“Well, sure as hell isn’t diamonds,” Haley joked as she looked inside the velvet box. No diamonds, but definitely gold.
It was a golden locket, shaped like an oval with the engraving of some valley lilies on it. This was some real quality stuff. It was a lot better than what people would waste their money on in the lower district. It was delicate, pretty, and she had no idea why he was giving it to her.
Bret laughed at her confused expression.
“It’s a mini recording device. Open it and it starts recording. Open it again and it’ll stop. Small, discreet, and as long as you’re careful you won’t get found out.”
“It will definitely help with remembering important conversations.” Haley immediately put it on, letting it settle just an inch below her collar bones.
Having a recording device on hand would take some of the pressure off of her. Memorizing everything word for word would’ve gotten tedious pretty fast.
“How much of the budget did this eat up?” she couldn’t help but ask. It definitely didn’t come cheap.
“You don’t want know. The BU will be fine though, always is.”
The Better Union, or the BU as everyone called it, wasn’t an official union but they protested against the unfairness of the upper class and helped their people in the lower district to the best of their abilities.
They were a union in all the ways it mattered, even though most would call them an underground resistance. Like all Unions though, they were upset with the upper class and wanted change. People in power didn’t usually play nice when they were oppressing the lower class.
Before the BU started up, Newday city had been a werewolf haven, a place of opportunity but now…it wasn’t what it used to be, and things were just getting worse.
That’s why Haley was spying on the three main packs. That’s why Bret started up the BU.
That’s why her role was to go in undercover and get dirt on the three families. If they managed to find the right thing, then they could blackmail the family’s into actually DOING something for the people instead of themselves.
Again, not the nicest thing but they were past playing nice after everything that was going on and being done to their city.
“Moving on past the budget, that necklace will hold a charge for at least 24 hours but you have to charge it for at least six. Open it once, it starts recording, open it again, it stops, simple right?”
“Definitely. It’ll be a big help, especially since tonight was a total bust. I, managed to introduce myself a bit, solidify Heather Parker’s backstory and place but as for blackmail I’ve got nothing.”
“Come on, brief me in the office, I want details, Hales, not a summary.”
Haley followed Bret to his office. It looked like a normal office you’d find in a warehouse if it wasn’t, you know, meant for an underground Union hell bent on dismantling the rulings packs power—or blackmail them into doing proper work. They weren’t very picky, they just wanted things to be better, hence the name.
She took a seat while Bret sat behind his desk. There was a cut out photo of him surrounded by four stick figures. It was a running joke in the BU that they were his mystery family since no one knew nothing about them—and Bret wanted it that way.
“Alright, give me the rundown of everything that happened tonight. Leave nothing out.”
Haley might not have a recording to help her along, but her memory was nothing to scoff at and she quickly went into recounting how she ran into Bret, her thought process and how the night went.
They lamented over the phone together, and he even praised her for managing to slip out of Remus Silvermane’s suspicions.
Still, she felt like there had been an opportunity wasted.
“Well, we knew this wasn’t going to be easy,” huffed Bret. “For a first attempt this wasn’t bad, you’re doing good, Hales
“Yeah, well, wish I could do a bit more…hey, can I go over one of the profiles again?”
“Which?” asked Bret, opening a drawer.
“Remus Silvermane.”
He cocked a brow, but he still pulled it out for her.
“Any reason why?”
“Want to make sure I’m up to snuff, see if I can add anything to the profile we have now,” she said easily enough, taking the offered file.
“You read through that while I log your mission. You might not think it’s much, but we’ve never gotten this close before and every little thing counts, even the gossip from the source.”
Haley hummed as she started to flip through the file they had made for Remus.
Name: Remus Silvermane.
Age: 24
The youngest son of the Silvermane family. Seems to lack the same influence and presence in the pack and business of the family, unlike his other siblings.
The rest they had on him was gossip and drivel she’d keep in mind but wouldn’t trust. Haley didn’t need any gossip rags telling her what fake drama was going on, she needed the real stuff.
Honestly, she didn’t know why she was so caught up about this—about him. She had read these profiles before; it wasn’t like new info was magically going to appear unless she went out and got it.
Besides, that was a one-time thing, she didn’t think Remus Silvermane would hold his interest in her for long.
She added a few notes to his personality. She marked him down as a lot easier going than Alpha Silvermane, even though she hadn’t interacted with the latter. Remus’s father was a stern, curt man, and she wasn’t sure if she even saw him smile during his own birthday party.
“Hopefully the next party will bring more results. I’ll be working in the Parker manor as a regular server.”
“Don’t push yourself too hard. You’re one of the best spies we got.”
“I’m one of the only spies you got,” Haley huffed, rolling her eyes with a small bit of pride at that statement. Only of or not, she was good, it’s why she was chosen for this role—accepted this role.
Haley loved her city, but d*mn if Newday wasn’t going down into the crapper with whatever the main packs were doing. That’s why she had to do this, they had to try for something more, something better.
“You should get home now, Hales, you’ve done enough for tonight.”
“See you later, Bret.”
“Oh, and Hales?” called Bret, making her stop before she could completely leave the office. “If you get caught…don’t die.”
“Ha! You know if that happens then dying will be the least of my worries.”