Next Exit, Dead Ahead

by CW Browning

  The Mustang's tires rolled onto gravel and the trees fell away as they pulled into the clearing where Alina's house was nestled. Stephanie followed the drive past the front of the house and turned left to go around to the detached garage in the back. She and John both raised their eyebrows when they saw a black F-150 and a silver BMW already parked in front of the garage.

  “Looks like she has a full house,” John murmured. “Is that Angela's car?”

  “Yes.”

  Stephanie pulled behind it with a frown and cut the engine.

  “Whose truck?”

  “I don't know.” Stephanie killed the engine and glanced at John. “It might be Damon's.”

  John made a face and undid his seat belt.

  “I guess you're going to tell me I have to play nice,” he muttered and Stephanie chuckled.

  “I would, if I thought it would make any difference,” she retorted. “Come on. Let's see what the hell they're up to this time.”

  They got out of the car and turned toward the house. Light poured out from the living room and, as they started across the grass toward the deck, the outside lights switched on. John glanced up to the roof, looking for Raven.

  “Where's that damn bird?” he said under his breath.

  Stephanie looked at him, amused.

  “I'm sure he'll make an appearance,” she replied. “There's Angie.”

  Angela slid open the door on the deck and stepped outside, followed by a tall redhead with broad shoulders. Stephanie's eyebrows soared into her forehead.

  “Hi!” Angela called, glancing up at the roof. “I don't know where the hawk is, so you better keep your eyes peeled.”

  “He's probably off eating some kid for dinner,” John retorted as he and Stephanie reached the deck. “You're keeping some shady company here,” he added with a grin and a nod to Michael.

  Michael held out his hand and grasped John's firmly.

  “How's it going, John?” he greeted him with a grin.

  “No one's trying to kill me, so it's a good day,” John answered, shaking his hand.

  “When did you get into town?” Stephanie asked, smiling as Michael turned to her and held out his hand.

  “Just yesterday. I was up visiting my folks in Brooklyn,” Michael answered easily.

  Stephanie nodded and went up the shallow steps to join them on the deck.

  “It's good to see you again,” she told him.

  John placed his foot on the bottom step of the deck and cast his eyes over the roof again. When he didn't see any shadows moving, he continued onto the deck.

  WHOOOSH!!!

  Raven let out a screech as he swooped down from a tree near the house. Diving in an arc across the deck, he extended his claws in front of him, his eyes fixed on John.

  “Holy Mother of Christ!” Michael exclaimed. He ducked out of the way as Raven rushed past his head, the tip of his wing just missing his face.

  “For love of God!” John cried at the same time, ducking and jumping off the deck.

  The large black hawk followed him and John cursed as he covered his head with his arms and dove down into a crouch on the grass. Raven's claws brushed the top of his head before the hawk turned and flew back to the deck, landing on the banister. He hunkered down, staring at John menacingly.

  “You better go get Alina,” Stephanie told Angela. “She's the only one who can call him off.”

  Angela stared at her.

  “She's not here,” she said.

  “What?” Stephanie stared back at her. “Where is she?”

  “I don't know. She said she was going out.” Angela shrugged. “That was a couple of hours ago.”

  “Does he always do that?” Michael demanded, looking from Raven to John, who was slowly straightening up.

  “Only with John,” Stephanie replied, her lips twitching despite herself. “He's not a big fan.”

  “I can see that!” Michael shook his head. “That was crazy!”

  “Did I just hear that Lina's not even here?” John called from a safe distance.

  “Apparently not,” Stephanie replied.

  John shook his head and muttered something about insane women and rabid birds. Michael glanced at the hawk, standing guard near the steps, and pulled out his phone.

  “I'll text her and see where she is,” he said, his lips twitching.

  “What are you doing here if Lina's not even here?” Stephanie asked Angela. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously when Angela wouldn't quite meet her gaze.

  “I'm just visiting with Michael,” Angela answered evasively. “I opened a bottle of wine. I'll get you a glass.”

