Vic’s head snapped to the side and blood spurted from his nose. But he was still smiling, showing teeth stained red by the blood.
“You’re not going to get them back, you know. Either of them.”
Tanya took a moment to compose herself. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that, Vic. I have the entire power of this Department behind me, plus I have rooms and rooms full of freaks, with all sorts of wonderful abilities, who would do just about anything for a little freedom. Maybe even turn on one of their own.” She watched with intense satisfaction as Vic’s grin faltered the tiniest bit.
“Get him the fuck out of here,” she told Robert.
Robert cuffed Vic’s wrists. “Where do you want him?”
“Put him in the deepest, darkest hole you can find.”
Vic’s laughter as Robert pushed him out of the room infuriated her.
She was no closer to finding Cross or Kale, but now she had someone who knew where they might be. Vic Harris might think he was tough, but even the strongest man could be broken. Tanya had yet to meet a man she couldn’t break.
Chapter 32
JENNER COBEN WAS not happy. “I don’t like this. I don’t like it at all.” He sat behind his desk and read Tanya’s report. Gabriel stood by the door while Tanya sat on the other side of the desk.
“This doesn’t exactly thrill me either. We can work with it but we need to move quickly. Every moment Cross and Kale are out there is dangerous.”
“Dangerous to who? Do you really think they’ll put the public at risk?” Coben said.
“Kale? Not in the condition he’s in. But Cross?” Tanya gave a small laugh. “Coben, we gave him every reason in the world to unleash that anger he’s buried for ten years. Now you tell me if you think he’s going to be judicious about who he unleashes it on. The sooner we have him back the lower the body count will be.”
Coben sighed and shook his head. “Might as well get this over with, but I’m warning you Tanya, this man was one of my agents. He’s not one of your play things, like Kale. If you hurt him there better be a damn good reason for it.”
Tanya held his gaze for a moment too long, but Coben refused to look away. She finally broke the eye contact and walked to the door. She opened it and spoke to the guard Coben knew was there. “Bring him in.”
A moment later Robert brought Vic into Coben’s office. He hands were cuffed in front of him. His one eye swollen, and dried blood was on his face. Coben narrowed his eyes at Tanya. “You told me he was fine. This doesn’t look fine to me.”
“Oh, please, Coben. Robert barely touched him.”
“Vic, are you all right?” Coben said.
Vic grinned. “I’m touched Coben.”
“All right, let’s get this over with.” Coben continued. “I’m disappointed in you Victor. I can’t tell you how disappointed. I trusted you and this is how that trust is repaid?”
Vic laughed. “Gee, Dad. I’m really sorry.” Robert punched Vic hard in the kidney. Vic grunted and doubled over but the smile never left his face.
Coben stood pushing his chair back. “Was that necessary?” he said to Robert. “ It doesn’t need to be this way, Vic. That’s why I wanted to talk to you. I know you to be a reasonable man. Answer our questions and I promise you won’t be harmed.”
Vic straightened up as much as he could. “You’re clueless aren’t you Coben. It doesn’t matter what you promise me here in your nice neat office. The moment Tanya and her pet dog here get me alone I guarantee you they will see a need for violence.”
Coben threw a look in Tanya’s direction. “We’ll see about that,” Coben returned his attention back to Vic. “First I want to hear it directly from you. You helped Cross leave? You silenced the alarms and doctored the monitor feed?”
“That I did.”
Coben wiped a hand over his face. He thought maybe it had been a mistake. All Vic had to do was deny it and he would have cut him free. But now he was tied in. Vic openly admitted his involvement in front of not only him but Tanya and Gabriel. He asked the one question he desperately wanted an answer too. “Why? Why do this Vic?”
“Why?” Vic sounded incredulous. “You can stand there, look at me and then ask me that? Coben I don’t think you’re a bad guy, but I do think you need to be a bit more informed on what happens in your own department.”
“What are you talking about, I know exactly what happens in every aspect of my department.”
