Ella swallowed hard, torn. “Fine. But let’s all try and keep alive for now, okay?”
Death sort of spoiled the promise of a happy ending, and god knew she could do with one.
Chapter Three
Warrior
Two hours. It felt like a lifetime, and the minutes spilled through Ella’s fingers like the blood dripping from Finn’s chest.
Unwrapping the gauze from her hand, she took a long look at the deep, jagged cut in her palm. Jesus, she was lucky the nerves and tendons were still in one piece. Served her right for grabbing things in the dark. From the looks of it, she’d shared a handshake with a sharp piece of metal.
Great, Ella. Spectacular job so far. Plus you’re using up the medical supplies you brought along for Finn.
With a sigh, she set about cleaning the cut, applying disinfectant and butterfly bandages, then wrapping it tightly again. Shallow cuts on her arms, from the shards of the broken window at her apartment, had stopped bleeding. She cleaned them up and put her shirt back on.
Ready. As ready as she ever hoped to be.
Color was touching the sky outside, red spreading over the sea. Seagulls wheeled over the docks. Where the hell was Norma? Ella had asked for a couple things to wear as a disguise, and had answered Norma’s questions the best she could without revealing Finn’s true nature.
Had Norma believed her? Would she betray Ella and lead the police to her?
Ella shook her head. She was mad. This plan was insane. But she couldn’t think of another.
She paced her room, unable to rest or get warm. Chills wracked her body and a ghost pain bloomed below her heart.
Where Finn had been shot.
Or maybe it was her stomach aching from the tension. She’d get an ulcer if things didn’t calm down soon.
Calm down? That almost set her into hysterical laughter and she went to turn on the television, hoping the inane chatter from some reality show might distract her.
After five seconds of watching a woman with huge silicone boobs explain how important said boobs were in her life and how everyone should get the same, she changed the channel and came across a breaking news announcement.
Apparently strange happenings had been reported downtown.
Close to her neighborhood.
She backed away and sank on the mattress. Odd disturbances in the atmosphere. Albino animals clawing their way out of thin air only to drop, half of their bodies missing. A snake-like thing had managed to bite a woman before it fell, chopped in half. A child reported a winged dragon flying at her, then tumbling out of the air and hitting a storefront. Its hind parts were missing. Gore and blood was everywhere. The military had arrived. There was talk of an invasion, and they’d begun evacuating that part of the city.
She barely heard the rest.
Dear god. She hadn’t been wrong. Finn was still here, still alive. Probably unconscious, caught in nightmares. Opening Gates.
And Dave had to know it, too.
She straightened. Enough of reeling and feeling like she’d been the one shot. Finn had to be downtown. She couldn’t wait any longer.
But rushing into the fray only to be arrested or shot on sight wouldn’t help Finn.
Unable to sit around any longer, she went down the stairs, into the small lobby with its bored receptionist. She paced, stealing glances at the television mounted on the wall. The evacuation had begun. Damn. Sweat trickled down her back. Her pulse pounded behind her eyes.
Helpless. Depending on Finn’s friend, a stranger. Without her weapons and friends. Could things get any worse?
A picture was flashing on the television screen, and it took Ella a moment to realize what she was seeing: it was her own face, expression open and smiling. The caption said, ‘Wanted. If you’ve seen this person please contact the police.’
Oh fucking hell. Without waiting to see if the receptionist was paying attention to the news, Ella walked as calmly as she could to the automatic door and stepped outside into the pale colors of dawn.
A black sedan entered the parking lot as she hurried across the cemented area. For a moment, hope flared bright and Ella slowed. Maybe it was Norma come to pick her up.
But an old woman was driving, and behind Ella the receptionist was shouting her name.
Just perfect.
Ella took off running. She exited into a street, her boots hitting asphalt, and she kept running, hoping to reach a busy avenue and find a cab.
Faster. Go faster. The backpack thumped against her back, the straps digging into her muscles, the old injury sending sparks of fire up her thigh.