  Angela turned to go back into the house, avoiding Stephanie's searching look. Stephanie glanced at Michael, then at John before turning to follow Angela inside.

  “I could use a glass of wine,” she admitted as she stepped off the deck and into the living room. “It's been a hell of a day.”

  She looked around as she stepped into the house, noting the case of Diet Pepsi sitting on the island in the kitchen. Stephanie raised an eyebrow and glanced into the dining room. The table had an open white Macbook Pro sitting at one end with a blackberry and an empty soda can. At the other end was a black, widescreen Dell laptop with an external hard-drive plugged into it and a half-empty bottle of beer. The space in between was cluttered with various phone and tablet chargers plugged into an extension cord running from the wall.

  “Working late?” Stephanie asked, looking at the mess.

  Angela looked over her shoulder from the sidebar cabinet where she was getting a wine glass.

  “I had some things I had to take care of, and Michael was checking emails, I think,” she murmured, her cheeks flushing a pale pink. Stephanie's eyes narrowed again.

  “Interesting,” she murmured.

  Angela turned around with the wine glass and went over to the bar and an open bottle of Pinot Noir.

  “Not really,” she said breezily. “I have a project due for a meeting at the end of the week and one of my colleagues emailed me some data for one of the graphs. I figured I would get it taken care of while I was waiting for Lina to get back.”

  “You don't know where she went?” Stephanie asked, setting her purse and keys down on the bar.

  “No. You know Lina. She doesn't say much,” Angela answered. She handed her the glass of wine and summoned up a carefree smile. “Cheers!”

  “Cheers,” Stephanie murmured, raising the glass to her lips. She sipped the wine and studied Angela over the rim of the glass. “Have you seen Mr. Hunk O' Mysterious?”

  “No. I think she scared him off again,” Angela said, shaking her head. “You know, if I had a man that looked like that coming after me, I wouldn't be running in the other direction. I'd have him locked up at home. I just don't understand Alina at all.”

  “I don't think God himself understands Alina,” Stephanie answered with a grin. “Has he left again?”

  “I don't know. Michael said he was here yesterday, but I haven't seen him today.” Angela shrugged. “He seems to just come and go. They're strange, those two. It's like they never sit still for more than a day and then one of them is off again!”

  Stephanie sipped her wine and was silent. While she knew why that was, Angela did not. When Alina decided to keep Angela in the dark about her identity, Stephanie had agreed readily. Not only did she think Angela wouldn't be able to handle just what, exactly, her old friend did for a living, but Stephanie knew first-hand just how dangerous it was to be part of Viper's world. Angela wouldn't last a day.

  The door to the deck slid open and Michael stepped inside, tucking his phone away into his pocket.

  “Alina will be here in a few minutes,” he announced, sliding the door closed behind him. “John and the bird seem to have come to an understanding.”

  “What's that?” Stephanie asked, raising her eyebrows.

  Michael grinned.

  “John is sitting on the grass and the bird is settled down on the banister,” he re
plied.

  Stephanie burst out laughing.

  “Poor John,” she said.

  “I've never seen anything like it,” Michael said, crossing into the dining room and picking up the half-empty beer bottle. “As soon as John starts toward the steps, that bird stands up and gives every indication he'll claw his eyes out. If it was a dog, he'd be growling.”

  “Raven really doesn't like John,” Angela said with a grin. “Can't say I blame him. He's an ass.”

  “He's gotten better,” Stephanie protested. Angela snorted and sipped her wine.

  “I'll take your word for it,” she retorted. “Did she say where she was?” she asked Michael.

  “No. Just that she was a few minutes out,” Michael answered before he drained what was left of the beer and headed into the kitchen. “I'm going to take a beer out to John to make his exile more comfortable.”

  “I'm kind of surprised Raven lets you come and go,” Stephanie remarked. “He still buzzes my head occasionally.”

  “Oh, I give him wide berth,” Michael assured her with a laugh. He opened the fridge and pulled out two more bottles of beer. “I have nothing but respect for anything with claws and a beak that large.”

