I let that revelation wash over me. “It makes sense. I don’t know when Bradley became an informant, but it has to have been recent. Do you… do you think the Cruze Gang have plants inside Internal Affairs?” My voice shook.
Hayden looked right at me. “I know they do.”
I half closed my eyes. “So when Bradley came forward and started sharing names – the Cruze Gang would’ve found out.”
“And the Cruze Gang are now trying to hide their tracks.”
“But isn’t this a risk? Why wouldn’t they just fall back into the shadows and allow their agents to be taken? I mean, they already had a significant blow dealt against them when Constantine was captured.”
I didn’t know if Hayden knew about Constantine – but considering how much he knew about this situation and the Cruze Gang in general, it was a fair bet.
It was one that paid off. He nodded. “There’s more to this situation. The Cruze Gang can’t allow too much evidence to be found against them – because it may point toward their communication spells.”
I made a face.
“The Cruze Gang are disparate – they’re all up and down the East Coast. They communicate through hidden spells – that’s one of the ways they keep themselves hidden and they remain as a close-knit but spread-apart group. I imagine they’re freaked out that if enough evidence is found in the Police Department, some bright spark will find a remnant of one of their communication spells, and they’ll be able to re-create it – blasting apart the gang. It would be a death blow,” he said. “You would be able to detect and dismantle every single member of the Cruze Gang in a single afternoon.”
I pressed my fingers to my lips. “God. So… are we—”
“If you’re about to ask if we’re okay, we are very much not okay. Remember that Jeopardy has seen a Hidden Grimoire set already – he’s also desperate. He’s also got my girlfriend,” Hayden said, voice shaking.
“But… Internal Affairs has a sorcerer,” I said. I don’t know why I said it. I don’t know why my voice shook with such sincerity and hope, too. But in that moment, I was proud of the fact that Jason existed. And I knew he would come to the rescue.
Hayden looked surprised, and his cheeks slackened. He shook his head. “One sorcerer ain’t gonna cut it. We’re talking about the entire gang here. Jeopardy would’ve mobilized them all. All to get that frigging book.” Hayden closed his eyes.
I stared at him, then I watched as angry red letters appeared over the wall.
I took a step over to Hayden and shook his shoulder. “What does that mean?”
Hayden took one look at the arcane symbols, then it appeared as if he would die on the spot. “That goddamn bastard. That goddamn bastard,” he said louder until his voice bounced off the walls.
“What?” I practically choked.
“It’s a message from Jeopardy. It’s a threat,” he said.
I didn’t think my eyes could grow wider with fear. “Threat?” I couldn’t help but gasp through my words.
“Jeopardy is broadcasting on every single magical frequency.”
“… What does he want?” I asked, even though I already knew the answer.
Hayden looked at me seriously. “He wants that Hidden Grimoire set, or he’s gonna start chopping off heads.”
Chapter 8
Sick. I don’t think I’d ever felt sicker. My guts felt as if someone had pulled them out of my stomach and they were now tying knots in them over and over again.
I clamped a hand over my mouth and pressed my fingers in until I was sure I was going to split my lips and pop them like balloons.
Hayden looked at me with utter desperation. “You need to find the set of grimoires.”
I blinked. “But that’s what he’s after—”
“People are on the line, Beth,” he said as he pointed a hand at the angry arcane symbols still scrawling themselves across the wall. “I know what men like Jeopardy can do. This is not an empty threat. He’s going to start executing people unless we get him those books.”
It was like a punch to the gut, and I felt myself reeling. I didn’t stagger back, and at the last moment, I clutched my hand around Max’s phone.
I stared down at it. If he was here, what would he do? Watch silently and wait for an opportunity. Keep a level head and wait until he saw a chance.
Then he’d take it.
I walked over to the door. It was closed, and it was locked with some pretty fancy magical chains. I frowned at them and looked over at Hayden. “Are these going to burn me if I touch them?” I’d only recently gotten over the magical burns I’d received after trying to save Max from one of Constantine’s torture chairs.
“No. But do you have a plan?” he said hopefully.
“We’re going to find the books.”
“… Then give them to Jeopardy?”
“Let’s just find the books first. I can’t honestly see beyond them at the moment. I think we need to find them, then react to the situation.” As plans went, it was pretty weak. It was the equivalent of a surgeon shrugging and saying he had no idea what was wrong with you, but if you started to die, he’d try to find a way to save you.
Hayden pressed his lips together and breathed hard through them. “Okay. I guess that’s kind of a plan. But I’m telling you – as soon as we walk out of here – we’re going to be hunted. While Jeopardy can’t find us in here—” Hayden pointed at the ground.
“He can find us out there.” I jabbed a thumb toward the infinity tunnels. “I’ve got that. I’ve met enough members of the Cruze Gang to recognize the feel of them. I’ll use my finder magic to keep a lookout for them. That being said, I don’t suppose you’ve got any magical guns?” I asked hopefully.
Hayden shook his head.
“No other weaponry? No protection talismans?”
Hayden shook his head again. “While I managed to get all of this stuff,” he gestured at the room, “as soon as you start stockpiling weapons, you go on government lists.”