A car engine hummed behind her. The vehicle overtook her and slowed. It was the old woman in the sedan again.
“Are you Ella?” the woman shouted. “Ella Johnson?”
Ella stopped and bent over, a stitch in her side. “Who are you?”
“I’m Norma Jones.”
“No way.” But it was that same raspy voice she’d heard on the phone. God. To think that even for one moment she’d assumed Norma had been Finn’s girlfriend.
The old woman was regarding her with open curiosity. She was dressed in a pink sweater, the color matching her lipstick. Her hair was cut short, a bluish white, and golden hoops glinted on her ears. Her eyes were dark and warm, and currently narrowed on Ella.
“Are you Ella Johnson?” the woman insisted.
“Benson,” Ella said. “Ella Benson.”
“Well, hop on inside then, Ella Benson, what are you waiting for?”
Ella climbed into the car and set the backpack between her legs. “Please, step on the gas. My face’s all over the news.” It left a sour taste in her mouth. “How am I ever going to make it past the police downtown?”
“Take a deep breath, young lady.” Norma drove slowly, so slowly Ella looked back to make sure the receptionist wasn’t still running behind them. “It’s going to be fine.”
Fine? Finn had been shot. Oh Jesus. Ella drew a shaky breath. “Sure, whatever you say.”
Norma smiled. It was easy to see why Finn had been drawn to her. She had a motherly air about her that spoke of freshly-baked cookies and comfort. What Finn craved.
“Have you found anything that could help me go behind the lines?”
“As I said, I used to be a nurse.” Norma tapped a hand on the wheel. “So chin up, girl. Nobody looks twice at someone in uniform.”
Ella nodded. Why hadn’t she thought of that?
They stopped at a gas station and Ella went to change in the ladies room. She came out squirming in her borrowed clothes. She hoped they’d do the trick but she felt damn uncomfortable. The light blue shirt and the knee-length skirt were bad enough, but she was also wearing a pair of Norma’s shoes — high heels ‘from her youth’. Ella hoped they didn’t hold any sentimental value for the old woman because she’d chuck them into a dumpster as soon as she found Finn, if not earlier.
And with her hair loose, she felt like she wasn’t herself at all. Here was to hoping she’d fool others, too.
“I thought nurses wore low, comfortable shoes,” she grumbled.
“You look great in them,” Norma informed her.
Ella sighed and settled in the seat. She couldn’t complain. She was grateful. “Thank you for your help. I really appreciate it.” She cocked her head to the side, regarding Norma. “You really like Finn, don’t you?”
“Yes. Why, don’t you?” Norma smiled, setting off again, and Ella nodded, her eyes stinging.
Loved him, in fact. So much that the thought of losing him was killing her.
“You said you had medical problems,” Ella said, to break the downward spiral of her thoughts. “What’s wrong with you?”
“I have a congenital heart defect.” Norma kept her eyes on the road. “It can’t be fixed. It’s all down to luck now.”
“I’m so sorry,” Ella whispered.
“Ah, it’s okay, dear. I’m happy. I left work to spend what’s left of my life doing what I’ve always wanted.
”
“And what’s that?”
“Gardening and playing poker with friends.”
Ella opened her mouth and closed it again. “Poker?”
“Yup.” Norma grinned. “We try to avoid strip poker, though. Don’t want to frighten ourselves silly.”
“You play strip poker?”
Norma huffed. “Of course, but only on special occasions.”
Ella snorted and rolled her eyes. Finn’s friends. She watched the houses and shops roll by. It was taking forever to reach the city center. “Can’t you go any faster?”
“Patience,” Norma said, unruffled, her thin hands steady on the wheel. “Which way now?”
Patience? Ella blew her dark hair out of her face as they passed through more familiar neighborhoods. Please, Finn, be alive. Her stomach was a knot of tension, fear making her palms clammy and her throat tight. You promised.
“And when we are downtown?” Norma asked. “What’s the plan, honey?”
“Just drop me there and wait. We’ll find you.”
