by Lizzy Ford
“Ready?” Wes’s voice came over the radio.
“Ready,” Zoey replied. “How did you guys get all the funding? This van, the underground lair.”
“We need something like that,” Vikki agreed.
“Ask the boss. You’re meeting him this afternoon to talk about funding for your vigilante group,” Wes suggested. He climbed into the driver’s seat.
“Which boss?” Zoey asked, confused.
“Their father,” Vikki answered.
“This is so twisted.”
“Just wait. There’s a lot more.”
Zoey shook her head, not wanting to know yet. Wes drove them for ten minutes while she sat in thoughtful silence. He spoke to someone over the radio, his words too quiet for her to hear.
My father has nine sons, six of which are Enforcers. I’m the youngest. Declan said. Wes is my brother and yes, he was chosen so he could deal with you and Vikki without resorting to force. Almost worked as planned.
She laughed. Vikki glanced at her.
“It’s strange to be able to talk to someone else in your head,” Zoey said, considering. “Is there any soul-mate-to-soul-mate privacy privilege or something?”
“It’s a matter of discretion,” Wes said. “Something I didn’t appreciate until this week.”
“That does not bode well for me,” Zoey replied. “I take it there’s a price tag tied to discretion.”
Exactly. And it’s steep. Remember that if you try something with those hard drives.
She covered the microphone portion of her earpiece. “You didn’t say no,” she said.
I like having a bargaining chip.
She rolled her eyes and lowered her hand. Vikki gave her a knowing look. They signed to each other, stopping when Wes glanced at them through the rearview mirror.
“I didn’t expect that,” he said. “If you two weren’t the only ones who could do this…”
They refrained the rest of the way to keep from raising his suspicions. Wes stopped two blocks from the campus.
“Science and Technology Building, room fourteen, second floor corner. No windows. The Cambions are looking for this info, but they don’t know where it is,” Wes said, glancing down at his phone as he read the notes. “The police have cordoned off everything around the campus for a block, but are caught up in the red tape that Olivia and our father managed to create with the local government to keep everyone off the campus. Anyone there is fair game. Once again, you’re after five hard drives in the central server room. Serial numbers all end in twenty three. You’ve got four and a half hours to make it in, retrieve them and make it to Site Z.”
“Four and a half hours,” Vikki repeated. “Kinda pushing it, isn’t it?”
“If I have to pull Declan and Liam onto the radio to keep you in line, keep in mind they’ll be pissed and you get to tell them why,” Wes added. “Zoey, no meltdowns. Vikki, stay on target.”
Zoey looked at Vikki. They trotted away from the van down a street they used to walk down every day. Zoey felt a pang of sadness as she took in the damage to the campus from a distance.
You have a new home. His emotion hit her hard across their bond.
She covered the mic. “Maybe I’ll come by again tonight.”
Damn right you will.
“On your left, Z,” Vikki said.
Zoey sensed the Cambions lying in wait at the edge of campus. She whipped out her weapons and met the two head on.
“First blood or most kills?” Vikki asked.
Zoey chopped the second down. “How about first blood today?” She rejoined Vikki. Something hot sliced through her arm. “What the hell?”
“I drew first blood,” Vikki said, giving her a glare. “In case we both get killed. That’s for telling the Enforcers about the football team. That made it back to Liam. Go north.”
They trotted onto the campus, eyes roving for Cambions as they moved then broke away, Zoey heading north along the building they wanted and Vikki covering the south side.
“I was sort of set up,” Zoey retorted quietly. “North entrance compromised.”
She peeked around a corner and spotted Cambions moving in and out of the building, carrying computers and equipment. Easing back, she looked up the side of the building. A hundred meters away was an emergency fire escape.
“Double or nothing on total kills?” Zoey asked, running to the fire escape. It started one floor up. She clenched a knife between her teeth and pulled herself up to the first window sill.
“South compromised. Yes to kills.”
“Go up,” Zoey said.
“Roger,” Vikki replied. “I didn’t dime you out at my hearing.”
