Loup frowned. “What danger?”
Magnus Lindberg showed his white teeth in yet another smile. “You’ve collaborated with insurrectionist forces in the United States government, Loup.”
“Insurrectionist?”
Sabine winced.
“Rebels, let us say,” Magnus suggested. “Men like Senator Ballantine who would upset the status quo. He’s an honorable enough fellow, but if his efforts were to be compromised…” He shuddered again. “Well, I fear you would be vulnerable. After all, you’re on record now, and you were born on the far side of the U.S. border. All good intentions aside, given their role in extricating you from a military prison, the Mexican authorities would be hard-pressed to refuse an extradition request.”
“So I could be taken into custody again,” Loup said slowly.
He waved a dismissive hand. “If you came to work for Global Security, it would be exceedingly unlikely. Most of your work would be in Europe or Asia. You would be safer there. We enjoy a different relationship with the United States, and a different attitude toward human rights. Including the rights of GMOs, even though your existence is largely a matter of informed speculation.”
“Except it wouldn’t be if you were advertising me, right? Everyone would know.”
“Have you ever heard the phrase ‘hide in plain sight’ ”? Magnus inquired. Loup shook her head. “It’s a classic technique. Of course, it would be necessary to obtain false papers for you in order to conceal your origins, but that, too, is something Global Security is prepared to offer. We have certain… connections… in that arena.”
“Papers?” Loup asked.
“A passport,” he clarified. “I trust you’ve nothing of the kind?”
“No.”
“Without one, you’re essentially trapped here,” Magnus observed. “I fear you’ll never leave Mexico. Even if the Mexican authorities were to offer you citizenship, you wouldn’t be allowed into the United States given the delicate state of relations. Only the highest-ranking Mexican diplomats are permitted into the States. But Global Security is prepared to offer you the world.” He paused to let his words sink in, then cleared his throat. “Of course, there would be a brief training period to teach you additional skills and, ah, polish up the rough edges, but you’d be well provided for. As you’ve seen, we like to treat our people well.”
“Yeah, thanks.” Loup cocked her head. “What about Pilar?”
“Pilar?”
Sabine murmured something in a foreign language.
“Ah, yes.” He nodded. “I understand GMOs have a genetic predisposition to forming strong attachments. Miss Ecchevarria would be welcome to accompany you. When you’re not on a job, of course. I assure you, the fees you would command would more than suffice to cover your living expenses.”
Loup shook her head. “No, hiring her.”
Magnus blinked. “I wasn’t aware that the young lady had any particular skills of interest to us.”
“She’s good at spending other people’s money,” Sabine muttered in accented English.
“Yeah, well, you gave it to us. Anyway, important people need people to do stuff like that, don’t they?” Loup asked pragmatically. “Maybe I’d make a great secret agent bodyguard in a lot of ways, but in case you hadn’t noticed, it might not be the brightest idea in the world to put someone who can’t feel fear in charge of keeping other people safe. Pilar and I make a good team. And I promised to let her take care of me.”
He blinked again, thoughtfully.
Sabine scoffed.
Loup eyed her. “So what are her skills of interest?” she asked Magnus.
The woman stiffened in affront. “I speak five languages fluently,” she said in an acid tone. “And I hold a seventh-rank black belt in tae kwon do. I could put you on the ground in three seconds ten different ways.”
Loup laughed.
“Permission to demonstrate, sir?” Sabine inquired.
“Go ahead.” He nodded. “I’m curious.”
Sabine flowed forward and executed a low, sweeping hook kick that was meant to yank the chair out from under Loup and send her tumbling to the floor. The empty chair clattered across the room. Loup, three steps away, regarded her mildly.
“Lady, if you want to spar, I’ll need gloves and you’ll need gear,” she said. “I’m out of practice and I don’t want to hurt you by accident. Otherwise, you’re just gonna have to chase me around the table all day.”
“Amazing,” Magnus murmured. “I’ve never seen anyone move so fast.”
“What’d you think you were trying to hire?” Loup continued to keep an eye on the tall woman.
“You.” For the first time, his smile seemed genuine. “It’s impressive, that’s all.” He waved a hand. “Sabine, stand down for God’s sake. So. Will you consider our offer?”
“Only if you’ll hire Pilar, too. And only if she wants to do it.”