I clenched my teeth together and breathed through them. “Then I guess it will be all down to me,” I said with a weak voice. Then I reached for the chains, and I started to unwrap them.
Hayden was by my side helping me.
With a click, the last one unlocked, and we opened the door.
I stepped out into a set of tunnels. I didn’t know what I was expecting, but it’s not what I got. These tunnels felt like… pathways through the mind. They were just… weird. It wasn’t the architecture. At first glance, they just looked like concrete hallways – drab and windowless with only a few simple light fittings dotted here and there.
But the feel of them was otherworldly. Instantly the hair marched up high along the back of my neck, and I shivered.
“There’s a heavy charge of magic down here,” Hayden explained. “Now, let’s go. We don’t have time.”
“No time,” I repeated under my breath.
We walked out of the room, and Hayden closed the door behind him. As soon as he did, the doorway frigging disappeared.
That told me there was no going back.
“Come on,” Hayden said.
“Let’s go,” I finished his sentence.
I can do this, I repeated to myself over and over again. I can find the opportunity in this situation.
We reached the first turn in the tunnel, and it led to a T intersection. I stilled my mind and chose the left turn. Hayden was always a few steps behind me, never saying anything, watchfully checking over his shoulder in case somebody was following.
We jogged through the tunnels.
I kept my mind on the books. Damn it was hard, though – I’d never seen this particular set of grimoires. But I had seen the ones that Jason had pulled from Constantine’s rooms. Though technically I hadn’t seen them in person. I’d seen flashes of them when Jason had settled his hand on my shoulder.
I concentrated on the general feel of the grimoires.
I felt myself being led in a specific dire
ction. It was a diffuse sensation, but it was there. And I trusted it.
Just when I swore I was getting closer, I started to feel something else.
It was Hell on Earth having to concentrate on the books at the same time as having to concentrate on the Cruze Gang. It was a massive use of magic, too. I wasn’t technically locating anything here – I was kind of using my magic as a radar system in case any members of the Cruze Gang came within close proximity of me.
As I took another step down the corridor, that radar started to blare. I stopped, and it was so sudden that Hayden banged into my back. “What is it?” he asked.
“The Cruze Gang – I… I sense their magic. They’re coming,” I brought my fingers up, and they shook in the air, “from that way.” I pointed right through a wall.
“Come on,” Hayden said as he shoved me forward.
We almost took a right turn in the corridor – one that would lead us closer to the books, but I came to a skidding stop. I pivoted hard on my foot, grabbed Hayden’s wrist, and yanked him forward. I ran as hard as I could, skidding around a turn in the corridor just in time. There was a crackle of magic, and I could tell a door had just formed. It opened with creaking hinges, and pounding footfall erupted from it.
I pressed my back into the wall, and Hayden was beside me, stiff with terror.
I counted the footsteps of three men, and they all paused, then they started to run in the opposite direction.
We remained exactly where we were until they were out of earshot.
“God,” Hayden whispered.
Yeah. This was frigging terrifying.
I was suddenly reminded of the fact that I’d been totally freaked out when I’d been nominally chased by Jason through the library. But he hadn’t known I was there – and all of my fear had been pretty much in my head. Though it would’ve been bad if Jason had seen me, it wouldn’t have been bad enough to kill me. If these warlocks found Hayden and me – it would be over.
What happened next was fraught. I didn’t think I would ever face anything as scary again.
I had to keep my wits about me, and I couldn’t allow them to fall for a second. Because a single moment’s inattention could result in a warlock springing out of a hidden doorway to my side and capturing me.
I had to navigate through the warlocks at the same time as bringing us closer to the books.
And Hayden hadn’t lied – this place was a maze. It was also changing. It felt like some kind of snake that was wriggling around on itself.
Hayden was the perfect partner – he never distracted me. He always followed my rules, and he kept an ear out, so if I ever made a lapse in judgment, he’d pick up the warlocks’ footfall before it was too late.
We were both covered in sweat, and we were stiff with fear as we kept jogging through the tunnels.
Neither of us said a word.
That distinct charge of magic in the air was greater now – heavy enough that it made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end and it sent a permanent tingle chasing across the base of my tongue.
We were running out of time. If the situation weren’t bad enough – that fact started to spread through me.
We needed to find the books, and I needed to figure out what to do next. Because out there, up in the city streets, the Cruze Gang were waging war on Madison City.
I was shaking, my hands trembling, and it wasn’t just from the terror of the situation anymore – I was rapidly running out of magic. I was using so frigging much power as I kept, not just the impression of the books in my head, but of the Cruze Gang at the same time. And even though I tried to push it away, my tethered connection to Max was stronger than ever.
Hayden appeared to appreciate what was going on with me, because before I could stumble again, he shifted in, looped an arm around my back, and supported me. “Beth, you can’t keep this up. We need to…” he trailed off, obviously having no clue what to do next.
“We’re close,” I said. “We just need to take an opportunity,” I suddenly stated.