***
Ella’s pulse drummed in her temples as she walked down the avenue a few streets down from her building. She tried to look confident in her high heels and prayed she wouldn’t stumble and break an ankle. A briefcase, borrowed from Norma, was tucked under one armpit, and she’d even slapped on red lipstick and mascara.
Norma had brought along more make-up tools than Ella had ever owned. That was easy, given she hadn’t owned any since she was seventeen. Not much use when you ran into Shades on a daily basis.
She licked her lips nervously and grimaced at the waxy taste. Resisting the urge to wipe her mouth on the back of her hand, she kept going, taking note of police. Nothing out of the ordinary, at least on the surface.
Deep breaths, Ella. If anyone asked, she was with the Salvation Army. Her clothes didn’t sport the initial of the organization, but she’d say she was new. A plastic badge pinned to her breast pocket read ‘Norma Cole’, Norma’s maiden name. Norma hadn’t explained why she’d abandoned her profession to work at the diner where she’d met Finn. There would be time for questions later.
At least she hoped so. Fingers crossed.
Her reflection winked at her from the glass of a store front and she stopped so suddenly she almost fell over. That was her? Framed in weak sunlight, she looked taller and thinner in the high heels and skirt, and the loose hair made her look... flirty somehow. Ugh.
No way would Dave recognize her from a distance. Man, she barely recognized herself.
As she walked briskly on, she noticed the military’s presence. Officers with machine guns were herding people down the streets, and an armed jeep stood a block down. She strode past, pretending she belonged there, in the disaster zone.
One of the soldiers actually nodded at her.
Feeling more confident, she hurried by the neighborhood’ pharmacy and the grocery store, gaze flicking to the doorways, seeing who sat or lay there. She knew the faces of most homeless people in the area. That was her one advantage right now.
She nodded to old Joe who sat at his usual spot outside the afro-shop at the corner, then waved at Maria who was curled as always outside the launderette. Maria gave her a blank look, obviously not recognizing her.
Ella walked past the deli and the Greek fast-food joint, moving closer to her building with every step. Cold sweat sprang on her back, chilling her. She paused at the corner, glanced around, then drew back. Two uniformed women were posted by the entrance and two men were walking toward them. Military? Police? Members of the super secret organization? Whichever it was, they looked armed and trigger-happy.
Clutching her briefcase, she stepped back.
The plan of the area was clear in her mind. She began walking the streets directly around the block, squatting down to check the faces of the homeless, awkward on the heels. The cold breeze whipped her long hair across her face and she let it, keeping her gaze down.
No Finn yet, but she refused to let panic take hold. Finn was made of titanium. He’d survived terrible odds. And yet... ‘A bullet can kill us the same as you,’ he’d said.
Jesus, stop it. Keep walking, keep checking.
She weaved through the narrow streets and crossed another avenue, widening the perimeter. Another armored jeep rolled by, but didn’t stop. If Finn was there, it was all over. They’d find him before her.
Unless he’d moved. Unless he’d left for good. Maybe she’d never find him again.
Keep walking.
More alleys and people smoking in the sun outside cafes and restaurants, faces grim. She was crossing into unfamiliar territory now; she’d only walked this way when she wanted to buy flowers. She gave the flower shop a wide berth, sure the owner would recognize her, and kept going, checking any sheltered spot, writing down names, feeling her heart sink.
Stop moping. She thought of Finn, lying alone somewhere; thought of Norma, sick and frail as she was, waiting in her car. You’re a kick-ass secret agent, and people depend on you.
Lifting her chin, she set off again. Her feet were killing her and she longed for her hiking boots. The skirt didn’t let her walk fast, and she was sure she had mascara running down her cheeks mingled with sweat.
Wobbling on her heels, she tottered down yet another squalid street, where she was almost bowled over by a man reading his newspaper. He grumbled something unflattering under his breath and continued on his way. A policewoman in uniform gave her a funny look and turned to speak into her phone.
