“You think he answers my calls? All our calls are blocked, and our messages never get read. Maybe you should try.”
I didn’t think it would work, but I pulled out my phone.
{Henry: Can we talk? Dad warned me about the Drevlin being on earth and targeting us. I think we need to tell Nick the truth so we can teach him to use his powers to protect himself.”
I showed my father and he shrugged. “It’s worth a try.”
We waited until my screen saver kicked in a minute later, but the text hadn’t been read. I shouldn’t have expected he was glued to his phone waiting for one of us to text, but I’d been hopeful. “Maybe he’ll answer me later.”
“Hopefully.” Dad smiled. “You can handle this, Henry. You’re smart, strong, and you care about him and the others. The Drevlin are no match for us one-on-one, so they’ll need weapons. Those give off energy signatures we should be able to detect before they can use them. Stay vigilant, but don’t hunker down.”
Good advice, but the urge to wrap Nick in a protective cocoon was going to be hard to overcome. “I understand,”
Dad pulled me into a hug, this one tighter and longer than the first. “I love you, son. Stay safe.”
“I love you too, Dad,” I replied, feeling like a child again for a moment, safe in my father’s arms. He gave me one last searching look before turning and blending into the crowd. I missed him before he disappeared from my sight. Dad was a steady hand in a crisis. But he had his own responsibilities. My team and I had to handle how to protect Nick and each other.
My phone vibrated. Checking the screen it was Uriel. My first thought was he’d been watching and waited to reply until Dad had left? I shook off that paranoid thinking and read his message.
{Uriel: Stay the course. All is proceeding as it should. Do not seek further counsel on this matter.}
I stared at the message, and wanted to scream at the fucked up situation and throw my phone into the fountain. Instead, I closed my eyes, inhaling deeply to steady myself. Deep down, Iknew Uriel wouldn’t take unnecessary risks with Nick’s life, but every instinct screamed at me to tell him.
I couldn’t, but that didn’t mean we were helpless.
After composing an email to Vicky asking to meet, I drafted a message to the rest of my team.
{Henry: We need to meet ASAP. New intel on the Drevlin threat. Don’t use powers unless absolutely necessary and be on alert for anything suspicious. Let’s meet at the courthouse in two hours.}
I hesitated before sending another message to Trevor.
{Henry: We might need to adjust our strategy with Nick. Let’s discuss options without breaking protocol.}
Sliding my phone back into my pocket, I headed toward my office. The midday sun peeked through the canopy of trees, and life moved on around me, blissfully unaware of the invisible war inching closer. I didn’t envy their obliviousness. Knowledge was power.
Uriel said if we deviated from his plan Nick would die. He never said what would happen if I stuck to his direction, but the converse should be Nick survived. Clinging to that logic, I focused on what I could control. Taking a deep breath, I released it slowly, letting it calm my frayed nerves.
Time to get to work.
Nick
Istared out the window as Henry navigated the Maserati through the narrow streets of Alexandria. The grace and age of this part of the city spoke to my inner geek. Maybe geek was the wrong word. Much like I couldn’t buy any of the expensive cars I obsessed over, I’d never be able to afford a house in this neighborhood. Looking at both, however, was still free.
Zeke’s house melded nicely with its historic neighbors. The wraparound porch added a touch of Southern charm. I’d fallen in love with Zeke’s house when he gave me a tour months ago. He was so proud as he pointed out the original woodwork and the painstaking efforts he’d made to preserve its 1850s character. Hearing him speak, it was like he’d seen the house when it was first built.
“It’s a beautiful place,” Henry said with a touch of admiration.
“Yeah,” I said. “The inside is even better.”
Henry pulled into the alley leading to the parking behind the house, found a space, and cut the engine. The sudden silence amplified the thudding of my heart. I smoothed the fabric of my shirt as if it were responsible for the knots in my stomach.
“Hey,” Henry said softly, reaching over to rest his hand on my knee. His thumb traced slow, comforting circles. “You okay?”
I forced a smile, though I could feel the edges wobble. “Just a little intimidated, I guess.”
“By Zeke and Orion?” His eyebrows lifted. “Zeke’s Brenda’s little brother, he’s practically family.”
As much as I loved Brenda, I wished Zeke was my boss. Brenda was so... Brenda. Her brother was more my speed. “Not them, it’s this whole party thing with all Brenda’s wealthy friends and family. I think her parents make you look poor.”