“You got nothing on me.” Zoey grunted and stretched for the fire escape. It looked rickety and rusted. Her fingers brushed it. “I wasn’t … under inquiry either for sleeping with an Incubatti.”
“Up is a bad idea,” Vikki said. “It’s rusted through. Going in.”
“On three,” Zoey replied. “One.”
“Two.”
“Three.”
They smashed the windows simultaneously. Zoey dropped into the classroom that had been trashed. The door was closed, and she saw the shadows under the door from Cambions walking in the hallway.
“For what it’s worth, I was trying to defend you,” she whispered, inching the door open. “What room are you in? I’m in Dante’s.”
“Mr. Pember’s. Stairwell in five?” Vikki asked, referring to the set of stairs leading to the upper floors in the center of the hallway.
“Might be more like ten,” Zoey said as she watched the Cambions pass her room.
“Lame.”
“Seriously? Didn’t you call your Incubus boyfriend to get you out of the bind in the alley?”
“I didn’t go down after thirty kills that night!” Vikki challenged. “You got four minutes, or I start spilling secrets over the radio. Things I don’t think Declan knows. Like –“
“I only need three!” Zoey barked and ripped the door open. She had the element of surprise at first and hacked through three before the others realized what happened. Zoey’s daggers flew as she lined up the Cambions. She pulled their magic to her, surprised when it didn’t overwhelm or drown her. She felt centered, calm, focused.
You’re welcome.
She smiled to herself and fought hard.
“Forty five seconds, Z,” Vikki said.
Zoey looked down the hallway and saw her friend standing in front of the stairwell. She had three more to kill and the front door to block. Zoey ran towards the front, fighting as hard as she could before she reached the door, barred it, and barreled to the stairwell.
“Two seconds late,” Vikki said as she approached. “If you beat me to the top …” Vikki took off up the stairs.
Zoey pumped her arms, enjoying the chase. She vaulted up the stairs. Vikki was a landing ahead. Zoey closed the distance, but couldn’t pass her by the time they got to the top.
“So, Declan,” Vikki started with a wink. “Before you and before Eric, we had a competition.”
“Goddamn it, Vikki!” Zoey flushed. “Four on your left.”
“Got it.”
Zoey hacked down two. The hallway was clear, and they both looked towards their destination. It was impossible to tell how many Cambions were in the rooms of either side. They looked at each other and smiled.
“Decoy.” Vikki said.
“Oh, no.”
“Rock, paper, scissors on three.”
“Who makes operational decisions like this?” Wes snapped. “Get your asses to the destination.”
“Lydia will turn out the same,” Zoey replied. “Do you know who will be the first laughing at you, Wes?”
“That’s it, Zoey. You got your warning yesterday. When you get back here, you’re getting your ass kicked again,” Wes replied.
“Most patient?” Vikki teased. “One, two, three.”
They held out their hands. Zoey had rock and Vikki scissors.
/> “I’ll take care of it, Wes.” Declan’s soft voice made her freeze.
Vikki laughed.
“Hi, sweetie,” Zoey said in a syrupy voice. “I didn’t know you were on the line.”
“Take your shots now, kitten,” Declan replied. “You won’t get a chance later.”
Her face grew hot. She strode forward down the hallway to draw out any Cambions hiding. Vikki remained in place.
“Freeze,” Vikki ordered.
Zoey heard the thud of two bodies hitting the ground behind her.
“Go.”
Zoey moved by the next room.
“Freeze.”
Another body hit the ground. Zoey cocked her head to the side, using her senses to see what was before them.
“Go.”
She obeyed and reached the room they wanted. It was locked. She turned to watch Vikki traverse the hallway, leery of any Cambions, before she slammed her shoulder into the door. Two tries later, it gave.
“We’re in,” she reported.
The room was filled with rows of humming electronic equipment, a few computers and locked file cabinets. Zoey turned on the lights while Vikki closed the door behind them.
“Tell me what you see,” Wes directed.