Ella kept a plastic smile on as she checked inside every building entrance, behind every dumpster. People stared but left her in peace. Three military in grey uniforms rounded a corner and cast her quick looks but didn’t stop.
Where are you, Finn? Maybe she should retrace her steps, see if she’d missed some clue.
Two avenues and three streets down, she was starting to believe her whole theory was wrong. Besides, she couldn’t walk anymore in those damn shoes, she was sure her toes were bleeding, and she could hear distant shouts and orders being yelled back and forth. The army would be here soon.
Her sleep-starved brain had let her down, leaping to random conclusions and leading her in wrong directions. If she could rest just for one minute—
A plain covered in snow, stretching to the blue mountains at the horizon.
The image withered, and she could see again. Out of balance she staggered, hitting a wall with her shoulder. She fought not to slide down. That was Finn; had to be. He was nearby.
Pushing off the wall, she patted her hair and hoped nobody had noticed her little jig. She glanced around. Which way?
Putting the clipboard back into the briefcase, she set off back the way she’d come, eyes on every possible hiding place, checking the forms curled under their blankets or ratty sleeping bags on the sidewalk.
Another image hit her, rattling her like a hammer blow. A dragon rising from the mist, huge wings unfolding, its snake-like neck undulating. A rider sat right behind the head, in a halo of light, a weapon in one hand. He bowed forward, weapon pointing, and the dragon swooped down, spitting scorching fire.
The image faded. Ella stumbled, dizzy, and fell against a passerby.
“Watch where you’re going,” he muttered, pushing her off, and she bent over, panting. Her briefcase had fallen to the ground. She reached for it, her hand shaking.
The air shimmered overhead, breaking into glittering shards, and through them something moved, something massive and white.
“Run!” she yelled, kicked off the shoes and launched into a sprint. An opening between two buildings caught her eye and she ducked into it, skidding. She crouched low and peeked outside.
A deafening screech sounded, and she saw a dragon’s head and a huge wing writhe before they dropped with a horrible splat to the asphalt. The Gate fizzled and vanished.
Oh god. She leaned back against the grimy wall to catch her breath. It was over. The army would come now and cordon the area off, take everyone out.
Finn had to be close. Really, really close.
She turned around.
A dark shape huddled halfway into the alley, slumped behind the rail of a fire escape ladder. Could it be...?
Dammit, Ella, move. She pushed off the wall and ran to him, bare feet slapping on the dirty asphalt. The metallic tang of blood hit her as she dropped to her knees. A black bandana covered his head, and he was wrapped in a filthy blanket.
“Finn.” Her heart hammered. She shook his shoulder but he didn’t react. She cupped his face and lifted it toward the light.
He blinked, his eyes bloodshot and creased with fatigue and pain. He stared blankly at her.
Then he lifted his gun and pointed it at her face.
***
“Finn, can you hear me?” Ella didn’t dare move. The gun was aimed at her head, and although his hand shook, she wasn’t reassured; if anything, his finger might slip on the trigger. “It’s me, Ella.”
Finn didn’t react. He had that vacant expression in his eyes she’d come to recognize. Flashback. At least he was awake, and that meant no Gates.
“Put down your gun and report,” she barked. “Status.”
The change was instantaneous. His eyes widened and the gun lowered until it slithered from his fingers to the ground. “Sar,” he wheezed, his teeth clenched. “Daudr.”
Death.
“No-one’s dying,” she snapped, and he jerked. “We need to move out, right now. Stand up.”
When she stood and reached down for him, he caught her hand and heaved himself up.
Choking on a cry, face going ghost-white, he dropped back down and curled an arm around his middle. She crouched down and tried to pry his arm away to see the damage but his muscles were locked, his face twisted. He hunched over, shaking. It tore at her heart.
Shouting came from right outside the alley, orders bouncing back and forth. Shit. “Finn, get up. Please.”
He didn’t look up. She lifted his arm around her shoulders and hooked her own around his waist. “We’re in enemy territory. You need to keep quiet.”
Boreal and John Grey Season 1 Page 35
