“Yeah, we gotta go, Mom. Make sure you guys make that call ASAP. Tell him it’s urgent, and we’re willing to pay.”
She saluted the camera. “You can count on me.”
The call ended.
How Zvoni had managed to create a hotspot here was beyond me, but I was grateful she had. That call might be the thing to get us off this miserable island.
Rena wrapped her arms around my waist and squeezed. “Just a little bit longer, and then this whole nightmare will be over.”
I took a deep breath. “All right, let’s get this impromptu council going.”
~
Evening settled in, and the courtyard lights came on.
For people who had been reduced to frenzied beasts mere minutes ago, they actually assembled well. Everyone stood in a massive circle around a cluster of tables that had been dragged together in the center. There, I sat with Rena, Darien, George, and a resurfaced Cam.
“Where’s Frankin?” Rena asked her, eyeing the crowd.
“Dead.” Cam shrugged. “Along with the rest of the SAGEs. They didn’t know how to stop fighting, once Faye used their trigger words. Guess that project was a wash.”
Except for Aiden and Marlene—why? Did the fact that they were disrupted have anything to do with it?
Darien crinkled up his face. “Way to show compassion, Cam.”
“I’m still mad that you were on the other side and didn’t tell me!”
“Uh, why would I tell you that when you were clearly in Faye’s pocket?”
“Because we’re friends, dumbass. If I had known you were really opposed to it, I could’ve gone all rebel mode with you.”
“Children!” Cole clapped his hands from the sidelines. “Focus.”
She crossed her arms.
“Anyway,” I continued, “we need to decide how we want to proceed. Are there any here who wish to carry on with Faye’s legacy?”
A few murmurs ran through the crowd.
“Or any who want to pursue an aspect of it?” I clarified. “We can’t keep fighting among ourselves, so if you feel that way, bring it up now.”
A guy who had to be pushing forty stepped forward. “I liked the thought of not having to hide here on the island. She told us, when the time came, we’d bring everything out into the open. People would accept us.”
Corynn rolled her eyes from the other side of the circle. “Okay, first off, no one is making you hide here. Second, she only said that because she wanted to use you to herd the SAGEs, once she leveraged a high position in your government. And third, you wouldn’t be accepted; you’d be feared and resented. Get off her crazy train, and step back into reality.”
Others vocalized their discontent from within the crowd, and soon it became a shouting match—all of the partisan hatred of C-SPAN, without the ability to change the channel. I stood up. “All right, we get it! Some of you are sick of having to keep your powers a secret, but let me ask why you came here in the first place. You feared a witch hunt, right?”
More murmurs.
“That’s exactly what would happen, and you know it. No one’s saying you can’t be yourselves. We’re only asking that if you use your abilities, you do so discreetly and without broadcasting it to the public. Frankly, I can think of far worse fates than that.”
A woman in the front clenched her jaw. “You really think you can waltz in here and oppress our rights as individuals? We shouldn’t have to be discreet if we don’t want to.”
“Oh, you want to talk about oppression?” Rena leaned forward. “Let’s discuss the SAGEs who were forced to give up their humanity—their lives—for a project they knew nothing about, while you sat idly by. Was the promise of a more comfortable lifestyle really that pacifying to you?”
Gold tinged her eyes, and I put a hand on her shoulder.
She drew a deep breath through gritted teeth and lowered her shoulders. “Yes, by going back to the way things were, we’re cloaking the existence of supernatural communities around the world, but you know what else we’re doing? Preserving our damn bloodlines, so our grandkids can have this same argument in fifty years. Why don’t you think about that before you bitch about having to be discreet?”
Darien whistled, and the woman turned away.
“All we’re asking is that you think this through,” I reiterated, gesturing with open palms. “Once they start tracing our bloodlines, they’re going to find out about Faye. Do you really want to be associated with everything she’s done? The thousands of deaths she’s responsible for? You can’t pull a loose thread without unraveling the whole thing.”
