by Amy Vansant
Anne laughed. She did, too.
Con left the room and returned with Fiona.
“It’s about time,” Fiona said, her focus on her sister.
Catriona stood. “Oh bring it, Fiona. I’m begging you—” She cocked her head. “Wait, is that my good black dress?”
Con moved to Anne. “All good?”
She nodded. “We’ve got a situation with the syphoning, though.”
“How so?”
She sighed. “Let’s just say I don’t think I’ll be going back to New York any time soon.”
“No?” Con grinned. “Pity.”
She punched him and he spun away, laughing.
Anne turned to Catriona and Broch.
“So, what did we learn here today?”
Catriona looked up at her. Anne could see her hands were still shaking with adrenaline.
“I sucked the energy out of someone until they died, and right now I’m having trouble feeling bad about it.”
“Didn’t die. He was rebooted,” corrected Anne.
“That’s what you keep saying. And I couldn’t do it without your help.”
Anne grimaced. “Right. For some reason, at least for now, it looks like it takes you and a Sentinel to complete the job.”
“That’s awkward,” said Catriona, echoing Anne’s thoughts.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Anne was surprised to find Michael at her house when the group returned for their debriefing. He stood in the driveway, his arms crossed against his chest. Anne watched Con glower at him from the SUV as they pulled into the drive.
Here we go.
“Con, don’t—”
Anne saved her breath. Con was striding towards Michael before she could finish her sentence, let alone get out of the car. He hadn’t bothered to open the car door, but just phased through it to piss off Michael.
The bickering had begun.
“To what can we thank your presence here with us?” asked Con, stopping in front of Michael, a tad too close.
The Angelus arched an eyebrow. “You haven’t changed, I see.”
Con scoffed. “Why would I mess with perfection?”
Anne turned and motioned for Fiona to get out of the car.
“Let’s go.”
“Who is that?”
Anne followed her gaze. “Michael.”
Fiona whistled. “Mama likey. I mean, your driver has that animal thing I love when I’m slumming, but that one smells like money from here.”
Anne looked at Michael. As usual, he was wearing a manifested suit that, if purchased, would cost as much as a small car.
“What’s he do?” Fiona asked.
Anne decided to deflect that one.
“He’s here to check you out.”
“He’s a doctor?” Fiona’s eyes widened. She ran her hand through her hair, pinched her cheeks and gave her armpits a sniff. “Could I get freshened up inside?”
“Sure. Go in. Jeffrey will get you whatever you need.”
“Another man? I can’t wait to see what he looks like.”
Anne chuckled to herself.
I think you’ll find him a tough nut to crack.
They got out of the car and Anne motioned to the garage. “Go in through there and call Jeffrey. Let him know what you need.”
Fiona grabbed Anne by the shoulder and looked into her eyes. “I like the way you roll, Carrot-top. Deep. I think we’re going to be good friends.”
Fiona released her and scurried into the garage.
Anne walked to Michael and Con who remained on the front step, trading barbs.
“Are you Vietnamese?” Con was asking as she approached.
Michael scowled. “No...”
“Really, because you Hanoi the hell out of me.”
Con turned and grinned at Anne and she rolled her eyes.
“Yikes.”
Con displayed his palms. “What? Come on. That’s funny.”
Michael caught her eye as she approached. “Save me. Why is he here?” he asked.
Anne sighed. “Ask your office. Someone sent him to be my backup.”
Con nodded. “Backup, front-up, a little side-action—”
“Con!” Anne pointed at Catriona and Broch. “Can you take the kids inside please and get them ready for a debriefing?”
Con opened his mouth and she threw up her index finger to stop him.
“If the next words out of your mouth are a run on the word debriefing, I swear to god I will cut you down.”
Con closed his mouth and, with a last sneer at Michael, headed for Catriona and the others.
Michael watched him go. “You used to date that.”
She sighed. “He’s not like that around me. You bring out the worst in him.”
“And it’s so difficult.” He kept his gaze locked on Con. “Somebody at the home office thinks they’re funny, sending him to you.”
“To be honest, there’s no one better. We’ve worked together for centuries. We know how each other moves.”
Michael arched an eyebrow. “Ick.”
“Shut up. Why are you here? To check out Fiona?”
“Yes. They let me know you’d captured her. You killed one?”
She nodded. “Joseph.”
“Rune’s still in the wind?”
“Yes. And there are more problems. It took both of us to finish him. Catriona and me.”
“Both of you? He was that tough?”
“No. We had to basically hold hands and syphon at the same time.”
Michael’s eyes widened. “Really? You tried individually?”
“Yes.”
“Interesting. Maybe you have the power and she has the frequency. She’s like a power converter for you. An adapter for a plug you don’t fit.”
“Maybe. But that means we need to work together. That’s going to be a training process.”
“What about that big fellow?”
“Like you said. He’ll do anything to keep her safe. He’s got skills, too. Good fighter and I think some untapped potential. Possibly some resistance to syphoning. I’d like to work with him, see how far he can go.”
