Next Exit, Three Miles

by CW Browning

  “What's he looking...OH!” Stephanie caught sight of Raven. “Was he out there when we got here?”

  “He was on the roof,” Alina answered. “I really don't think he cares for John,” she added, watching her pet.

  Raven was staring at John unblinkingly, giving every indication that if John tried moving toward the door, he wouldn't get very far. Damon reached over and slid the door open.

  “We might have a little problem here,” he said, struggling to keep the laughter out of his voice.

  Alina shot him a look that clearly said, 'Do you have to enjoy this so much?' Hawk just grinned back at her.

  “I see that.” Alina stepped outside.

  As soon as she stepped onto the deck, Raven turned his head to look at her. Alina stared at him for a moment, and then held out her arm. They all watched as he immediately lifted into the air and settled gently on her outstretched arm. She murmured something in a low voice and he bobbed his head, keeping his black eyes on her.

  “Go in, John. He won't bother you now,” Alina said softly.

  Damon waited for John to step into the living room, never taking his eyes off Viper. The black hawk seemed mesmerized by her. She was murmuring to it quietly and Damon was fascinated. When she finally lifted her eyes to him, Damon caught his breath. Standing in the shadows, with the light from the house spilling out behind her and the black bird on her arm, she was a magical sight. They stared at each other for a moment in silence before Viper murmured something and Raven lifted effortlessly off her arm, breaking the spell and disappearing back onto the roof. Damon dropped his eyes to her bare arm. There wasn't one mark from the hawk's claws.

  “You never cease to amaze me,” he murmured.

  He missed the teasing flash in her eyes as she stepped past him.

  “Oh, you haven't seen anything yet,” Alina murmured under her breath as she went through the door.

  Damon's lips twitched and he followed her inside.

  “That bird is a menace,” John announced as Damon closed the door.

  Alina raised an eyebrow.

  “That bird is doing his job,” she retorted. “He doesn't trust you.”

  “That's harsh,” John said, moving over to the bar.

  Alina shrugged.

  “It's the truth,” she said shortly.

  “That was pretty crazy, what you just did,” Stephanie spoke before John could respond. “You clearly haven't lost your knack with animals.”

  Alina shook her head, moving around the bar and pulling a wine opener from a drawer.

  “No,” she agreed easily. “It's come in handy more than once.”

  She removed the cork and poured wine into the four glasses while John prowled around curiously.

  “This is nice,” John said from the living room.

  Stephanie looked over her shoulder.

  “Didn't you see it when you were here the other night?” she asked.

  John shook his head, pausing to peer down the hallway to the front of the house.

  “No. We stayed on the deck,” he answered.

  Stephanie looked at Alina and she shrugged.

  “I was more comfortable outside,” she said in response to the question in her face, lifting one of the glasses.

  Stephanie grinned.

  “I don't blame you,” she replied.

  Damon watched through hooded eyes. John was clearly curious about the rest of the house but reluctant to look without an invitation, which was not forthcoming from his hostess. Stephanie, on the other hand, seemed to be going out of her way to be agreeable at two in the morning. Good cop, bad cop, he thought to himself, glancing at Alina. She was watching John with narrowed eyes.

  “Why don't we sit in the living room?” Alina suggested.

  Stephanie picked up a glass and turned toward the living room.

  “I am sorry for just showing up like this,” she said as she followed Alina into the living room.

  John moved to the bar to take one of the remaining glasses.

  “Well, as I said, I'm a night owl,” Alina replied easily, heading for the recliner. “Damon had no qualms showing up out of the blue either. Don't worry anymore about it.”

  John glanced at Damon and blue eyes met blue.

  “Coincidence, you knowing Lina,” John commented. Damon shrugged slightly.

  “They do happen,” he answered calmly, picking up the remaining glass of wine. “I have to say that I am thoroughly enjoying getting to know her again.”

  Damon sipped the wine and started to move into the living room.