It sounded like the murmurs were finally starting to sway in our favor, so Cole went ahead and signaled our ringer—Grandma.
She approached the center, armed with sweet old lady charm and a strong minor gift of persuasion. She raised her hands. “Friends, for those of you who don’t know me, I am Clara Blake, daughter of the Lawrence line. Allow me to propose a compromise that might satisfy all of your needs…”
As she spoke, everyone began nodding along, their eyes glued to her steady form. She reemphasized our points and added a concession of her own—opening Sanctuary Island up to anyone privy to our world. No hiding. No keeping the lines from each other. Just a stronger community, with a greater support system.
If someone chose to go rogue, they certainly had that right. Just as the rest of us had a right to silence them for our own safety. Such risks came with the territory.
Needless to say, the response to Grandma’s proposal was overwhelming. Darien stood up and started clapping. The rest of the council followed. It spread from one side of the circle to the other, and before we knew it, everyone was stomping and rallying around the resolution. I let out the breath I’d been holding.
With things set back into place and the Sanctuary threat neutralized, everyone pitched in to clean up from the battle. Glass was cleaned up, blood mopped aside, and the bodies—those were burned on the beach, after a somber ceremony. Even Faye and Gail were remembered with respect, despite their crimes. That much, we made sure of.
Darien kept his promise to restore Marlene back to her usual self. He even worked his Dynari magic on Aiden, much to everyone’s surprise. By the time Hector showed up with a massive party boat, we were ready to leave with more closure than we ever thought possible.
“What happened here, kid?” he asked me, his eyes huge as we boarded.
“We took a group of paranormal investigators on a tour, and our ride back flaked on us.” I shrugged, helping Rena up. “We’ll make sure you’re compensated for your trouble. I just need access to Wi-Fi back on Middle Bass.”
“Not a problem.” He leaned back in his seat as Cole helped Marlene and Grandma up the stairs. “Hey there, cutie!”
She blushed. My grandmother blushed. What the hell?
Cole looked ready to pounce.
Rena stepped between them and tapped the wheel. “So, I suppose you’re wondering about the blood on my dress…”
“Not really,” Hector told her with a shrug. “Figured you had one of them gory ghost parties the kids like to have around Halloween. Little bit early for it, though.”
“Yes!” Rena shouted, a little too eager to go along with his assumption. “That is exactly what happened.”
Vlad boarded next, followed by Corynn, Henry, and a very disoriented Aiden.
“That it?” Hector asked.
I nodded.
“Good! I just got one question.” He settled down into his seat.
“Shoot.”
“Where are your glasses?”
Shit.
“I, uh, lost them…”
~
The ride back wasn’t bad.
We stopped off at Middle Bass to wire Hector some money, I aborted my cluster with an injection, and then we caught a ferry back to Ohio’s mainland. From there, it was full speed to Cleveland. I didn’t even pay attention to who rode with whom, or who was headed where. All I knew was we had a responsib
ility to these people and one last loose end to tie up.
“And this is where the first part of my plan comes in,” Cole informed us, barely out of his Jeep before he started talking. “We—”
“Where’s your illegally adopted daughter?” I interrupted.
“With Corynn. Anyway…” He threw Rena, Vlad, and I ski masks. “I’m going to clear the building of employees, you guys are going to get the families out, and then Vlad is going to torch the place. Meanwhile, Grandma will convince said employees that they were all let go from a factory that paid them under the table, so they can’t file any kind of documentation. Sound good?”
“Wait a sec—”
“Good.” He disappeared.
“We’re this far in,” Rena reminded me and squeezed my hand. “Just a little bit further.”
“Just a little bit further,” I repeated, making it my mantra. “Just a little bit further…”
We put our masks on.
Charging into the heart of ERA, knowing we’d finally rid the world of its matriarch, was an eye opening experience. Places we’d paused before, fearing for our lives, now seemed eerily benign. Symbols of Faye’s work, her devotion to a misguided cause, stood out everywhere. It was almost as if her spirit had followed us home, playing on the ill-gotten guilt I knew we both carried.
