothing of London. Grocery stores, restaurants…”

“Ah!” He chuckled. “You’ll want to chat with Gwen.”

“Gwen?”

“Gwennie! Oi!” Roger made a come-here gesture aimed down one of the rows of books.

The shape of a short woman approached out of the shadows. Closer, it was a girl in her twenties with a cute round face and shoulder-length curls. She removed a pair of reading glasses and shushed him.

“This is a library, Rog.”

“Gwen, meet Agent Seven. She’s in need of a tour guide.” He turned to me. “Gwen’s a townie and knows every nook and cranny of London.

She giggled. “He exaggerates.” Then stuck her hand out. “Always nice to meet a new agent. Do you like tea?”

“Iced sun tea.”

“No one’s perfect! Let me tell my supervisor I’m on lunch break and we can go topside.”

“Oh, okay.”

She hurried off, curves jiggling. She had that soft kind of figure some men lusted after for being all boobs and butt. Take her into her sixties and she’d probably play the perfect Mrs. Claus. Roger gave me a thumbs’ up and escorted me to the door.

“She’ll find us,” he said upon my hesitation.

Sure enough, Gwen opened the security door, a cardigan added over her blouse and pleated skirt. In better light, her hair was dark blonde, not brown, and her eyes were blue.

She beamed at me and adorable dimples appeared in her cheeks. “Ready?”

She settled a purse strap on her shoulder.

“I don’t have my wallet on me. I wasn’t—”

“No problem!” She looped her arm with mine. “We’ll just scoot over and grab it. I haven’t been to the Agents Dorm before.”

Only recruits, Agents, and Guides went into the dorm area, except for mail delivery. And I wasn’t going to let the exuberant librarian in my room. Would’ve been perfectly happy with a few directions, but Roger stuck me with a chatterbox tour guide I didn’t know how to politely get rid of. She was perfectly nice…just…too much.

Pre-vampires-me probably would’ve been fine.

Agent Seven wasn’t much of a people person.

Wallet and phone went into a purse and I hurried out before Gwen got too nosy. She smiled from the common area sofa, and turned the TV off.

“They sure treat you well, huh? You earn it, of course, saving the world every day.”

“Uh-huh.” I picked up my pace toward the elevator.

She huffed and puffed with the effort to keep up with my longer strides. Maybe if I tired her out the babbling would drop by half?

“Your hair is so beautiful. Natural, right? I’m sure you’ve heard that all your life, but I’ve always loved red hair. I could never make it work on my salary. Red dye fades the fastest, you know. What’s it really like hunting monsters? I could never do it. One flash of fang and poof! Keel right over.” She chuckled at herself.

“Gwen, I don’t want to take up your lunchtime. If you just point me to the nearest market, I’m good.”

We reached one of the stairwells. Good enough. I took the steps at a jog.

Gwen was wheezing by the top. She sucked air in loud gasps, bent over at the waist.

“I’m sure I can manage,” I said in my sweetest tone and continued down the hallway.

And into the afternoon daylight.

Ahhh.

Crossing the street to the café across the way, I had a stroke of genius and took out my phone. Every active Agent’s company number was pre-programmed into it.

I scrolled down to Thirteen.

“Buenos Dias.” Did I press the wrong button?

“You’re lucky I’m not a Councilmember.”

“Caller ID, kid. What do you need?”

“A map of London.”

“Venturing outside? Daring.”

“Ha, ha. Tell me where to find the nearest market and I’ll hang up.”

“You weren’t this cranky this morning.”

“You didn’t spend twelve hours with Amelia in a mood.”

I heard a wincing intake of breath.

“Fine, I’ll take pity on you. Where are you now?”

“Café across the street.”

He told me where to start walking. Then stayed on the phone to give me directions until I found it. “The Tesco’s will have anything you’re looking for.”

“Thank you.” I paused at the entrance. “Have you left L.A., yet?”

“Yep. Onto the next job.”

“Let me guess—another plum assignment?”

He laughed. “Take care of yourself, kid.” Then hung up.

Sigh. I needed to make friends. This life was going to get real lonely real quick if I relied on Thirteen to pick up a phone. But at this moment, I needed groceries.

Amelia was waiting in the common area when I returned with my bags. I unlocked my room. If this was going to be another confrontation, might as well happen in private.

She’d changed clothes. For the first time, I wondered where she lived.

“Do we have our next assignment?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“Let me put this stuff away and you can tell me all about it.”