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Loren turned in her seat to look at Tanner, and mouthed, “Are you as weirded out by this as I am?”
The hacker’s mouth twitched with a rare smile. “I would be, if I didn’t know who it was. You don’t have to worry, it’s just our Hob,” he explained. Amplifying his voice, he said, “We miss you too, Mortifer.”
The channels switched again, and Loren listened closely as the audio formed another sentence in all different voices. “Where. Is. Dare. I. An.”
Tanner said, “He’s busy right now, but I’ll tell him you said hi.”
Loren whispered, “How’s he doing this?”
Before Tanner could respond, music blasted through the speakers—a celebration song—startling the heck out of her.
Tanner gave a low laugh. “Yup, she’s awake.”
Loren gaped at Tanner. “That was for me?” She poked herself in the chest.
Tanner nodded. “He’s very fond of you.”
Mortifer flipped through the channels again. “I am. Running. Out. Of. Ice.”
Loren didn’t think she’d ever seen Tanner smile so big. “Pretty sure that’s not how freezers work, pal,” Tanner replied. “Where are the others?”
Static flooded the vehicle, followed by one word: “Ignoring.”
Loren frowned. “Aww.”
The channel changed again to an audio clip that sounded like a whimpering dog.
And then the truck went quiet.
Loren said, “Is he gone?”
“Sounds like it.”
The driver’s door opened, and Darien got in, keeping his face hidden in the shadows of his hood. “Sixteen minutes,” he said, buckling up. “I’m disappointed you didn’t drive away.” He shot Tanner a look in the mirror.
“We received a call from Mortifer.”
Darien turned still as a statue. “Is everything okay?”
“He said he’s running out of ice.”
The tension in Darien’s body visibly melted. “Pretty sure that’s not how freezers work.” He put the truck in drive.
“That’s what I said. What’d you find?”
“Most of the bodies were burned, but one had lightning scars.”
“Elementals?”
“I’d bet money on it.” He glanced out at the group of cops and detectives by the front doors. “We need to get out of here—that detective hates my guts.” He turned the wheel and pulled into traffic.
Tanner stared out the back window. “Is that the guy who arrested you?”
Loren blurted, “You got arrested?”
“I was at a different hotel when it exploded—this was before you woke up,” Darien explained. “Jacky and I were in the wrong place at the wrong time, so we were taken in for questioning.” He drove slowly, clearly trying not to attract any attention, his eyes flicking between the mirrors and the road.
“So,” Tanner began, “if Elementals are going after Gaven and the imperator’s men… Why?”