Michael’s face twitched and Anne smiled. “You’re intimidated by him.”
“Who? The Highlander? What are you talking about?”
“I was thinking you seem a little taller than usual today. Did you give yourself an inch because he’s so large?”
Michael scoffed. “You’re ridiculous.”
She laughed. “You’re no different than Con. Same animal. You just clean up well.”
Michael leaned down and kissed her on the mouth. “That’s the most insulting thing you’ve ever said to me.”
Chapter Thirty-Six
Fiona looked up as Tall, Dark and Edible walked into the bedroom where Jeffrey had asked her to wait. She’d hopped in the shower and positioned herself on the edge of the bed, wrapped in a towel, to await him. The side of her wrapped towel had been artfully arranged to expose a fair amount of side-boob. She was delighted to see the doctor enter alone. Sure, she had plans to take over the world, and she could have her pick of young studs then, but just in case, a rich doctor who looked like he’d walked out of a high-end cologne commercial would be a great backup.
“Fiona, I’m Michael—” He’d started speaking before the door was opened, and now blanched and looked away. “I’m sorry, Jeffrey didn’t warn me you were changing.”
“Oh!” she said, pretending to have been caught off guard. “I’m sorry. I’ve been held captive for three days. I had to get a shower. You’re the doctor?”
Michael’s brow knit. “Doctor?”
“Anne said you were here to check me out?”
“Oh. Not a doctor.” He paused. “Did you want to put something on?”
She looked around the room, helpless. “I don’t really have anything...”
She’d already checked. The room was obviously Anne’s and her closet had plenty of clothes in it. Mostly casual, but high-end, too. S
he liked Anne more and more.
“I can ask Anne to get you something—” Michael turned his head as if he were about to call for her.
“No, I’m fine. I have my towel. Does what you’re about to do involve a lot of activity?” She dropped a little pause between a lot of and activity. Just enough to put active-while-naked ideas in his mind, but not enough to sound like a tramp. She could tell he liked his women classy.
Good thing I’m an actress.
She giggled to herself.
Michael released the breath he’d sucked in to call for Anne. “Alright. This won’t take long.”
Pity.
He entered and left the door open.
“Would you mind closing that?”
He blinked at her.
She pointed to the door and affected a shiver. “It’s drafty.”
“Oh.” He closed the door.
Alone at last.
“So...” Michael took a step towards her and clasped his hands together. “Let’s see...”
She stood, slithering up his body without touching him.
“Do you need me to stand?”
Michael took a step back. “No. Um, sit. I think sitting would work better.”
She sat back down.
“Let me ask you, do you feel different after spending time with Rune?”
“Different, how?”
“In any way. Did he, uh, do anything to you? Touch you?”
“He’s my father.”
“No, I understand that. I don’t mean—” Michael grimaced. “I’m trying to find a polite way to ask you if you feel like he infected you. If you feel sick in any way.”
“Infected me?” Fiona laughed. “I assure you, I am disease-free.”
“Maybe I should take this from the top. We believe your people have contracted a disease called Perfidia. Over time, it makes you mad. Makes you act against your nature.”
“Who are my people and what is our nature?”
“You’re Kairos. And you’re here to help people.”
Oh yeah. That sounds like me all over.
“So you are a doctor. How do we contract this disease?”
“Not a doctor. And I don’t know, exactly. That’s what makes it difficult for me to define a course of interrogation.”
“Is that what you’re doing?” Fiona tilted her head forward and looked up at him. “Interrogating me?”
“In a manner of speaking.”
Feeling he’d failed to glean her intent, Fiona sat back and thought about her time with Rune.
“You said this thing makes us crazy?”
Michael nodded.
That explains a lot.
“Dad did seem out of it. He’s been a little nuts for a long time.”
“Okay. Good. So, have you noticed any of that same madness in yourself?”
“No.”
Michael nodded. “The problem is, I don’t know if you would recognize it in yourself. And if you were infected, it would, of course, behoove you to lie about it.”
“Why?”
“Because if you were infected we’d have to fix you.”
She smiled. “Now, you’re going to fix me?”
“Not unless I have to.”
“But do you want to?”
“I wouldn’t be the one. It would be Anne and Catriona.”
“Ugh.” Fiona looked away.
This guy is not getting it.
Maybe it’s time to be a little more direct.
“Are you single, Doctor Mike?”
She saw his jaw grit and had to squelch a grin. She’d called him ‘doctor’ again on purpose.
“I am not a doctor,” he said in a measured tone. “But I would, with your permission, like to lay my hands on you for a moment.”
Um, yes please.
“Permission granted,” she purred.
Michael stepped forward and put his hands on each of her shoulders.
He closed his eyes. “I’m going to syphon a tiny bit of energy from you. It won’t hurt.”
“I don’t mind. Sometimes a little pain... Ooh!”
Fiona gasped as a blast of pure pleasure ran through her body.
A second later, he’d released her and stepped back.
“What was that?” she asked.
