Next Exit, Quarter Mile

by CW Browning

  Spinning, Viper faced the remaining three thugs. It had all happened so fast that the one she head-butted into Rico was still reeling from the blow while the other two stared at her in bemusement. One began to wisely back away, but the other grabbed him and yanked him back.

  “Where you think you're going?” he snapped. “You think a dumb bitch gonna take us?”

  Viper considered them assessingly, her lips twitching despite herself. The one she hit Rico with was struggling to stand straight, trying to focus on her through the tears from his broken nose. The second one was holding tight to the arm of the one who had tried to back away, while that one was staring at the ground, refusing to look at her. Lacking any visible tattoos to match the others, Viper guessed he was in the induction phase of gang membership. There was still hope for him. He was the weakest link, the least threat. Anger was beginning to block the pain from the broken nose of his friend, however, and Viper returned her attention to him.

  “And what do they call you?” she asked conversationally in Spanish, pushing up the sleeves of her jacket casually. “José?”

  “Why? You wanna know whose name you gonna be screaming?”

  “Oh Papi, I don't scream,” Viper answered simply, beckoning him forward with an inviting wiggle of her fingers, “but you will.”

  “You will tonight!” he promised, moving forward.

  Viper waited until he was upon her before she grabbed his wrist. Using his own momentum against him, she swung him around and slammed him into a cement support. To his credit, he turned his shoulders at the last second and ended up bouncing off the circular island with only a grunt of pain as his left shoulder connected with the cement. He swung towards her and raised his hand to backhand her across the face. Catching his hand in hers, Viper pushed it down effortlessly and landed a solid left into his gut. He grunted and doubled over as the air was forced out of his body and Viper followed up relentlessly with her infamous right-hook. Surprisingly, instead of going down as most did, he absorbed the blow and straightened up to face her, new respect dawning in his eyes.

  “You're a fighter,” he murmured, spitting out blood onto the tarmac.

  “So are you,” she acknowledged, raising her hands into position. “This will be fun.”

  Any confidence he may have felt with her first statement was erased with the second. A flash of uncertainty crossed his face as his hands came up to protect his head from what would have been a stunning blow to the side with her fist. He tried to counter, but found himself on the defensive once again as her other fist came from the side and caught him on the jaw. His head snapped back, but he held his ground and swung. He made contact with her shoulder, but it was very brief as she grabbed his wrist and turned into him. Before he knew what was happening, she flipped him over her shoulder, never releasing his arm. He hit the cement floor hard, his arm snapping out of its socket before she released it. The air was forced out of him in a great gasp and stars swam above his head before a black boot flashed into his peripheral vision. Blackness overtook him as the toe of that boot was the last thing he saw.

  Viper looked up at the remaining two youths facing her. The taller one had finally released his companions' arm and he advanced on her, pulling something out of his pocket. Her eyes dropped to an oblong handle and a blade snapped out, gleaming in the fluorescent lighting from above.

  “What is that?” she asked, momentarily diverted.

  “It's a knife, you dumb bitch! And it's gonna cut you up.”

  “I don't think so,” Viper murmured in amusement. She reached down swiftly and pulled something out of her boot. Skillfully, she flipped her military combat knife and watched as both remaining antagonists stared at the large, deadly serrated blade speechlessly. “Now this,” she continued conversationally, “this is a knife.”

  He growled and lunged at her, aiming for her stomach. Viper shook her head in faint disgust and blocked his arm. Her fingers unerringly found the pressure point in his wrist and his hand instantly went limp, the knife clattering to the ground. Before the blade hit the cement, her boot made solid contact with the inside of his right knee, kicking his leg sideways to an impossible angle as her serrated blade slid into his side. The sound of bone cracking was loud and he let out a scream of pain as he fell to his left knee. The sound ended abruptly when her fingers dug into his throat, cutting off his air passage and collapsing his esophagus. When he doubled over, gasping for breath, his head met her driving knee. Viper pulled her knife out of him as he sank to the ground silently, darkness overtaking him.

  Turning her head, she looked at the weakest link.

  “Run,” she whispered.

  He didn't need to be told twice. He took off toward the entrance to the garage, disappearing through the door seconds later as Viper wiped her knife on one of the fallen attackers before tucking it back into her holster at her ankle.

  Turning, she stepped over Rico's inanimate form and continued on her way, crossing the aisle to head toward the back corner. Her stride checked suddenly as a tall figure moved out from behind a white service van, clapping his hands softly.

  Alina's heart surged into her throat and her stomach fluttered as her eyes swept over the six foot, two inch solidly muscled man walking towards her. His dark hair was longer than when she last saw him, brushing the tops of his wide shoulders, but his eyes were still the startling blue that looked right through Viper to the woman beneath.

  “Hawk,” she breathed, the name a mere breath on the breeze.

  Damon Miles' lips curved faintly, his eyes meeting hers as he stopped before her. All at once, Alina felt re-energized, her heart beating a rapid rhythm in her chest as her breath caught in her throat. She always had this reaction when coming face to face with Hawk unexpectedly, but it seemed more intense than she remembered. Every nerve ending in her being was tingling with the sudden warmth that glinted in those deep, bottomless blue eyes.