“Oh, then you’re aware that the black widow over there,” Vic gave a nod to Tanya, “Takes great pleasure in torturing your new acquirements. Jesus, she kept Kale in a cage for ten years, and when Cross proved to be too much for her to handle, she altered his memory, all because he objected to being owned. These are people Coben, they have rights.”
“These people are dangerous. You certainly had no objections in doing your part in caging them. Why all the moral outrage all of a sudden?”
“Yeah, some of them deserve to be here, but you cast a net and didn’t even care who got caught in it. Some of the ones I brought in, I also let go if I could- erased their records. You have no right to do the things you do.”
“The government gives me the right.” Coben moved around his desk to stand in front of Vic. “It’s you who are misinformed Vic. This department exists for one reason. To protect the public. Do have any idea the plans we have in motion? The things Kale is capable of doing? He could save millions of lives if his talent is used in the right way.”
The cocky grin left Vic’s face for the first time since entering the office. Coben liked that. “What are you talking about?” Vic said.
“You know what Kale can do? Pushing people.” When Vic nodded, Coben continued. “Then think about this Vic, how many good men do we lose every year in military conflicts? How many people do you know personally who’ve been killed in combat?”
“How could Kale help with that?” Vic was trying to figure it out, but Coben could see he wasn’t having any luck.
“Imagine this, Vic. The United States in in the midst of a conflict. Before things escalate, we bring Kale with us to peace talks, or negotiations, or anywhere he can have access to the people who have the power of opposing governments. Kale pushes those key people, he tells them to do exactly what our government wants them to do. We can stop a war before one shot is fired. Think of the lives that can be saved.”
Vic looked horrified. “Imagine this Coben, what if the people with the power want to do away with, let’s say a foreign political leader they deem dangerous. What if they have Kale tell this person to put a gun in his mouth.” Vic shook his head. “You’re not God and Kale isn’t a weapon.”
“Yes, he is darling,” Tanya spoke for the first time since Vic entered the room. “He’s my weapon and I want him back. Enough explaining. I want you to tell me where Cross is. If we find Cross, we find Kale.”
“What makes you think I know where either of them are? I just opened the door.”
“Well I think that’s where I come in,” Gabriel pushed off the wall he had been leaning against. “I don’t have to explain myself here, do I Vic? You know all I have to do is look inside your head and I can find out everything you know about Cross and Kale. You also know that if you fight me when I do this, it can cause damage to your mind.”
“You’re going to do it anyway, why all the drama?” Vic stilled grinned, but Coben thought it faltered just a bit.
“I’ve known you for over ten years Vic,” Gabriel said. “I respect you, but at the end of the day I do as I’m told just like everyone else. I would rather not turn your mind into pudding. You know I can find out what I need. You also know that you could simply tell them what they want to know.”
Vic raised his shoulders. “I don’t know where they are.”
Gabriel lowered his head as he approached Vic. He looked to Coben. “You sure you want to play it this way?”
“Just do it,” Coben said.
Gabriel met Vic’s eyes again. “I am sorry my frie
nd.” Coben watched as Gabriel closed his eyes and in the next moment, Vic’s face creased in pain.
This was not going to end well.
Chapter 33
WE HAVE COMPANY.
As soon as the words were out, Jude’s apartment door exploded in a fiery burst.
Cross felt the heat a moment before the door shattered. “Get down!” He instinctively took what energy he could from the explosion and formed a shield around them all. The shock wave forced him down and back, until his feet slid on the smooth wooden floor.
His shield held, but he hoped to hell it didn’t have to hold for long. He was still carrying most of Kale’s injuries and pretty much running on fumes. The energy for his shield came from the fire that now burned all around them. Whoever was attacking them realized what he was doing, and was compensating for it.
His shield buckled and shrank a little around the edges. Everyone huddled closer.
“Oh, shit.” Cross grunted with the effort of keeping them from frying as the building burned around them. He went down to one knee to pull more strength from the energy around him.
