“I don’t need protection. One bodyguard will be enough. Our men are already watching the area.”

“Well, yeah, but they can’t watch everything. We’re still figuring our way around our new territory. It’s not as easy as you think.”

A tic started in my jaw. “I’m well aware it’s not easy, but if we don’t want to lose more men and if we want to know what’s coming next, we need to search that house.”

“Why are you so sure we’ll find something there? We took everything already.” His eyes narrowed.

“It doesn’t matter.” If I even mentioned James, I was sure Brent would be quick to point out that this whole thing had to be a trap of some kind and that maybe James was trying to send me to that house so I’d trigger a hidden bomb or something. “Can you find a guard or two for me or not?”

“In a few days, maybe. We have a new shipment scheduled for tonight to replace the one we lost, so we need all hands on deck.”

“Fine.” I turned toward the door.

“You’re going to wait then, right?” Brent asked. “And it would be best if you stayed here tonight. This is the safest place for you.”

“Yeah, sure.” I gave him a small smile, but I knew it didn’t reach my eyes. He wanted me to wait? I wasn’t going to do that, especially since we didn’t know when we might be attacked. However, it was better if Brent didn’t know what I was planning to do, because he wouldn’t just be mad but probably get an aneurysm or something.

I was the boss here, though, not him. So if he wanted to complain, he could always do it later.

Chapter 10

JAMES WAS STILL IN the tech room when I got there, so I merely waved at him to come with me. Meg wasn’t there, but Felipe was, and he didn’t ask anything, probably assuming that I wanted to take James back to my room.

We were actually going for my room, but once we got there, I turned to James. “Get ready. There’s something I need you to do for me.”

“And what if I don’t want to?” His eyes were sparkling with amusement.

“I can make you.” I grinned. “But I bet you’re going to like this. We’re going to your house. Well, my house.”

His face grew serious. “I assume you didn’t find the keyword for cracking the code.”

“No, which means it might still be in the house, so I want you to show me that secret compartment you mentioned.”

“Now?” His eyebrows arched. “You want to go there now?”

“Sure. Why not? Do you have anything better to do?”

He didn’t say anything.