Jack of Hart- Wild Card

by Violeta Bagia

  ‘This is absurd. We saw the body get cremated.’ Another member spoke up.

  ‘And I’m telling you, there is more to this than our own realms, we all know how the Celestial Beings exist.’

  ‘They are Gods, Illarion.’ Raymond sighed.

  ‘And so is she, she’s far more advanced than any other Divine we’ve ever seen, or even heard of.’

  Elena frowned, dropping her gaze.

  I looked around from face to face. No one made eye contact, no one budged, not a single member of the Agency sworn to protect her and our kind, was willing to listen.

  ‘We’re shutting her down before she’s even had a chance to do what she was meant to?’

  ‘No one is shutting her down, Illarion. We’re trying to help her.’ Elena explained.

  And when I shook my head about to disagree, Carl Young, one of Raymond’s right hand men, spoke up.

  ‘As the Director, you’re still overseeing this? Even when you’re emotionally compromised?’

  Smug bastard.

  ‘The relationship between me and Agent Hart is of no concern in this matter. What is of concern is the complete disregard of the present situation and imminent danger we face because of it.’

  ‘On the contrary.’ He replied, dryly. ‘Your relationship means everything. You’re emotionally involved which makes you biased, which makes you, unable to see this objectively.’

  ‘Watch yourself, Carl.’

  He smirked. ‘You think your cowboy interrogation techniques haven’t made their way over here?’

  I jerked my head in his direction.

  ‘That’s right, Director,’ He said, ‘You and Agent Hart have been parading around like you own this place for years now, and for years we’ve idly sat by and allowed it.’

  ‘So this is a witch hunt now, you’re digging up past cases to present to me now?’

  ‘No, Illarion,’ Elena said gently. ‘This is us trying to get you to look at the situation objectively. We’re here to help her, you should want that for her too.’

  ‘You’re all turning your back on her.’ I whispered; everything was falling apart so quickly I couldn’t hold the pieces together. ‘Your own family.’ I said directly to Elena.

  ‘We really thought that you would understand, that you were on board with this.’ She said.

  ‘Then I guess you’re wrong.’ I spat. ‘I will not allow this to go ahead.’

  ‘We will proceed with the treatment, Director Lazarev, and if you interfere, we will have no choice but to put your leadership to a vote.’ Raymond said, and I could have sworn that a pang of regret shot through him, not that it mattered now. ‘Talk to Ace, Illarion, explain this to her. We don’t want her here against her will.’

  And that was it, the nail in the coffin. I’d lost all credibility and Ace lost all hope of having the Agency on her side. I bit my tongue, keeping my mouth shut as unanimous murmurs of agreeance spread through the small crowd. Did I do this? Had I blown it? Didn’t matter now did it? It was done. They had decided.

  ‘Illarion, did you hear me?’ Raymond asked.

  ‘I heard you.’ I stood and reached into my pocket, retrieved my credentials and tossed them onto the middle of the table.

  I’d tried to do this the right way.

  Now we were going to do it my way. ‘We will not yield.’

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Ace

  Igripped the edge of the table as Illarion told me how the impromptu brief went. I couldn’t say I was surprised. I also wasn’t surprised that Aurel had told the board what happened. I shook my head, it wasn’t great, but we could deal with this.

  ‘We’re leaving now. Take only the necessities.’

  ‘Got it, Boss.’

  ‘You know I resigned, right? I’m not your boss anymore.’

  ‘I kind of like the ring to it, don’t you?’

  He smiled, bringing his face to mine. ‘It does sound good.’

  ‘And besides.’ I began. ‘I’ll probably have no clearance level soon.’

  ‘It won’t get to that.’ He touched his forehead to mine. ‘Once they realize how wrong they’ve been, you’ll be right back up there.’

  ‘Not sure that I want to be.’ I admitted, turning my eyes up to his.

  ‘I know what you mean.’ He smiled a very sad smile and brought his hand to my cheek. ‘Are you okay?’

  ‘Am I okay knowing everyone thinks I’m a total freak whose head is about to start spinning, no not really.’

  ‘No one thinks that.’