  “One minute, twenty-four seconds,” he said, his deep voice rolling over her like warm silk. “Not too shabby for wearing heels.”

  Viper chuckled and they both glanced down at her four-inch block-heeled boots.

  “And I took time for conversation,” she agreed, looking back up into his handsome face.

  “Yes you did,” he agreed, his eyes warm.

  “It's good to see you,” Alina told him softly.

  His lips curved again and Damon lifted his hand to trail the back of his knuckles along her jawline.

  “It's good to see you too,” he replied just as softly.

  He bent his head and brushed his lips against hers in a feather light kiss that left her heart pounding and her blood rushing in her ears.

  “You could have jumped in and helped a girl out, you know,” she said, watching through her lashes as he straightened up and turned to fall into step beside her, his arm settling comfortably around her waist.

  “And get in the way of your right-hook? Not a chance,” he retorted. “Besides, you look like you needed the exercise.”

  “Meaning?” Viper demanded, stopping and pulling away from the circle of his arm.

  “Meaning you looked like you needed to let off some steam,” he exclaimed, holding his hands up in mock surrender.

  Viper laughed ruefully before turning to continue toward the back corner.

  “You're probably right,” she admitted. Hawk glanced at her sharply but kept his silence. “When did you get in?”

  “Earlier today,” he answered readily.

  “How did you know where to find me?” she asked, shooting him a sharp look.

  “How do I ever know how to find you?”

  Alina chuckled reluctantly.

  “Fair enough,” she murmured. Her black Rubicon came into view, tucked in the far corner behind a wide, circular cement support pillar. “Do you need a ride or did you bring your own?”

  “I brought my own.”

  Alina nodded and pulled her keys out of her jacket pocket. Stopping at the driver's door, she glanced up
into Damon's face.

  “Do you have somewhere to be or are you following me?”

  “I have somewhere to be,” Damon murmured, a smile flirting his lips, “but I'll catch up with you later.”

  Alina met his gaze and smiled despite herself.

  “Am I going to enjoy it?” she asked.

  The look on Hawk's face was downright wicked as he winked.

  “You can count on it.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Alina pulled around the corner of her house and raised an eyebrow at the sight of the maroon Mustang GT parked alongside the detached garage. A quick glance to the left as she rolled past the side of the house revealed Stephanie seated in one of the Adirondack chairs on the deck, her feet propped on the banister surrounding the deck and a glass in her hand.

  Alina pulled up beside the Mustang and cut the engine, glancing at her watch. Hawk left her at the hospital, saying he'd see her at the house later. She unsnapped her seatbelt and opened the door, reflecting that it was probably a good thing she arrived before him. He would have startled Stephanie with his habit of appearing out of the darkness and Stephanie would have shot first and asked questions later. Given Hawk's dislike of being shot at, it would not have ended so well for Steph.

  “Hi!” Stephanie called as Alina slammed the door and started across the gravel drive towards the lawn. “I hope you don't mind. I needed somewhere to go.”

  Alina stepped on the grass and went toward the steps leading to the deck. A movement in the far corner of the deck made her smile as Raven hopped out of the shadows and made his steady way along the banister toward her.

  “Of course not,” Alina answered as she reached the steps. “You know you're always welcome.”

  “Raven's been keeping his eye on me. He let me onto the deck but won't let me near the door,” Stephanie told her.

  Alina grinned and paused on the steps, one foot on the deck, as she waited for Raven to reach her. The black hawk was moving along the banister, unhurriedly putting one claw in front of the other. When his long, deadly beak was finally within reach of her hand, he nudged her imperiously and tilted his head to the side expectantly.

  “Good boy,” Alina murmured with a low chuckle, rubbing the side of his neck affectionately.

  “Good boy, my foot,” Stephanie muttered. “I've had to pee for the past half hour!”

  “You couldn't have gotten in anyway,” Alina said, glancing at her. “The security system is set.”

  “Then why did I get on the deck?”

  “The exterior sensors are off. I've had a doe coming up to the deck and setting it off recently.” Alina finished greeting Raven and stepped onto the deck. She looked at Stephanie and noted the half-empty bottle of wine next to her chair. “You OK?”

  “No,” Stephanie answered bluntly, dropping her feet off the banister and standing up. “Let me in to use the bathroom and then I'll explain.”

  Alina nodded and moved past her to the sliding glass door. She clicked a button on her key chain before waving a flash-drive sized wand in front of the pad next to the door. There was a barely audible click and she slid the door open. Alina stood aside and waved Stephanie inside before she glanced around the dark and silent yard out of habit. Raven was watching them with his shiny black eyes, but as Alina stepped into the house after her friend, he turned his back and settled down on the banister, gazing out into the night.

  “Where were you?” Stephanie asked over her shoulder, heading straight for the powder room in the hallway between the living room and the front of the house.

