can direct me to their base of operations?”
“Lady, we took out their base last night. That warehouse was where they cut their rock and wash the shake. I can tell you where some of them live, though. We've been doing surveillance on them, y'know? Like a real military operation.”
A real military operation. What an amusing thought. “Good. Let's go, then.”
“What, right now?”
“Of course.” She stood, tapping her foot impatiently. “You said over the phone that you owe Nate for everything he's done for you. This is a minor favor I'm asking of you, to take me into this gang's territory.”
Razz shook his head. “No way, mama. Not that I'm dissin' you, but no can do till you tell me what's going down. We wiped their asses last night—you think we're just gonna walk in there and smoke shit with them? They'll ice our asses.”
Shari thought about that for a moment. Razz couldn't use the information, couldn't even figure out who the mage was, probably. “All right, then. There's someone in the gang that I need to see. Someone unusual . . . someone who has the gift of magic.”
“Magic?” Razz grinned, showing two gold teeth. “You been smoking too much rock, mama. You sky‑ed. No such shit as magic.”
“You don't need to believe me,” Shari said quietly. “But you'll take me there. You do owe Nate that much.”
Razz shrugged. “Yeah, I'm loyal to The Man, but we're not going in there without some serious firepower. I'll call the bros in for this.” He walked into the main room. Shari followed him, listening as he explained what they were going to do to the crowd near the pool table.
“Why are you listening to this white bitch, Razz?” one of his boys asked. “Who gives a shit what she wants us to do? She's not The Man, she's just his babe.”
Shari considered the problem from a tactical viewpoint. She couldn't damage Razz's control of his group, since a change of command could ­endanger Nataniel's investments in this gang. Of course, an insult to her was also an insult to Nataniel, her liege lord. An interesting problem.
“I work for Nate,” she said, the human nickname feeling awkward on her tongue, “who has kept you supplied in drugs, guns, and bribe money for the police for the last two years. ­Besides—”
She had learned about human physiology on Nataniel's