A computerized directory led us to area one thirty-six in the red sector. I didn’t bother with formalities, ripping the metal door off and holding it there, in case Glen still felt trigger-happy.
When no spray of bullets came, Rena announced our presence and rushed in to meet her folks. Hugs followed all around. I even got one from Glen, which told me hell had frozen over or he was just glad to get the hell out of there.
Corynn and Gabby’s families joined in, and my gaze swept over their heads to the other side of the room. Other than a pool of blood on the floor, there wasn’t a trace of Todd or Maverick. None of the guards, either. I rubbed the back of my head. “Where are the…?”
“Guards?” Judy asked. “Oh, we threw them in the room next door. Gave ‘em a chance to think about what they were doing, ya know?”
What the hell?
“Mom, you moved the bodies?” Rena sounded just as puzzled and disturbed as I felt.
“Sweetheart, I’m a cremator. I touch bodies every day. But no, these fellas are still kickin’ in there. Your dad just scared the crap out of them, took their keys, and locked ‘em up.”
“Then why on Earth did we have that talk about prison earlier?”
“Oh! I just read a magazine article the other day about life or death situations. It said strong motivators bring people home, so I knew we had to give you one. To bring our little girl back to us.” She gathered Rena up in another hug, and Wolfie piled on.
“Arururu…”
“What about Todd and Maverick?”
She tapped her chin. “Well, Todd bled out in the hallway, and Mr. Hernandez had a little discussion with Maverick about his daughter. Come to think about it, we haven’t seen him since!”
Gabby’s dad spit. “I rip his cojones off for what he did to my baby girl.”
Okay…that was terrifying.
“Listen,” Rena went on, shaking her head, “we gotta get you guys out of here. Cole’s going to clear the other sectors. Then Vlad is going to burn the place down. No evidence. But we have to move.”
Again, we found ourselves herding a group of people to safety, while planning yet another cover-up. The families packed into our vehicles, Grandma brainwashed the exiting human employees, and lo and behold, Vlad started a fire.
I lost track of time somewhere in the middle, as the adrenaline faded and exhaustion reclaimed my mind. Before I knew it, Rena and I were sitting in my truck across the street, watching the place we’d feared and obsessed over for months go up in flames.
“It’s surreal, isn’t it?” she whispered.
“Yeah.”
Truthfully, neither one of us thought we’d survive the ordeal.
“I always thought…” Her voice wavered. “I mean, don’t the good guys always spare the bad guys’ lives at the end? Isn’t that what distinguishes them from each other?”
“In movie scripts, where the bad guys are actually capable of reform, yes.” I leaned back against the headrest. “But if we hadn’t acted as we did, we’d be dead. You get that, right? So would everyone else on the island and God knows how many innocent people around the country.”
The fire reflected in her eyes, rimmed red with exhaustion. “I know. It just all feels so…final. What are we supposed to do now that it’s over?”
“Live.” I put the truck into gear and took hold of my disfigured steering wheel. “Put it all behind us and move forward.”
Rena reached over and took my hand. “As survivors?”
“As newlyweds.” I revved the engine for emphasis, and she cracked a smile.
“To the tunnels!”
CHAPTER 27
« COLE »
Reentering the tunnels felt strange, like the place had changed in the past eighteen hours—or maybe I had.
I found Grandpa Edwin asleep, shocker, and Gabby passed out on a cot beside him. She had a tangle of yarn in knots all over the floor, with knitting needles crammed in at odd angles. Her kid’s feet would freeze at this rate. Booties were not her forte.
Zvoni had set up in the next room, laptops and cords patched into various places. “Where’s the footage?”
Vlad’s daughter wasn’t one for formalities.
“You said you would send it once you had better Wi-Fi at Middle Bass, so we could stream it on Gabby’s channel.”