Danny King stepped through the ruined doorway. “You! This is all your fault. You should’ve have just left us alone. It’s your fault they took Syb!” Danny said.
Cross had no idea how Danny King had found him or what had happened to his sister. He did know they were all going to die soon if he didn’t do something and do it quickly. He tried to syphon power from Danny but failed.
Then a sudden surge of energy hit him. He felt a hand on his arm and his brother’s familiar aura inside his head.
Power surged through Cross’s hands. Together they were close to unstoppable. Keeping the shield in place, Cross stood. He took the fire pouring from Danny and funneled it into a swirling mass of seething energy. Cross manipulated it as if it were a lit match. With an effort of pure will, he took control of the fire. He compressed it until it was nothing more than a single flame, and in one movement, smothered it.
Now the danger came from the building burning around them.
“What happened to Danny?” Cross said.
“Down. When you took control he collapsed,” Maizey said. “It’s getting hot in here, Cross.
“Get us out of here, Maizey. Kale and I can keep the shield up for a while longer.”
“Everybody grab hands, stay tight, and follow me,” Maizey took Cross’s hand and lead them to the door. Even with the shield up, smoke choked him and made his eyes water. “Get Danny,” he told Maizey.
“He just tried to fry us!” Jude protested.
“Just get him.”
Cross heard Jude drag Danny into the protective shield and heave him over a shoulder.
“Stairs,” Maizey warned. Sirens were in the distance and getting closer. They needed to get out of here. Stumbling, coughing, clinging to the railing they inched down the stairs.
“Are we clear?” Cross yelled when they eventually reached the bottom.
“We’re good,” Maizey said.
Cross dropped the shield. When he did, Kale broke contact and the power that had been tripping through him dissolved into a bone-weary exhaustion. He hurt everywhere as his world spun around him. He could only imagine how Kale must feel. When he fell to his knees and felt hands on him, it didn’t occur to him to object.
“Finn?” He hoped.
“Yeah, man. Jesus I won’t ask what happened. I got a pretty good idea. I couldn’t stop him.”
“It’s okay.” The sirens were nearly on top of them. Other people were in the street to watch the fire or see what was happening. “We need to disappear.”
“I got wheels,” He heaved Cross to his feet. The world wobbled a bit but his knees held. Cross felt for Kale and helped him stand.
Finn led them both into a van of some sort and everyone else clambered aboard. “Jesus, Danny King? Really Cross? The guy just tried to barbeque you.”
The air was heavy with smoke and heat even inside the van. “I can handle him, just go!”
Finn obviously realized the time for arguments was not now. He put the van in gear and peeled out just as the first fire truck pulled up. “What if someone saw us?” Finn said.
“Go it covered,” Maizey said. “I had all of us and the van concealed. No one saw anything but a very nice building on fire.”
The girl had some serious skills. If Cross didn’t feel like he was about to pass out he was sure he would’ve been impressed.
“Crap. It was rent controlled too,” Jude said.
“I’m sorry, man,” Kale’s voice was quiet and sounded weak.
A low moan came from the floor near Cross’s feet. Danny was starting to wake up.
“I got this,” Kale said.
“You’re barely hanging on as it is,” Utah said. “Let someone else take care of him.”
“Well unless there’s someone else who can push him, I’m it. Don’t worry this doesn’t take a lot out of me.” But before Kale had the chance, Danny slumped against the wall once more. Unconscious or passed out.
Utah sighed in obvious relief. “Thank God. See, now you don’t have too. Just relax, okay?”
Cross was relieved. He didn’t have it in him for round two with Danny. In an enclosed metal box. He shuddered inwardly just thinking about how that might have played out. “Where are we going, Finn?”
“Back to the tunnels. Right now it’s the safest place for us. Kale needs attention and you have looked better.”
“I’ve felt worse.” Maybe. “What about him? Danny. He’s not going to wake up in a good mood.”
“I got him,” Maizey said.
Cross looked in her direction. “What do you mean, ‘you got him’?”