  “I would imagine so.” John followed him. “How long has it been since you two saw each other?”

  “Too long,” Damon answered with a quick smile.

  Stephanie looked from Damon to Alina sharply before sitting on the couch. Damon looked like a cat that had found a bowl of cream. She focused on Alina.

  “It must have been a surprise when he walked into the restaurant,” she commented.

  Alina waited to answer until John sat down next to Stephanie.

  “It was a nice surprise,” she finally said with a smile, glancing up at Damon as he perched on the arm of her chair. “I never thought I would see any of the boys again,” she added.

  “Oh ye of little faith,” he murmured.

  Damon leaned back against the chair and stretched his arm along the back. His entire demeanor suggested a closer relationship with Alina than was being discussed, a fact that wasn't lost on one person in the room. Alina knew he had to have a reason, but she let him know that she didn't appreciate the implications by shooting him a glare and shifting away from him. He just smiled back at her blandly.

  “Well, it's certainly one hell of a coincidence,” Stephanie murmured.

  “They do happen,” Alina unconsciously echoed Damon's words and John raised an eyebrow.

  “So he told you about the explosion tonight?” Stephanie asked, sipping her wine and settling back against the couch.

  Alina nodded, her dark eyes moving between John and Stephanie. Stephanie looked open and relaxed, while John seemed to be brooding and watchful. Good cop, bad cop, she thought with a sigh. How predictable.

  “Yes. An SUV, I think you said?” Alina looked up at Damon questioningly. Damon nodded.

  “We were able to contain the crime scene,” Stephanie told them. “But the SUV was toasted for a reason. I think someone was making a statement.”

  “One hell of a statement to make,” Alina replied, sitting back in the recliner and curling her legs up beside her.

  “It's the only thought that I can come up with,” Stephanie answered. “The explosion was too far away to have been meant to destroy any part of the crime scene. Once everything settled down, nothing was missing from evidence or from the house. No one was seen trying to gain access to the house or the yard, so it wasn't meant as a distraction. That really only leaves someone making a statement, and I don't think that someone was Johann.”

  “Stephanie!” John muttered warningly.

  Stephanie rolled her eyes.

  “What?” she demanded. “I can tell you right now, she knows all about Johann.”

  Stephanie's words fell heavily into the room, causing a moment of silence. Alina was amused. So this was how they were going to play it! John looked at Stephanie, and then at Alina. Damon's eyes were dancing as he looked down at her, showing that he was fully enjoying the whole production. Stephanie was looking at her as well, a challenge clear in her eyes.

  “Do you?” John demanded, drawing her gaze.

  Alina paused for a moment, letting the silence lengthen. She considered both her old friends calmly. Between the two of them, they had clearly worked out what they thought was most of the truth. How much of the real truth was she willing to reveal? She glanced up at Damon and read a clear warning in his deep blue eyes. Her own narrowed slightly. They were all looking at her, trying to manipulate her for their respective reasons, and Alina was suddenly annoyed with the lot of them. Perhaps she
was tired. Perhaps she was getting weary of all the cloak and dagger nonsense. Maybe she was simply tired of being manipulated. Whatever the reason, Viper made a quick decision.

  “Yes,” she said calmly. “I know all about Johann. I've been tracking him for over a month.”

  Her calm announcement made Damon let out an almost imperceptible sigh. John stared at her, his face inscrutable, and Stephanie blinked. Alina didn't think she expected to get that response so easily.

  “Why?” Stephanie finally broke the heavy silence that followed that announcement.

  “I can't tell you that,” Alina answered bluntly, sipping her wine.

  “Can't? Or won't?” John asked.

  Alina flicked her eyes to him impatiently and didn't answer.

  “Ok.” Stephanie set her empty wine glass on the floor. “That's what I thought. So this makes things easier. What do you know?”

  “That you're in over your head,” Alina answered promptly.