  “I had some things to take care of,” Alina answered vaguely, dropping her keys onto the granite bar and moving into the kitchen to flip on the light. As soon as Stephanie disappeared into the powder room and closed the door, she reached into a cabinet under the kitchen counter and pulled out a slim tablet. A few swipes later and the security perimeter was reset to the outer edges of the property.

  Stephanie emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later to find Alina sipping a bottle of water.

  “I brought the wine for both of us,” she said, looking at the bottle of water. “Bring a glass.”

  Alina chuckled and set the water down.

  “Drinking on a school night?” she asked, reaching into the cabinet behind her for a wine glass. “First I got you to go out and play in Atlantic City, now you show up with a bottle. If you're not careful, you'll start acting like Angela.”

  “God Forbid,” Stephanie laughed. “She called me last night from Miami. I could barely hear her over the music in the background. She said she was entertaining some business prospects in a club, Miami-Style.”

  “Good Lord,” Alina muttered, following Stephanie back outside onto the deck.

  “Exactly.”

  Alina watched as Stephanie went back to her chair and picked up the bottle of wine. She handed her her glass and settled down on the other chair, watching as Raven continued to stare out over the expanse of lawn into the trees. Stephanie filled her glass and handed it back before topping off her own.

  “It's a Cabernet,” she told her. “Not bad, actually.”

  “So, what's wrong?” Alina asked after taking a sip of the red wine. “Why are you camped out on my deck with a bottle of wine?”

  “I couldn't stay home alone and didn't know where else to go,” Stephanie replied. “With John in the hospital...” Her voice cracked and Alina glanced at her sharply. Stephanie cleared her throat and took a sip of wine. “Well, it's been a long day.”

  Alina was silent, waiting for Stephanie to continue. When she did, it was the last thing Alina expected to hear.

  “John's been suspended,” Stephanie said, turning to face her.

  “What?”

  “Rob called me into his office after I got off the phone with you this afternoon.” Stephanie shook her head. “I guess there will be an investigation into the fact that he was street racing, which, of course, is illegal, and until that's concluded, he's suspended.”

  “Well, not to be cold, it's not like he can work right now anyway,” Alina pointed out. “What's going to happen?”

  “If you asked me earlier, I would have said nothing,” Stephanie answered. “They can't prove he was racing, even though he was, and the worst they can charge him with is reckless driving. I would have said the investigation would be inconclusive, he would be reprimanded, and by the time he recovered from his injuries, he'd be reinstated.”

  “Why don't you think that now?” Alina asked when Stephanie didn't continue.

  “I've been placed on administrative leave of absence.”

  Alina blinked and looked at Stephanie, her wine forgotten.

  “Why?”

  “That's what I want to know,” Stephanie muttered, draining her glass. “God, it sounds even worse when I say it out loud.”

  “Well, it's certainly not good,” Alina said, watching as Stephanie refilled her glass. “For what reason?”

  “Rob said that until John is recovered and they can sort out what happened, it would be better for me to take some time off,” Stephanie said bitterly. “That's all he'll tell me. He said it's not disciplinary, but he felt it was best for the team.”

  Alina's eyes narrowed and she sat back, staring out into the dark trees. Something wasn't right. There was no reason to place Stephanie on leave. Even if she had advanced knowledge about John's street racing, which she hadn't, it still wasn't grounds for placing her on leave. Her boss knew that, which was probably why he made sure to stress that it was not a disciplinary move.

  “Did he take your weapon?” Alina asked, glancing at Stephanie.

  “No, nor my badge.”

  “That's something, at least.”

  “My cases have been reassigned to another agent and I'm supposed to take some time to rest,” Stephanie told her. “This is bullshit. I didn't do anything wrong!”

  “No,” Alina murmured, sipping her wine. “No, you didn't.”

  “John did, though,” Stephanie con
tinued. “What the hell was he thinking?!”

  Alina opened her mouth to respond but was distracted when Raven suddenly straightened up, his head turned and his gaze fixed intently on something in the shadows near the garage.

  “Hold that thought,” Alina said after a second, setting her glass down and standing up in one fluid motion. She was reaching behind her back for her .45 when Hawk emerged from the shadows and moved across the driveway silently. Her shoulders relaxed and Viper left her gun in its holster.

  “When did he get into town?” Stephanie asked, watching as Damon moved toward the deck.

  “Tonight,” Alina answered, glancing down at her. “You don't mind?”

  “I've had half a bottle of wine,” Stephanie retorted. “The more the merrier at this point.”

  Alina was surprised into a short laugh and she moved down the steps to meet Damon between the drive and the deck.

  “Stephanie was here when I got home,” she told him in a low voice. “She's had a few glasses of wine.”

  “Really?” he drawled, his eyebrow crooking. “This should be interesting.”

  “I'm already starting to regret how much,” Viper muttered, turning to lead the way up the steps.

  “Well, if it isn't the elusive Mr. Hunk O' Mysterious!” Stephanie greeted him, standing up and holding out her hand. “How goes it?”