“Tons of computer servers and seven filing cabinets, all locked,” she replied.
“The historic data we’re looking for should be on hard drives in the cabinets.”
Zoey took one and jimmied the lock open with her knife. There were dozens of hard drives in it. She sat down beside it and began pulling them out, one-by-one.
“Hey, Wes, can you get us grenades?” Vikki asked.
“I’d trust a two-year-old with grenades over you two.”
“Ouch,” Zoey muttered.
Vikki signaled her, telling her in sign language that she had one of the hard drives and was going to check it out. Zoey moved out of the way of the desk.
“Anyway, we had a bet about who could sleep with the most guys in one night,” Vikki said to cover the sounds of the computer starting.
“Seriously, Vikki?” Zoey complained.
“Guess who won? Wes, you have to guess, because it’s cheating for Declan and Liam.”
“Focus,” Wes replied.
“No, guess!” Vikki insisted.
There was a pause. “Zoey with six.”
“Why would you guess me, when Vikki had the football team in her room?” Zoey asked, offended.
“Zoey with thirteen,” Vikki said.
Thirteen. I’ve been going too easy on you, Declan’s silky voice slid through her.
“They weren’t exactly super-Incubus-Enforcers!” Zoey replied out loud.
Vikki motioned her over. The drive didn’t contain historical information; it contained details on the Sucubatti’s’ compounds worldwide. Locations, schematics, personnel assigned. She and Vikki exchanged a look.
“What’s wrong, Zoey? Met your match?” Wes asked.
“Truthfully, yeah,” she replied and returned to her cabinet to look for another drive. “I might put off calling the football team for a couple of days or so.”
“Jesus,” Wes laughed. “Does she act like this around you, Declan?”
“For about thirty seconds,” Declan said. Until I touch you.
Zoey rolled her eyes. She dug out another hard drive and checked the serial then handed it to Vikki. Vikki shut down and restarted the computer.
“How’s it coming with the drives?” Wes asked.
“Still looking. These things are full of them, and some don’t have serials,” Vikki lied. “You sure they’re in here?”
Zoey stood to look over her shoulder. This drive contained personnel records, to include one specifically for Team R. Inside the folder, there were files for all five members. Vikki clicked on one with her name on it, and Zoey read with her. Her breath caught.
Olivia hadn’t been lying, at least, not about Vikki. DNA results, initial surrogate screening, every doctor’s appointment for the first ten years of Vikki’s life was neatly filed away. Pictures of her adoptive family, birthday parties, even a copy of the cheesy kindergarten graduation certificate. Every part of Vikki’s life was in the file.
Vikki was pale. Her hand dropped from the mouse, and she stared at the records. Zoey didn’t know what to think.
“You’ve got two hours and an hour hike,” Wes reminded them.
Zoey nudged Vikki, who grudgingly closed down the record of her life.
They dug through the cabinets, locating all the hard drives. The third contained information on the Sucubatti, their lineages, holdings, and family histories. The fourth was a hundred years worth of Hunters, the fifth full of poorly scanned documents, some of which appeared ancient while others were newer.
“One hour, one hour hike,” Wes said.
Vikki clicked through a few documents, and Zoey read through them with her. Deeds, agreements, communiqués and other official Sucubatti business. Vikki signed her, asking what they should do.
Zoey looked around them. She slid her thumbnail under the label with the serial number on one and peeled it off, then motioned to one of the other hard drives. Vikki’s eyes lit up. They swapped out the hard drives quickly, stacking the ones they wanted to keep in one pile and the ones they’d turn over in another.
“Status,” Wes ordered.
“Got all five,” Zoey said. “Packing up and heading out.”
Zoey took the real hard drives and Vikki the decoys. Strapping them down, they eased out of the room. There was no activity on their floor that they were able to see. Zoey cocked her head to the side, sensing something within the building.
“You guys expecting Incubuses to show up?” she asked, recognizing the magic.
There was a silence, followed by Wes’s quiet order.