  John made a noise that sounded close to a snort. Stephanie glared at him before turning back to Alina. She didn't look any happier with that blunt statement, but she appeared to be willing to listen.

  “Why?”

  “You have no idea what you're up against,” Alina answered calmly. “Johann isn't just a terrorist. He's a figurehead. You can't treat him the same way you would one of your usual suspects. There are different rules now.” Damon glanced down at her. “And frankly, you have no idea what they are.”

  “That's why I'm here,” Damon injected smoothly. He stood up and motioned to John's full wine glass. “I think I saw beer in the fridge earlier. You look like you might prefer that.”

  John looked a little sheepish.

  “I would,” he agreed.

  Damon grinned and walked over to take the full wine glass.

  “So would I,” he said, heading into the kitchen with the wine glasses.

  Alina watched him, wondering what he was up to now.

  “Did you know he was the agent that was going to be sent to work with us?” Stephanie demanded.

  Alina looked back at her friend and shook her head.

  “Not until he walked into the restaurant.” Alina resisted the urge to cross her fingers behind her back.

  Stephanie seemed a little appeased by that.

  “Well, that's something, at least,” she muttered. “What do you know about the explosion?”

  “Only what Damon told me before you got here,” Alina answered. She raised her voice slightly. “Damon, bring another bottle of wine. Stephanie's glass is empty.”

  “She can have mine,” John said quickly. “I didn't touch it.”

  “What do you think it was, if not a statement?” Stephanie asked, leaning forward.

  Alina looked at her for a moment.

  “I think someone is trying to get Johann's attention,” she said finally.

  “Someone like who?” John demanded.

  Alina shrugged.

  “If I knew that, I wouldn't be sitting here,” she answered dryly. “There's another player, Steph. And, as much as I hate to say this, I think you both need to be very careful,” she added.

  Damon came back into the living room with two bottles of beer in one hand and John's full wine glass in the other. He handed Stephanie the glass and John one of the beers.

  “Don't be ridiculous,” John said, taking the beer. “Why would they be interested in us?”

  “Because you're interested in Johann,” Damon said, going back to his perch on the chair and stretching his arm along the back again. “I'm with Alina on this one. I think there's someone else after Johann, and I think they'll take out anyone in their way.”

  “His network,” Stephanie said slowly. “You both think someone else is taking out his network.”

  “Now that makes sense!” John admitted, sitting back with his beer comfortably. “I've said all along that it doesn't make sense for him to be taking out his own network.” Alina looked at him, surprised. He caught the look and shook his head. “You don't have to look so surprised,” he muttered. “I've changed in ten years.”

  “Hmm.”

  Alina clearly wasn't impressed and Damon bit back a laugh.

  “But that means that whoever it is, is a professional. They must be...” Stephanie's voice trailed off as the full ramifications of what she was hearing sunk in. “Oh good Lord.” She drank half her wine in one swallow and glanced at John. “Maybe we are in over our heads.”

  John scoffed.

  “Please,” he retorted. “So we may need to add an assassin to our repertoire. It's something different, I'll give you that, but not impossible.”

  “We should tell Rob,” Stephanie said, finishing the wine.

  Alina watched her, half amused and half appalled at how quickly her old friend had just drained the wine glass.

  “Maybe I should have opened another bottle,” Damon murmured in her ear.

  Alina glanced at him, her eyes laughing.

  “I think she's rattled,” she murmured back.

  “And tell him what?” John demanded. “That we think there might be an assassin running around, blowing things up and trying to get to Johann before we do? He would laugh himself silly.”

  “We don't have the resources to handle this and Johann,” Stephanie retorted, her mind working quickly.

  “I think we were just insulted,” Damon remarked idly.

  Alina nodded.

  “Yep,” she agreed.

  John and Stephanie looked at them in surprise. Obviously, neither of them had considered the possibility of a joint working relationship.

  “This is one of the reasons I'm here,” Damon pointed out. “Your boss would agree. I have the resources that you don't.”