  ‘No one thinks anything good either.’

  ‘They’re afraid—we know how people are with things they can’t explain.’

  ‘I was their hero once.’ I felt my voice shake.

  ‘You still are.’ He smiled. ‘But we need to get you better, and if that means getting away from here, then that’s what we’re going to do.’

  ‘Okay.’

  ‘Good.’ He smiled, pressing a kiss to my forehead. ‘Get our things together, meet in the garage in ten.’

  ***

  Illarion

  As I neared the garage I stopped abruptly when Aurel stepped out into my path. Two agents stood behind him a few feet away, keeping their distance but also keeping their eyes and weapons trained on me.

  ‘What is this?’ I demanded.

  He stuffed his hands into his pockets. ‘You tell me.’

  ‘I’m sorry, I must have missed the memo where I’m meant to report to you.’

  ‘I’m not expecting you to report to me. I’ve been assigned to make sure you and Ace are going to do the right thing.’

  ‘You’ve been assigned to take her in.’

  ‘You made this harder than it needed to be.’ He shot back.

  A dark feeling spread through me as his eyes narrowed.

  Gritting my teeth, I steadied my heartrate and looked over at him. ‘This isn’t going to go how you think.’

  ‘Right now. You have the power to make this go smoothly, or not so much. Your choice.’

  I forced myself to calm down and keep my eyes dead ahead but inside, I reached out for Ace.

  “Ace. Take your things and leave. Now.”

  “What happened?”

  “We’ve been made. Contact Alex.”

  “Rendezvous?”

  “Where I told you, I loved you.”

  With that, I dropped the connection and moved. Full force with everything inside me, I made a run for the garage, knowing Aurel would try to stop me and I’d counted on it.

  As I took a swing he ducked, dropping low to the ground before he could swipe his leg out to trip me, I forced my hand to his leg and stopped him mid motion. The agent closest to him moved too. I took him down with a forceful hit to the throat.

  Aurel launched an attack as he came at me with his elbow, I dodged the assault and caught his arm and twisted, he released his hold and stumbled back.

  Forcing him down, I grabbed his fist as it came at my face and pushed him back, as another right hook came at me, I threw both hands up and pushed his arm down stepping back and readying myself.

  The other agent came at me with a baton, I caught it against my forearm ignoring the pain spreading through my arm and forced him back with my leg. As he came again, I spun on the spot and kicked him.

  Aurel dodged the falling body and came toward me, his eyes narrowed and focused, his arms ready. His fighting style was advanced, and his strength was admirable, but he wasn’t the best.

  I’d trained in Special Forces, I’d been through more than most dared to imagine, and I was fighting for something far more important than he was.

  He grit his teeth, biting down hard forcing the muscles in his jaw to pop as he came at me again, before his foot could strike me, I slapped his leg down and slammed my palm into his chest forcing him backwards and as he was regaining his footing, I launched a kick and it got him right in the chest.

  Without more than an angry cry, he dropped. I’d winded him; I knew how much that hu
rt and how long it took to get your heart right again.

  The two he’d brought to flank him, were still struggling to get up. Before I addressed Aurel, I kicked the guns out of their hands and unhooked my Glock.

  ‘Don’t move, your heart is out of rhythm.’ I pinned him down and pressed my forearm to his throat and aimed my weapon at one of the agents who’d made a stupid move to get up.

  ‘I’m going to leave now.’ I said evenly. ‘I encourage you to back down.’

  ‘You’re making a mistake.’ He spoke through his teeth.

  ‘Your mistake was thinking that I’d do anything other than stand by her side.’

  ‘They’ve already sent trackers after her.’

  ‘You’re a real piece of work.’ I spat. ‘Who did they send?’

  ‘Everyone.’

  I released my hold on him and stood. ‘Leave, before I change my mind.’

  ‘Do not do this, Illarion.’

  ‘You gave me no choice!’ I turned and began heading toward the cars.

  I didn’t even make it three feet before I felt a strong wave of remorse shoot through me and like a warning, telling me of what was coming, I realized that I’d blown it.