“Yeah, about that…” I walked away. It was easier than trying to explain right now.
A snort and the pattering of tiny hooves preceded my goofy little furball, as he rounded the corner. When he saw me, he let out a squeal as if to say, “Gasp! Daddy’s home!”
“Come here.” I scooped Frank Bacon up and lifted him over my head. “Were you a good boy for your grandma?”
Wanda staggered in after him, trying to catch her breath. “He must’ve heard your voice. He took off running, and I couldn’t catch him.”
“That’s okay,” I told her. “Everything’s okay now. Is Rachel awake?”
“Yes, but you might want to brace yourse—”
I sprinted down the hall and through her doorway in a blur. “Rach…”
She looked up and smiled, while Jaya scribbled something in the corner. “Hey, you.”
“Hey.”
“I shall take that as my cue to leave,” Jaya said, hurrying for the door. “Welcome back, Nicholas.”
“Thank you.” I still hadn’t taken my eyes off Rachel.
Whatever had been done to expedite the virus had clearly worked. She sat there in bed, her auburn hair neatly brushed over her shoulders, with the glow of someone given a second chance at life. I knew that look all too well.
“What happened?” she finally asked, as I closed the door. “I worried…”
“We got them.”
“You mean they’re…?”
“Yes.”
“So, it’s over?” Her eyes were wide, hopeful.
I let our squirming piggy down and sat on the edge of the bed. “Yes.”
Tears slipped past her lashes and trailed down her cheeks. “I can’t explain how relieved that makes me feel.”
“You don’t have to.” I took her into my arms and held her while she cried, while I gave in to a few tears myself. The past week had taken its toll, everything from my capture to Tits’ death. Hell, the past eight months had worn me out—constantly looking over my shoulder, waiting for ERA’s next blow, trying to think three moves ahead. In the absence of that chaos, I just felt…drained.
Rachel pressed her lips against my neck and trailed kisses up my jaw, pulling me from my thoughts. Her breath brushed warmth over my skin, until our lips finally met. Just like that, I was home again.
I pulled back and rested my forehead ag
ainst hers, savoring the moment. Everything about this woman felt worthy of reverence. The strawberry scent of her hair, the silken touch of her skin. Having her whole again, still recklessly in love with a jackass like me, was more than I deserved.
“I’m so glad you’re back,” she whispered, slipping her hands beneath the hem of my shirt.
“Me too.” I pulled it off.
It wasn’t a pressuring move. I just needed the barrier between us gone, to feel something real against me.
“Cole…” The look she gave me was layered, that was for sure. Half of her seemed ready to jump my bones, while the other half paled with reservation.
“What?”
“You know what.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I didn’t get to do yoga this morning, so I need to make up for it.”
Rach shook her head and laughed under her breath. “You are not getting naked in here.”
“It’d be a lot less scandalous if we were engaged,” I informed her, popping my jeans open. “It’s been almost four months since the last time we discussed it, and your pastor is on his way here. Just sayin’.”
“Cole!” She slapped my arm, eyes suddenly wide. “You cannot do this to me now.”
“And yet I am.”
Oh, I had her. This was good.
She pursed her lips together. “Okay, what if I said you could propose? How are you going to get a ring here in time to do your”—she made air quotes—”yoga?”
“You mean this ring?” I angled off the bed and cornered Frank Bacon near the door, popping the tag open on his collar.
Rachel shrieked. “No way. Cole, there is no way you did that!”
“It had hinges!” I pointed to the locket style heart I’d had custom made. “How did you not see it?”
She pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes. “You are insane.”
“Insanely perfect,” I finished for her with a wink, getting down on one knee beside the bed. “How ‘bout it? Rachel Petunia Ranford, will you marry me?”
She peeked through her lashes. “Oh God.”
“Is that a yes?”
“Yes, Cole, yes. I can’t believe we’re doing this.”
Loyalty Page 23