  “What, exactly, are the other reasons you're here?” John asked.

  Damon smiled slightly.

  “Those are not included among your resources,” he answered softly.

  Stephanie sighed.

  “John, you're going to have to suck it up and trust him,” she informed him. “He's right. We're under orders to work with him. It's not our responsibility to ask why. And he does have more resources available to him in this instance.”

  “If it even is an assassin,” John replied. “This is all conjecture. We could be way off base.”

  Damon felt Alina shift in the chair and prepared himself. Viper was getting ready to play devil’s advocate.

  “Ok,” she said agreeably. “Let's explore other explanations,” Alina offered. “You go first.”

  “Here we go,” Damon murmured.

  Alina ignored him.

  “Oh for heaven's sake,” Stephanie exclaimed. “Don't encourage him, Lina. He hasn't changed that much and I don't want to be here all night listening to the two of you!”

  Damon grinned.

  “You have to deal with it too, huh?” he asked Stephanie.

  She rolled her eyes and shook her head.

  “You have no idea,” she told him. “He will argue just about any side of any argument until the sun comes up. He plays devil's advocate just for the sheer fun of it.”

  Damon motioned to Alina.

  “She used to drive our instructor’s crazy with the same thing,” he agreed.

  Stephanie shook her head.

  “They're impossible,” she said, standing up.

  Alina looked at John. His blue eyes were laughing and she smiled reluctantly. They had spent hours arguing for fun when they lived together. It was one of the very few things they had shared that Alina did not regret. Apparently, neither of them had changed very much in that regard.

  Hawk stood up and caught the look that passed between Alina and John. His eyes narrowed at the familiarity and Damon frowned slightly. It was as if they were sharing something that happened long ago. That was part of Viper's life that he would never know, a part of her that was long gone.

  Stephanie also caught the look that passed between John and Alina, and her eyes went straight to Damon's face. It was unr
eadable, but she would swear to it that he was annoyed. Picking up both her empty wine glasses, she turned to take them into the kitchen thoughtfully. There was clearly a significant relationship between Damon and her friend, and he seemed threatened by her past relationship with John. Stephanie could have told him that he had nothing to be threatened by, but she got the impression that he didn't even realize what he was feeling. In fact, Stephanie suspected that neither Damon nor Alina were prepared for the feelings that were obviously springing up between them. Stephanie hid a smile as she placed the glasses in the sink. If nothing else, this was turning out to be one enlightening evening.

  “Alina, tomorrow morning I'm going to follow up on some leads at the office,” Stephanie said, turning from the sink as the others moved into the dining room. “Why don't you meet me there for lunch? We'll compare notes.”

  Alina nodded.

  “I can do that,” she agreed.

  “I should have a name for your third corpse in the morning,” Damon said, setting his empty bottle on the bar.

  Stephanie nodded.

  “John's already had the remains of the fire moved to our forensics lab,” she said.

  Alina looked at John. He finished his beer and set the empty bottle next to Damon's.

  “They're working through the night on it,” he said, reaching for his jacket. “Matt promised me answers in the morning.”

  “Matt?” Alina repeated.

  John nodded and pulled his keys from his pocket.

  “Our forensics geek,” he explained briefly. “Man's a wizard, but a little strange.”

  “He works in the basement,” Stephanie retorted, putting on her jacket. “What do you expect?” she turned to Alina. “So tomorrow at 1. I take a late lunch,” she told her.

  Alina got the distinct impression that she was being given an order.

  “Sounds good,” Alina agreed calmly.

  A few moments later, she and Damon were once again on the deck, watching as Stephanie and John got into the car to leave.

  “You think she's a target,” Damon stated as John started the car.

  “I think she's in a dangerous position,” Alina replied, watching as John turned the car around.

  “I'm not sure telling them as much as you did is a good thing,” Damon said thoughtfully as the car disappeared around the side of the house.