  Seconds later, I heard the telltale sound of the safety being released and then, a loud pop as he fired his gun.

  In the second it took for the thought to form and realize what happened. I went down.

  The son of a bitch shot me.

  I reached behind my back, my arm rapidly growing numb and heavy and there, between my shoulder blades, I felt the feathers of a tranq dart and then I felt nothing but the cold hard concrete under my face.

  As my arm dropped uselessly by my side, I dropped the dart and watched as it rolled away from me.

  My heart fell the moment I recognized what it was. The unmistakable glow of the Serum starred me right in the face.

  Sound started to fade as I desperately tried to get up, clawing uselessly at the ground, making no progress at all, maybe an inch if that.

  Aurel’s voice sounded miles away but his message was loud and clear.

  ‘Find her. He found a way to warn her.’

  Panic gripped my heart, but I couldn’t do a damned thing about it. I couldn’t give up, I couldn’t stop fighting.

  If it did, it would all be over. They’d find her, and they’d take her down.

  As Aurel knelt beside me, a look of regret creasing his brows, I looked up at him aware of the tears brimming in my eyes.

  ‘Don’t…please don’t hurt her.’

  ***

  Ace

  An abrupt change of energy forced me to stop dead in my tracks, and nearly drop my phone.

  ‘Ace?’

  My brain was struggling to catch up, something made me double over and that feeling of dread I’d known all too well consumed me. I rounded the corner, my bag firmly clasped in my grip, and took cover behind a dumpster, glad now that I’d preemptively loaded the bigger bags in the Maserati earlier.

  ‘Ace?’ Alex’s frantic voice on the phone jolted me back to the dirty alleyway. ‘Ace talk to me, what the hell is happening?’

  ‘Something’s wrong.’ I whispered, scanning the surrounding darkness.

  ‘What?’ Matt asked.

  ‘I think Illarion is in trouble.’

  I heard Peyton curse in the background, it was a good thing Illarion had the foresight to get them all in the same location before any of this went down. He was always several steps ahead and even anticipated those that’d set us back.

  ‘Get to the rendezvous. We’ll meet you there.’ Matt ordered.

  ‘You need to call Daniel in.’

  ‘Who the hell is Daniel?’ Alex asked.

  ‘An asset, who at this stage is out here hunting me.’

  ‘Doesn’t sound like much of an asset.’ Peyton muttered.

  ‘No kidding.’ I groaned, the sick feeling in my stomach wouldn’t go away. ‘Get in touch with him, he’s a Tracker. I can’t break cover to do it.’

  ‘You’re sure he’s on our side?’

  ‘Yes, we’ve had this conversation, he knew it was coming.’

  ‘Okay, got it. I’ll find him.’ Alex said. ‘You keep moving.’

  Before I hung up, he stopped me.

  ‘Ace?’

  ‘Yeah?’

  ‘Be careful okay, there’s some bad news, it’s not looking good.’

  ‘What do you know?’

  ‘Peyton intercepted some information; they’re going in with live rounds and Serum.’

  Okay, that was definitely not looking good for me. I sighed and kept moving.

  ‘That’s not all.’ Peyton added.

  ‘There’s more bad news? I thought this was meant to be a good news, bad news kind of deal.’

  ‘I know, sorry Hart, you know I like to keep it real.’

  ‘I do.’ I mused, ‘Hit me with it.’

  ‘You’ve also been upgraded from person of interest to most wanted.’

  ‘Well shit, I made the list.’

  ‘You’re in good company,’ She said dryly, ‘Illarion made it too.’

  ‘Fuck.’

  ‘Be careful, Ace.’ Alex said. ‘I mean it, do not underestimate them, I’ve seen the Agency hunt people for a lot less, they’re ruthless, they’re going to come hard and fast.’

  I swallowed hard.

  ‘If you’re captured, surrender. Do not play hero. Do you hear me?’

  Hero was so far from my vocabulary right now it scared me. I was beyond fear; I was kind of at the point of hiding and weeping like a little girl.

  ‘We’re going to find you before any of this even matters, okay? Just keep moving, you’ll be fine.’ Matt chimed in.