  “Wise man,” Angela said with a laugh.

  “Or extremely foolish,” Michael retorted, turning to head back outside with the beer. “These days, I'm starting to wonder.”

  Alina stopped at a red light on route 70 and stifled a yawn, glancing at the clock on the dashboard. It was after nine and she was on her way home. Her mind was still processing all that Jessica told her. She had been extremely forthcoming with information, answering every question Alina asked with a straight-forward, no nonsense attitude Viper appreciated. The hell on earth that Jenaro Gomez had created for the woman was staggering, but Viper knew Jessica was just one of many. The cartels were turning Mexico into an apocalyptic state.

  Her phone beeped from her pocket, pulling her thoughts away from Jenaro, and Alina pulled it out. She glanced at the text alert and swiped the screen, reading the text from Michael quickly.

  Might have a little problem here.

  Alina raised her eyebrow and hit her hands-free button to call him. He picked up after one ring.

  “Define little problem,” she said, dispensing with greetings. The light turned green and she hit the gas.

  “Stephanie and John showed up,” Michael answered.

  “So?”

  “So did your bird,” he said simply.

  Alina paused as understanding hit and her lips twitched.

  “Does John still have eyes?” she asked after a short silence.

  “For now,” Michael answered.

  “I'm about ten minutes out,” Alina told him, turning off the highway and switching on her brights.

  “See you soon,” Michael said and Alina disconnected.

  She dropped the phone on the seat beside her and lowered the gas pedal. What did Stephanie want now? Had she found out about Angela's credentials being used by Rodrigo? Alina sighed. She didn't like it when Stephanie showed up unannounced. It usually meant she wanted information from her, information Viper usually wasn't willing to give.

  Perhaps settling in New Jersey wasn't the smartest move, Alina admitted to herself as she sped through the darkness of the Pine Barrens, keeping a wary eye out for deer. It was turning out to be more complicated than she anticipated. She had thought she would be able to keep her old friends at a distance, and to a certain extent she had. But then Michael showed up, and Rodrigo started leaving his body parts laying around, and now Angela was mixed up in some kind of hacking scam. Jenaro Gomez was looking for Hawk, and Hawk was pursuing her. Really, it was getting to be ridiculous. These things just didn't happen anywhere else. If she had an ounce of sense, she would get the hell out of Jersey and stay out.

  Inexplicably, Alina's mind flashed back to the memory of Angela lying face down in her arms, blood seeping through a ridiculous brown trench coat. She sighed imperceptibly. If she left Jersey, Angela would be on her own when she needed Viper the most. She didn't know it, but she was in more danger now than she had been last Spring when a bullet tore through her shoulder and out her chest. Then, she had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Now, someone had deliberately pulled Angela into their spider web of intrigue.

  Viper's eyes narrowed coldly.

  They were about to find out what a mistake that was.

  “So, tell me what's going on,” Stephanie said as she sunk onto the chocolate brown sofa and sipped her wine.

  Angela sat down on the other end of the sofa.

  “What do you mean?” she asked innocently.

  Stephanie looked at her, amused.

  “There's a case of soda on the bar, your laptop on the table, and all your chargers plugged in and charging, including your phone,” she replied calmly. “Lina never touches soda, but you live on it. Your purse and keys are nowhere in sight and, if you were just hanging out with Michael waiting for Alina to come back, your purse and keys would be with your laptop. You wouldn't be charging your phone unless you knew you weren't going home to charge it, and the same goes for your tablet. So, I say again, tell me what's going on.”

  Angela wrinkled her nose and sipped her wine.

  “Sometimes I really hate it that you're a detective,” she muttered.

  “But I am, so you might as well come clean,” Stephanie retorted. “Obviously, you're staying with Alina. Why?”

  “I...something happened and she thought it would be better if I stayed here for a few days,” Angela said evasively.

  Stephanie raised an eyebrow.