I was right. We were close to the books – we’d been close to the books for the past five minutes. But there were so many warlocks around that we couldn’t take the chance to get to them.
Now I didn’t have any more time. So I needed to be bold and take a risk.
Even though I well knew there were warlocks in the section of the corridor to our left, I stopped, turned, and headed toward them.
Obviously Hayden could hear them, because he tried to pull me back. “Beth,” he hissed by my ear. “There are warlocks there.”
“Just follow me. Do exactly as I say. Oh, and get ready to put an ex-Army warlock in a headlock,” I muttered.
I didn’t have time to explain that comment.
We pushed forward.
There was a warlock standing in the corridor, his phone in his hands. He had his back to us.
I pressed a hand forward, shrugged out of Hayden’s grip, and told him with my pressed-open fingers to stay.
I ran right at the warlock. “You found me. Congratulations,” I announced as I brought Max’s phone up and chucked it at the back of the guy’s head.
It was a pretty good pitch, and it pinged off the guy’s skull, fell onto the floor, and clattered by his feet.
He turned toward me. Me? I skidded down to my knees and kicked him in the shin. Now, the movies might make you think that a well-placed kick to somebody’s knees could topple even the beefiest fella. Yeah – movies lie. I was a small woman, he was a massive man, and he was a warlock to boot. Though I kicked him hard, and he did wince, immediately his eyes blasted open, and he grabbed for me.
“Now!” I blasted, my voice echoing and booming through the room.
Hayden threw himself out of cover and managed to wrap an arm around the warlock’s neck, hauling him off me.
Hayden was pretty lanky, and though he was tall, he was no ex-Army warlock.
He had seconds.
Though the warlock was surprised, he quickly wrapped a hand around Hayden’s shoulder and got ready to judo throw him.
Me?
I grabbed hold of Max’s phone. My hands knew what to do as my opportunity magic sank through me.
I flicked the phone to flashlight, and I flashed it right in the guy’s eyes.
It confused him just long enough for me to reach for the gun in his belt.
It was a bubble gun, and my heart sang with joy.
“Get off him,” I roared at Hayden.
Hayden managed to pitch back just before the guy could judo throw him.
Then I shot the warlock.
True to its worth, the bubble gun reacted, shooting a blast of energy at the warlock. Immediately it expanded around him and started to lift him off his feet.
I had seconds to breathe. Then I heard footfall.
“Let’s get out of here,” Hayden said as he reached a hand toward me.
I jerked my head hard to the left.
I took a step toward the wall.
“Here – it’s here.” I couldn’t contain the excitement in my voice.
I brought my hands up to the wall and started pounding on it. I knew the books were just through here. Why couldn’t I—
“God, how the hell do I get through here?”
“Beth, we’re running out of time – there are warlocks right around the corner. Are you sure it’s through there?” Hayden’s voice shook.
I turned around, the move so quick my hair flared over my shoulders. I knew my eyes were as wide as they could be. “Yes!”
“Okay then. She’s over here!” Hayden suddenly bellowed as he brought something from behind his back, pointed it upward, and fired.
I’d never seen its like. It was like a flare that you would use when you were lost at sea – except one that managed to burst through the top of the tunnel and spread light in every direction.
I was so surprised by the sudden flash that my shoulder banged hard against the wall behind me. I brought my arm up and hid behi
nd it.
I saw Hayden take a single step toward me. His expression was completely different. It had the neutral edge of someone who simply knew what they had to do to survive.
I heard warlocks pressing in from every direction – more and more footfall as more and more doors opened into the infinity tunnels.
I stared at Hayden in surprise. “This was a trap?” I muttered.
He clenched his teeth together, pressing his lips into them. “You were right about me, Bethany – I’m a man who’s been forced to learn how to do anything to survive,” his voice wavered. “And this is the only way to save Isabella.”
A tear had the chance to wet my eye, then the warlocks appeared.
I still had hold of my bubble gun, and I clutched it tightly. But I was a student of odds, and I knew full well that they were not on my side. I counted at least 20 warlocks, not including Hayden.
He nodded at the gun. “Just drop it – they’ll be easier on you. And trust me, you want them to be easier.”
“I could have found a way, you know,” I said as I looked at him, not dropping the gun. I stared right at him as if my gaze was a far more powerful weapon.
And maybe it was, because Hayden blanched.
“I could’ve found an opportunity to get you out of this mess, without you giving into Jeopardy.”
His face muscles twitched. “Yeah, well, we ran out of time.”
“Put the gun down,” one of the beefiest warlocks I’d ever seen said as he rounded the corner, stalking toward me, his footfall as heavy and loud as boulders rolling off a mountaintop.
I recognized his face. Even if it was a little more mashed up than I remembered. “William Rankin?” I asked.
“Smythe Rankin – his brother. Speaking of which – you were instrumental in getting my little brother put away. I’m going to have to thank you for that one.” Smythe rolled a hand into a fist. That wasn’t a mistaken description – I meant rolled. You see, the way he pulled his fingers in one by one and pressed his thumb over his knuckles gave you the impression that his fist would have all the force of an avalanche rolling downhill.
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