"And I hear ye've been working on something new, Laszlo?" Angus asked.
"Ah, yes." The chemist tugged at his button. "You see, I was talking to Jack last night at the party, and he told me about a device the FBI put into a hair weave for Lara in order to track her. Unfortunately, Jack could hear it, so he had to remove it. But then the Malcontents kidnapped Lara, and he was unable to find her for days."
"Aye, we know," Angus grumbled impatiently. "Get on with it."
The button popped off onto the table. Laszlo grabbed it and stuffed it into a pocket. "I started work tonight on a tracking device that would be completely undetectable to vampires and shape shifters. Then we could all be tagged, and if anyone gets kidnapped, we could rescue them quickly."
"Sounds like a great idea, buddy." Gregori gave the small chemist a thumbs-up.
Laszlo blushed. "Well, I was kidnapped once myself, so I know how frightening it can be."
"How exactly would ye tag us?" Connor asked.
"The device would most likely be inserted beneath the skin." Laszlo started fiddling with a new button. "The incision would heal during our death-sleep, so no trace of the surgical implantation would remain."
"How far along are you?" Angus asked.
"I–I just started tonight. I need a few nights—a week perhaps."
"Right. Good luck to you." Angus motioned to the door.
Laszlo blinked. "Oh. Of course. Thank you." He scurried out the door.
"All right, we need to talk strategy," Angus said.
Phil raised a hand. "Something just occurred to me. We could take Laszlo's tracking device, implant it in Sigismund while he's in his death-sleep so he won't know it's there, then pretend to be moving him and accidentally allow him to escape—"
"The devil take it," Angus exclaimed. "He might lead us straight to Casimir."
Excited murmurs spread about the room.
Sean Whelan jumped to his feet. "If we discover where he's hiding, I could send a special task force to stake Casimir and all his followers in their death-sleep!"
The murmurs stopped. Phil winced at the appalled looks on the Vamps in the room. If Sean felt it was entirely acceptable to stake Malcontents in their death-sleep, what would stop him from doing it someday to the Vamps?
Angus cleared his throat. "We appreciate yer help in matters of security, Whelan. But when it comes to killing Casimir, we'd rather do it with honor. Face-to-face on the field of battle."
Sean snorted. "You think those monsters have any comprehension of honor?"
"Perhaps no', but we do." Angus turned to Phil. "Ye have a great idea there, lad."
"Aye, but 'twill be a week or so before Laszlo has the tracking device ready," Connor said. "We canna wait here, twiddling our thumbs, while Casimir continues his attack."
Angus nodded, and resumed his pacing. "We need to act."
"If we can't find Casimir, we let him find us," Jack said.
"A trap," Angus murmured. "Go on."
"We should set the trap far away from the remaining Romatechs," Emma suggested. "Draw his attention away from them."
Phil nodded. "Then we'll be taking control of the situation."
"Verra good," Angus said. "We just need to bait the trap. Dinna Sigismund give us a list of Vamps that Casimir wants to kill?"
Phil clenched his hands into fists underneath the table. He couldn't let them use Vanda as bait.
"I have the list here." Connor retrieved a sheet of paper from his folder. "Ian and Toni. They would do it."
"But they're still on their honeymoon," Emma protested. "Is there anyone else?"
"Zoltan and Dougal." Connor read from the list. "They were at the Romatechs that were bombed tonight. They have some burns and scrapes, but they'll recover during their death-sleep."
"Good," Angus said. "Then we have two."
"I'm on the list." Jack raised a hand. "I'll do it."
His fiancée, Lara, winced. "Then I'd better go, too. You guys will need a day guard."
"Actually, Jack, we have another assignment for you," Angus said. "I want Roman and his family to go into hiding tomorrow night. Usually Connor and Howard go with them, but I think it makes more sense for you and Lara to go."
Jack stiffened. "But I'll miss all the action. I'm the best swordsman you have. No offense, Jean-Luc."