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She wasn't wrong about that, and I agreed she needed a post-rehab plan. But I wasn't sure Cadogan House was the appropriate outlet.
"What, exactly, did you have in mind?" I asked.
"Well, I was thinking I could become permanently attached to the House - like a magical consultant. I could help you plan operations. Go out with you on missions. I've done it before, with the Tates. And that ended up okay."
She had helped with the Tates - twin fallen angels Mallory unleashed on Chicago. But we'd asked for her help primarily because she'd created the problem and was in a position to help solve it.
I didn't want to break her spirit or halt her recuperation, but I couldn't see Ethan agreeing to that. He wouldn't give her that kind of access, especially considering her history with the House.
But before I could answer, a boom shook the building.
My heart pounded with sudden fear, but before I could rise from my seat another boom sounded - a percussion that vibrated through my body with its bass rumble and prickled my arms into gooseflesh.
A vase dropped from a small shelf on the wall across from us, shattering into pieces on the floor. The human closest to it screamed with surprise, and most everyone else jumped up and ran to the windows.
Now in the darkness came a different sound, a rhythmic sound. It was nothing I could identify, but nothing that was accidental. And there was another thing out there I easily recognized.
Steel.
I could feel out guns and swords, a perk of having tempered my katana with my own blood. That there was enough of it outside the building to sense inside made me that much more nervous.
Mallory's gaze - narrowed, but not afraid - found mine. "What do you think that was?"
"I don't know," I said, dropping my fork, my appetite suddenly, and unusually, gone. "But I think we'd better find out."
Chapter Three
BEAT THE DRUM
Mallory dropped cash on the table and followed me through the crowd of patrons to the front of the restaurant. As we walked, I pulled on my coat and stuffed my gloves into my pocket.
Saul stood at the front window with the aproned members of his kitchen staff, peering into the darkness. He didn't take his eyes from the glass until I stood beside him.
"What in God's name was that?" he asked.
"I'm not sure. But I'm going to check it out. Stay in here and lock the door behind me until I'm sure what it is."
"I'm not going to stay in here while you go traipsing into trouble."
"I've traipsed into worse," I told him. "I'll be fine. I'm immortal, but you're not." I put a hand on his arm and raised my pleading gaze to his. "Let me take this one, okay?"
Saul looked at me, judging for a moment, before stepping aside and letting me through.
But I wasn't the only one who aimed for the door. Mallory was right behind me.
I put out a hand. "Where are you going?"
"With you," she said, petulantly as any teenager. "I have certain skills, as we've seen."
I glanced around, realizing we weren't exactly in the right place to have a discussion about her skills - or whether she should be showing them off.
"You're not supposed to be using your particular skills," I murmured, "and I don't want to initiate a war with the Pack because I let you do it." We had enough intraspecies animosity in Chicago.
Mallory leaned in. "And I'm not going to stand around while you walk out into trouble."
"We don't know it's trouble yet."
"You know," she countered. "Your magic's all over the place. You know something about what's out there. Something you haven't said yet."
I hadn't mentioned the weapons, because I couldn't confirm anything in here. Not for sure. I looked at her for a moment, weighing my options: using her as backup and risking Gabriel's ire versus leaving her inside and risking her ire.
"If nothing else," she said, "I'll need a ride back to the bar. I've got an hour until Catcher is supposed to pick me up. He and Gabe aren't going to want me waiting here without you if there's trouble out there."
Unfortunately, she was right. They'd both have my ass in a sling if she got hurt on my watch. "Fine. You can come. But you don't move an inch unless I tell you to."
She gave me a salute, and we slipped out the door. When we were free of it, Saul pulled it shut and clicked the lock again.
I scanned the street, looking for the source of the noise. But other than the worried faces of humans peeking through doorways and windows, looking for the source of the percussions, I couldn't see anything. There was smoke in the air, so the trouble was nearby, but not in my line of sight. Whatever it was, it grew closer; the rhythmic sound grew louder, and the sensation of steel grew stronger.
Sirens began to whine as two CPD cruisers sped past the restaurant, lights flashing.
"What is it?" Mallory asked.
"I'm not sure. But I think they have weapons." Weapons and a total lack of visibility meant I needed backup. I could be brave when necessary, but I tried very hard not to be stupid.
I took out my phone and dialed up the Cadogan House Operations Room, where Cadogan's guards (and I) investigated and strategized.
Luc answered on the first ring. "Sentinel? What's the good word?"
"I'm in Wicker Park at Saul's. We just heard two really loud bangs. I can't see anything, but I can smell smoke. And I think they've got weapons. Can you get eyes on it?"
I heard a click and then the sound of frantic typing in the background. I'd been switched to speakerphone, and the noise of computers and research was audible.
"We're checking the scanners, Sentinel. You there alone?"
"I'm with Mallory. And I'm thinking I need to get her out of here."
"No argument there, Sentinel."
"Merit, it's Lindsey." Lindsey was another House guard - Luc's girlfriend and my House bestie. "CPD scanners are talking about explosions. It sounds like they suspect Molotov cocktails blew propane tanks or something."
"Who's throwing Molotov cocktails in Wicker Park?" I asked. Mallory's eyes grew wide.
Cadogan House didn't answer. I could hear the static drone of scanner feed in the background, but I couldn't distinguish the words. They must have been listening.
And still, the sound of drumming grew louder, mimicking the acceleration of my heart.
"Guys, I'm going to need something here pretty soon."
"The CPD's reporting riots," Luc said. "There's a fire a few blocks west of you, and a cabal of rioters moving east."
That explained the noise. "I think they're chanting with drums or something. I can hear them moving. What was the target?"