“I’ll consider it.” Magnus nodded, half to himself. “You know, it’s not an unworkable idea. A personal assistant and the world’s only genetically modified bodyguard, all wrapped up in one attractive package.” He took a slim cell phone out of his breast pocket. “Here. I’ll call you with our response to your proposal. I assume you’ll be wanting to visit your… family, I suppose… in Huatulco?”
“Yeah.” Loup came back to accept the cell phone. “I’d like that, anyway.”
“Very good. My personal number is programmed in the phone if you have any questions.” He pursed his lips. “It would be a terrible thing if your family were to be exposed by extension, wouldn’t it? I understand the U.S. Army is very possessive of their… special… DNA strains. But take your time, consider.”
“Okay.”
She shook Magnus’ hand. Sabine didn’t offer hers. The businesslike young man who’d escorted them to the room appeared to take Loup to meet with Christophe and Pilar. She found them still gazing at the vivid, detailed murals.
“Wow.”
“Hey, baby.” Pilar turned around, eyes shining. “Aren’t these amazing? It’s like the whole history of Mexico from way back.” She pointed at the image of a massive stepped pyramid. “Christophe says these are still there, and we can visit them and everything. So what’s up?”
“Job offer. Secret agent bodyguard. Lots of money. And he kind of tried to threaten me. But I think maybe he had a point, too.”
Pilar looked worried. “You didn’t say yes, did you?”
“Whaddya think?” Loup smiled at her. “I told them I’d think about it. That I wouldn’t do it unless they hired you, too. And you wanted to.”
“Oh.” She looked relieved. “Good.”
Loup looked at Christophe. “You knew, didn’t you?”
“Yes.” He gave her an apologetic glance. “I agreed not to say anything before they had their chance.” His stomach growled. “Maybe we can talk about it over lunch?”
“Sure.”
FOUR
So they asked you, too?” Loup asked, curious.
“Yes.” Christophe methodically heaped spoonful after spoonful of fragrant, steaming paella onto his plate. “I am the oldest of us here, the only one who is eighteen. My father, he was the first to arrive. He met my mother quickly, like your father did.”
“Why’d you say no?” Pilar asked him.
He made a face. “Global Security, they found out about the original kin years ago through contacts at the government. They asked them, too. It sounds nice, yes, but Tío Jean and Tío Daniel, they knew men, ordinary men, who took such jobs after the army. Good money, but stupid stuff, like sitting the babies.”
“Huh?”
“Babysitting.”
“Yes.” Christophe nodded. “Babysitting for famous people. More trouble than it is worth.”
“Did he threaten you, too?” Loup asked.
He shrugged. “A little, perhaps. But I was born in this country. It is different for me and my brothers. I did not take the threat seriously.”
“The original kin weren’t born here.”
“No. But they were not born in the United States, either. They were born in Haiti. And if anyone has a claim to their DNA, it is the Chinese scientists who developed it there.” Christophe grinned. “Anyway, I do not think he would have dared to threaten them. They were… imposing.”
“Mmm.” Pilar rested her chin in her hand. “So if we did this we’d be, like, traveling around the world with celebrities and rich people?”
“Pretty much,” Loup agreed.
“That’s not so bad.”
“Nope.”
“You won’t like it so much,” Christophe warned them. “Very annoying. Also, I do not like this business with the false passports. It gives them a hold over you.”
“Yeah, well.” Loup shrugged. “If it’s illegal, it gives us a hold over them, too, right?”
“I suppose.”
“Anyway, who doesn’t?” Pilar said in a practical tone. “Those guys we talked to today do. They’ve got us on record.”
Loup glanced at her. “So are we thinking about it?”
“Maybe,” Pilar said. “If they want me, too. And I’m, um, not exactly sure I’d make a good secret agent bodyguard.”
“Not as a bodyguard.” Loup shook her head. “More like an assistant. You’d shop for famous people and stuff.”
“Oh, I could do that, for sure. Jesus!” Pilar looked dismayed. “Loup, we don’t even know who’s famous anymore. I mean, everything we know is from shit that’s over thirty years old. How are we gonna know?”
“Money,” Christophe said complacently, shoveling saffron-tinted rice into his mouth. He chewed and swallowed, wiped his lips with a napkin. “If they have the money to pay for you, they will be rich and famous. Do you care?”