“I pushed him, told him to go to sleep for a couple hours and when he woke up not to be so angry.”
“You pushed him? You mean Kale pushed him.” Cross was confused.
“Wasn’t me,” Kale said.
“One of my best kept secrets,” Maizey said.
“You can push.” Cross wanted to curl up into a ball and go to sleep for about a week and all he’d done was fight off a flaming ball of death. Maizey had pushed Danny while camouflaging the van and six people. “Damn.”
The next moment he was on his back feeling more than a little nauseous. He couldn’t remember going down, but apparently impressing Maizey with his fortitude wasn’t in the cards for the day.
He closed his eyes and wondered if she’d pushed him too. Didn’t really matter. Either way everyone was going to have to figure out how to survive without him for the immediate future.
Chapter 34
TANYA SAT BEHIND the tinted windows of the Cadillac escalade, secure in the fact that she could not be seen. Vic had been a bust. It turned out he really didn’t know where Cross had gone.
Gabriel had been thorough but he had concluded the man knew nothing. It was a pity, Vic’s body had survived Gabriel’s less than delicate mental inquisition. Tanya would have to decide what to do with the rest of him.
Right now she was depending on the young Asian sitting next to her to find the Delancey twins. He was trying his best not to appear nervous but his constant hand wringing and fidgeting told her different. His name was Woo, and he had a talent for seeing in a non-visual part of the spectrum. He could see the auras people with special abilities gave off.
People like Cross and Kale Delancey. They didn’t even have to use their abilities. All they had to do was to have been in a place for more than a few minutes. Their presence would leave a psychic signature, a shedding of energy that permeated everything they came into contact with. It was, according to Woo, like looking for a shadow, or a scent left behind.
As far as Tanya knew. Woo was one of a kind. She had promised him improved living quarters, perhaps one of the secured apartments Cross had escaped from. But only if he led her to the Delancey brothers.
The trail Woo followed led to a burnt out brownstone on the Upper East Side. The area was still taped off and trucks sur
rounded the building. The fire that had hollowed it out, smoldered and firemen with hoses fought to douse it for good.
“They were here,” Woo said. “Both of them and not too long ago. Their presence is very strong here. Exceptionally strong.” Woo took a breath. “This fire was caused by a person with abilities. A battle of wills was fought here. Fire against fire- or against something as potent as fire. A lot of power.”
“Can you track them?” Tanya said.
Woo snickered. “Yes. Someone concealed them, but she can’t hide them from me. I could see this trail with my eyes closed. So much power. Wow!”
“Concealed how?”
“From the visual spectrum. But whoever did this didn’t plan on concealing them from the magical spectrum.”
“There’s no such thing as magic,” Tanya said.
Woo shrugged. “Magic, abilities, power. It’s all just semantics. Whatever you want me to call it, I see them. I can track them.”
“Just give Robert directions.”
“I did good, right? You’ll take me out of that room? I mean, I can’t go back there. It’s been years. Please.” Woo sounded desperate and unsure of himself. Tanya knew he was neither. This was all a game to him.
“I don’t have Cross or Kale back yet. When I do, then we’ll talk about an upgrade in your accommodations.”
Woo picked at his cuticles. Tanya noticed they were raw and bloody around the ragged edges. Someone was going to pay for making her spend time with him. He was a pathetic sociopath and borderline schizophrenic.
Cross and Finn had brought him in about three years ago. Woo had been hunting down his own kind- people with abilities and systematically killing them. He had tracked them with their own auras. When asked why, he told Tanya it was the only way to keep his head from exploding.
Woo heard voices, lots of freaky little voices telling him to do horrible things.
They’d tried hundreds of drugs over the years they had him. But the normal psych meds had no effect on him. He was unbalanced and dangerous, but right now he was Tanya’s best chance to find one or both of the Delancey brothers. But there was no way in hell Woo was buying any time out of his cage. Tanya might be desperate but she wasn’t stupid. She would use Woo like she used everyone – to achieve a goal. He meant nothing to her.
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