  “What happened?” she asked.

  Before Angela could answer, tires crunched on gravel and the spotlights outside flashed on.

  “Alina must be back,” Angela announced in relief and jumped up.

  Stephanie sighed and got up to follow Angie out the sliding door. They watched as a black Jeep Rubicon pulled up behind Michael's truck. Raven straightened to attention and his shiny eyes watched as Alina got out of the Jeep. She was dressed in black SWAT-style cargo pants and a black tank top, layered under a lightweight black nylon jacket. Her hair was pulled back into a braid at the back of her head, and she looked as menacing as her hawk as she closed the door and turned toward the deck.

  “It's about time you showed up,” John called from his seat in the grass next to Michael. “Your guard dog won't let me near the house.”

  Alina flicked him a brief glance before turning her gaze back to her pet. Michael stood up and watched as she moved toward the deck, her eyes locked on Raven's.

  “What's she doing?” he asked John.

  “Talking to it,” John muttered, getting to his feet and brushing some dead leaves off his jeans. “Don't ask.”

  Alina ignored them as she passed, her attention focused on the hawk perched on the banister of the deck. Michael watched, transfixed, as she walked up to the deck and held out her arm. Raven hopped from the banister onto her arm, his black eyes locked on hers. As the hawk settled onto her arm, the two black figures appeared to join as one in the shadows. Michael blinked. The razor sharp claws didn't appear to make any impression on Alina as she murmured something in a low voice he couldn't understand. The hawk made a sound low in its throat in response and Alina turned her head toward Michael and John.

  “Go on inside,” she told them.

  John started toward the deck, taking a wide path around the two. Michael waited until John had made it safely onto the deck without a murmur of protest from the hawk before he moved forward.

  “You're just a never-ending barrel of fascination,” he murmured as he passed Alina and Raven.

  Her eyes met his and she smiled faintly.

  “Don't worry. I'm not a witch,” she murmured. “I won't put a spell on you.”

  “Too late for that,” he retorted.

  He went up onto the deck and turned to watch as Alina murmured something more to Raven. The hawk bobbed its head and launched o
ff her arm, disappearing into the dark trees. Alina watched him go, then turned and strode onto the deck. She looked at them all standing there, collected outside the door, and raised an eyebrow.

  “Am I having a party I didn't know about?” she asked dryly.

  “Yep! You have wine and beer,” Angela answered promptly with a grin. “Come on in!”

  Alina glanced at Michael and caught the laughter in his eyes. She shook her head slightly.

  “I told you that you couldn't hide from us anymore,” he murmured as she passed him.

  “I hope you don't mind us dropping by,” Stephanie said, following her inside. “I didn't know you had a full house.”

  “Neither did I,” Alina murmured humorously. She waited until everyone was inside before she slid the door shut after a brief, searching glance outside. “Is everything ok?” she asked, her gaze cutting to Stephanie.

  “Depends on what you consider ok,” Stephanie replied with a grimace. “It's been a long day.”

  “I'll second that,” Alina said. “Is there any wine left?”

  “Enough for a glass,” Angela answered, heading back to the couch.

  Alina nodded and turned toward the bar. Her eyes fell on the case of soda and she raised an eyebrow. Without a word, she picked up the case and continued into the kitchen, opening the fridge and sliding it onto the bottom shelf.

  “Where's Damon?” Stephanie asked, leaning on the bar with her glass of wine as John and Michael joined Angela in the living room.

  “I'm not sure,” Alina replied, turning from the fridge. She opened a cabinet and took out a red wine glass. “He stopped by this afternoon for a few minutes, then left again.”

  “That doesn't raise any questions for you?” John asked from the living room.

  Alina picked up the wine and poured what was left into her glass, her dark eyes glinting as they glanced at John.

  “Not especially,” she answered. “I'm not his keeper.”

  “I don't understand you guys at all,” Angela announced from the sofa. “He says he came to see you, but as far as I can see, he's not seeing you. So, what's he doing?”