“Do not engage them.”
“We’re taking the fire escape,” Vikki said. “It’s rusty, but if we fall to our deaths, at least they won’t kill us.”
They crept down the hallway silently before moving into one of the rooms near the fire escape.
“They’re headed our way,” Zoey said, closing the door. “I’ve got three.”
“Get out. Now.” Wes’s voice was sharp.
She and Vikki crossed to the window and looked down. They were four floors up. Zoey crawled out onto the window sill first and stretched for the fire escape.
“You need to be like, half a foot taller,” Vikki teased tersely, behind her on the ledge.
“I’m short but cute,” Zoey retorted.
“Kitten is fitting. Adorable but clawed,” Wes added.
“I am not a kitten!” she grumbled. “Vikki.” She held out her hand.
Vikki grabbed her wrist, and Zoey stretched farther. She reached the fire escape and tested it. It creaked.
“This is gonna be loud. We could use those grenades, Wes.”
“Quiet. Move,” he ordered.
Zoey gripped the fire escape. It shook under her weight. Vikki motioned for her to go. She went as fast as she could down the wobbling ladder. Its anchors were crumbling as she descended. She dropped the last ten feet to let Vikki on and rolled to her feet.
Pulling free weapons, Zoey kept one eye on Vikki to make sure she didn’t fall. The ladder groaned, and Vikki grunted as she fell the last ten feet.
“Clear of the building,” Zoey reported. “On our way.”
They bolted across the park in the center of the campus. Shots were fired, and they ducked behind the next building. It was two hundred meters of open ground between the building and the forest at the edge of campus.
“Decoy,” Vikki whispered. “I called first.”
“Together,” Zoey said. “As soon as those Incubuses figure out where we are …”
Vikki frowned. She didn’t wait. She darted away from the building, Zoey sprinting after her. Gun shots rang out again, and the two of them wove back and forth. They reached the tree line and dove into it. Bullets tore through the trees.
�
�High caliber rifles,” Zoey said, breathless. “Total turn on.”
“Guy can’t aim for shit,” Vikki added. She signed to Zoey about the hard drives.
Zoey hesitated then replied. They swapped, with Vikki taking two of the real ones to hide and giving Zoey two of the decoy hard drives. Zoey kept three of the real ones.
“Status,” Wed said.
“Catching our breath,” Vikki replied. “Moving again on three. One, two, three.”
They both vaulted up, ducking as trees splintered around them. Zoey went south, towards the apartment she shared with Eric, while Vikki went north. Zoey made her way through the forest then broke into a sprint down a familiar street.
“Clear,” she reported. “Going to Site Z.”
“Ditto,” Vikki said.
Zoey slowed her pace as she headed towards the apartment. Eric’s car was gone, and she lingered for a moment on the doorstep before pulling out the key hidden under the doormat. She walked in, expecting to be bombarded by memories and regret.
She wasn’t. The apartment once seemed like home. It didn’t now. It seemed like someone else’s apartment. She had a home, and it was with Declan. Zoey sighed, grateful not to feel bad anymore. She strapped rubber bands around the three hard drives containing official Sucubatti records, wrote her name on them, and placed them in one of the drawers they’d used for junk. Eric hadn’t cleaned it out after she left; her hair scrunchies were still in it.
Interesting. You trust the ex.
She smiled and covered the mic. “Jealous?”
Very.
“I guess I could stick around for a bit. He might be home soon.”
No response. She left, trotting down the stairs and starting down the street.
“Whatever you’re doing, Zoey, stop,” Wes said. “Declan just shot down Team Rogue at the Enforcer meeting, the one you’re supposed to be at in forty five minutes.”
“He did what?” she exclaimed.
“What the fuck, Zoey?” Vikki demanded. “Liam said they were about to approve funding.”
“Declan!” Zoey hissed.
“You better fix this shit,” Vikki snapped.
Get your ass here now, Declan said.
“Goddamn it, Declan!” Zoey took off running towards Site Z.