“I syphoned some of your energy to see if I could sense—”
“No, I mean what was that? That feeling?”
Michael’s cheeks colored. “The process can either be painful or pleasurable. I assumed you’d prefer the latter.”
“Yes please. Can you do it again?”
“What? No. We’re done. Thank you for being a good sport.” Michael strode to the door and opened it.
“Wait—”
He didn’t wait.
Fiona leaned back on her elbows, her jaw hanging slack as she stared at the doorway.
I have got to get myself one of those.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Catriona sat through the debriefing at Anne’s with her legs crossed and one foot bouncing. She felt as if she’d drunk a thousand cups of coffee without any of the heartburn or anxiety. She was pretty sure if she just jumped high enough, she would take flight and zoom out the window to parts unknown.
A teeny-tiny part of her still felt shaken by the image of Joseph bursting into a million tiny maroon lights, but really, if you had to ‘kill’ someone, it was prettier than conventional methods. And Anne assured her she hadn’t killed him. Simply sent him to some place where he could get better and back to doing his job, inspiring people to be better, not worse.
OMG. I’m a superhero.
She giggled.
“Catriona?”
Anne was looking at her.
“Hm?”
“Did you say something?”
“Hm? No. Sorry.”
Michael entered the room and headed directly for Anne.
“How’d it go?” she asked.
He sent a furtive glance in Catriona and Broch’s direction and flashed a weak smile. “Fine.”
Michael gave Anne a look that Catriona read as something other than fine.
He doesn’t know. He can’t tell and he’s afraid to let us know.
“She’s not sick?” she pressed. If Fiona was fine, she was a little disappointed. Part of her had been looking forward to cleansing her sister from her life.
Anne answered a little too quickly. “Apparently not.”
“Mm.” Catriona decided to let it drop for now. The energy racing through her body had pulled her attention away from the lie being perpetrated before them. She wanted to jump out of her skin. She looked at Broch.
I want to jump on him.
I have to get out of here before I do something embarrassing.
She looked back at Anne.
“Can we go now?”
Anne nodded. “Sure. I’ll let you know when the Angeli get a track on Rune again. Tomorrow we can set a training schedule.”
Catriona sprang to her feet and headed for the door without another word. She didn’t mean to be rude, but once she started moving she couldn’t stop. When Broch finally caught up, he didn’t come alone.
Hello, Fiona.
Her sister looked clean and fluffy again, her makeup in place, but she still wore her best dress. Best ex-dress. Now it looked as if it had been left balled-up in the backyard for a week.
Fiona grinned. “Did you hear? I’ve been declared clean by Doctor Feel-Good.”
“We heard.” She looked at Broch. “You drive.” She was a little afraid she’d kill them all. She wanted to drive a hundred and fifty miles an hour and jump over an opening bridge. Maybe some sort of canyon leap...
They clambered into the Jeep and Broch headed for home.
“What is that guy?” asked Fiona from the back seat.
“Who?”
“The doctor.”
“I think he’s an Angelus.”
“What’s that?”
“They’re like guardian angels or something.”
>
Fiona made a humming groan of a noise that sounded as if she were a starving woman watching a giant hamburger arrive. “An angel. That makes total sense. Are there more of them?”
Catriona shrugged. “I guess.”
“Good. Drop me off at home.”
Catriona twisted in her seat to look at her sister. “But Rune is still on the loose.”
“That’s okay. He’s on the run. He won’t come after me.”
“I don’t know...” Catriona didn’t know how hard she wanted to insist. While she didn’t think it was safe for Fiona to be at her apartment, she also didn’t like the idea of her coming home with them. In fact she hated that idea.
“Are you sure?”
Fiona nodded. “I’m sure.”
Catriona looked at Broch. “Do you remember how to get to Fiona’s?”
“Aye.”
Broch made a left and a few blocks later rolled to the curb outside Fiona’s apartment building.
“Thanks.” Fiona opened the door and hopped out as Catriona lowered her window.
“If you need anything, give me a call. And get my dress professionally cleaned. I want it back.”
Fiona looked down at the dress. “You don’t think maybe it’s time for an upgrade?”
“No.”
“Oh you poor, poor, unfashionable thing. I’ll send you something over.”
With a final taunting wave, Fiona strode across the street in her bare feet. It was only then that Catriona realized her sister had lost her shoes.
My shoes.
She raised the window. “Let’s go home.”
She looked at her phone. “I’m going to call Sean and tell him what happened so I can get this chewing out over.”
“Aye. Guid idea.”
Catriona paused.
“Do you think it’s weird that Fiona wanted to go home?”
“How come?”
“Well, after she stabbed my father she was terrified to be alone. Now she’s not concerned at all? And he’s still out there…”
“That’s a guid point.”
“Hm.” Catriona tapped her phone with her fingernail and then made the dreaded call to Sean, staring out the window as she listened to the ring.
He was going to be furious.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Rune knocked on Maddie Barbeau’s door. He’d run the entire way, far from the little house where he’d felt so at home.
