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While they check me in, the door opens a second time, and two officers lead Marc into the station.
He smiles at me. “Hey, darling.”
“Hey, yourself, cowboy.” I lean toward him. “They treating you okay?”
“Just tried to get me to turn on you.” He leans down to rub his cheek against mine, a twinkle in his eye. “I told them to fuck off, of course.”
I laugh softly. “You didn’t even make it an hour without swearing.”
“Circumstances called for it.” The officer on his left tries to pull him away from me, and Marc scares him back with a glare. “Think we’ll get our old cell?”
I nod. “It will be just like coming home.”
“Enough, you two.” My officer grabs my arm, then loosens his hold when Marc lets out a threatening growl. “Don’t add resisting arrest to the charges against you.”
He walks me through the metal detector into the squad room filled with officers, all of whom we’ve worked with and helped train. Their faces hold a mixture of confusion, worry, and something else I can’t identify.
It’s not the first time they’ve seen us led through this room in handcuffs, but since then, we’ve fought at their sides to protect the innocent and taken down monsters together. We’re one step away from being part of the team, and uneasiness fills more than one face.
I spot Johannsson, O’Hara, and Troy huddled together in the break room, but no sign of Mayn, and when I glance toward Sharpe’s office, the door remains closed.
We stop at the elevator for the Ward, and the officer beside me waves a badge he shouldn’t have to open the doors. Only members of the Woo Woo Squad, people who have proven themselves resistant to magic, should be allowed down in the Ward.
This breaks every code of conduct put in place to protect the officers. But no one tries to stop them when the doors open, and they march Marc and me inside.
We exchange confused looks, silently wondering what the hell is going on.
Our question is answered when we arrive at the Ward to find Captain Bailey waiting.
He leans against the guard station, smug satisfaction in his beady little eyes. “You guys should have remained mercenaries. The money was good, and you knew your place. But no, you just had to play hero. And where has that gotten you now?”
Marc lunges toward him, but I step in his way. Now is not the time to attack a police captain, no matter how despicable he is.
I clench my jaw, refusing to let Bailey’s words rattle me. “We want our lawyer.”
Captain Bailey chuckles, a humorless sound that sends shivers down my spine. “Oh, don’t you worry, I’ll get right on that. But first, I’m going to dismantle your little group, starting with the Joint Task Force of Paranormal Investigations. The time for letting Others police themselves is over.”
My heart freezes at his words. “What have you done?”
“Why ruin the surprise?” He waves at an unfamiliar guard who sits behind the long desk. “Buzz them through.”
The thick, spelled door unlocks, and the officer not holding my arm hurries forward to open it. When he steps through, he shudders, the spells affecting him in a way they never would have touched any of Sharpe’s people.
Our steps echo on the hard floor as we’re led past the interrogation rooms and the cells filled with the sleeping victims of the Hive Queen.
The general holding cell at the back comes into view, where a familiar, dark-haired figure sits inside, his expression a mixture of frustration and resignation.
My eyes widen, and I freeze in shock, forcing the officer leading me to drag me forward a few steps until I start walking again.
“Sharpe?” I say in disbelief, my voice barely more than a whisper.
His head lifts at the sound of my voice, and he leaps to his feet. “Pen? Marc? What the hell happened?”
I shake my head. “That’s what we want to know.”
not my wheelhouse
- Flint -