  ‘Thank you, guys, I mean it. See you soon.’

  ‘See you soon.’ Peyton agreed and then the call disconnected.

  Great. Serum and live rounds. What did they think I was going to do? Guess it didn’t matter. I tightened my hold on the straps of my bag and kept moving through the dark, scanning the horizon every few yards and staying invisible.

  Who’d have thought this is where I’d be years ago, lurking around dumpsters and evading the Agency while they hunted me with posters of my face listed under most wanted.

  Despite Alex’s words of comfort, they were still hours away and there was still a whole lot of road and time between then and now.

  My advantage was knowing how the Agency worked and where they’d go first. So, avoiding anything linked personally to me and Illarion was rule number one, rule number two was staying off the main roads and anywhere someone could spot me, so no Sensitive hangouts or known places of interest. That left me motels, dingy bars and seedy streets. It was a good thing I wasn’t easily rattled.

  For now though, I had to remind myself of the imminent goal. Get to safety and then work everything out step by step. But as I moved through the quiet streets, blending in with the workers and the misfits, it was the connection that was worrying me and kept dragging my mind back to the helplessness I was feeling.

  Only now, I realized it wasn’t my helplessness, it was Illarion’s. Where I would normally feel his presence, I felt a dull, almost vacant energy.

  I leaned against the first wall I could safely stop at and pressed my hands to my thighs, letting the feeling settle.

  Panic wasn’t going to do me any good, I didn’t even know what I was feeling. I focused on Illarion and when he didn’t reply, I felt ugly tendrils of fear begin to creep up on me again.

  No, Ace, get your shit together and keep moving, I reminded myself. That’s what he wanted, that’s why he gave you a head start.

  A noise down the alley drew my attention and I quickly pressed my body flat against the cool brick and hid in the shadows of the nearby dumpster, pulling my shield up.

  A pair of trackers walked by, their eyes sweeping every inch of the street and if I wasn’t as good as I was, they’d have already found me. I squeezed my eyes shut and forced my breaths to slow down.

  �
��Nothing down here.’ One of them said, it was a female voice. ‘What do you want to do?’

  ‘Keep moving.’ It was Daniel. ‘She’s too smart to be out in the streets knowing that we’re searching all the bars around here.’

  I smiled to myself, thank you, Daniel. So, I avoided the next turn, which was headed straight for a bar, and kept moving east.

  As they rounded the corner and disappeared, I took my chance and moved, staying close to the walls and among the shadows.

  Just because he’d given me a heads-up, I knew that soon there’d be more, and this time they wouldn’t be on my side.

  Cringing, I shivered thinking about all the things they probably thought about me and all the stories that were going around.

  My heart ached at the pain I’d caused Anna and it ached thinking that Aurel, my closest friend was now considering me his enemy.

  It hurt even more thinking that I was out here alone, away from Illarion and away from everyone I’d once reached out to, at least until Alex arrived. A sense of nostalgia came over me…we’d been through a lot, we’d been a team, we’d done things like this but never on the other side…this was new, for all of us.

  As I moved through the darkness, I tried Illarion again. Still nothing. Although he wasn’t there, I still felt the steady pulse between us and that gave me the strength I needed. Maybe he was using his shield, just like I was, it would make sense.

  Once I got to the cabin, he’d be there, and this would all be okay.

  With that in mind, I blocked myself off in case other Sensitives and trackers were lurking and began my trek to the rendezvous point.

  ***

  Illarion

  When feeling finally came back to me, I moved, rapidly working out that I was cuffed to the hospital bed. There was no one was in sight and the room was lined with Celestial symbols. I grit my teeth and tried my luck with the cuffs again. Nothing.

  I let out a breath and forced myself to think.

  How long had I been out? Gauging by the strength of the dose, I would have said at least four hours which meant Ace had been out there alone, for at least three. I had to get out of here, I had to think.

  She was in danger and the Connection between us was blocked from me. I couldn’t even reach her to tell her to stay away. If she got to the rendezvous, they’d eventually work out where she was. Aurel knew about the cabin even if no one else did.