some organizing yourselves before throwing in with the IRD.”
“We all jumped to the sides we thought would do the most damage to the Full Bloods. This fight’s just started, though, and we’re not far from losing it.”
Rico nodded. “You got that right. All we need to do is pull together when it counts. These Vigilant dudes may be drifting toward the whacko end of the spectrum, but they got heart and they got some heavy duty firepower from Jonah Lancroft’s personal collection. Somehow, they also got to the best stuff from Philadelphia. And since there ain’t hardly any other Skinners answering their phone anymore, the Vigilant are about all there is unless you wanna join the Army.”
“You can’t find any other Skinners?”
“We been in contact with the ones that survived the raids from the cops, but as of a few days ago, it’s been real quiet.” Rico drew a measured breath and stared at Cole intently when he asked, “Did you or Paige turn over a list of names to the military?”
At that moment Cole was certain of three things. If he’d betrayed any Skinners who were scooped up by the government, he was in for some serious bodily harm. If he tried to lie about doing such a thing, he would be found out and then subjected to even more serious harm. And finally, there was no doubt which side of the battle Rico was on. Philosophical differences aside, Rico was the same man he’d been the first time they met. “After all the shit we’ve been through, you can still ask me a question like that?”
Rico eased back just enough to let Cole know the storm had temporarily passed. “I’ve been level with you the whole time,” he rasped. “The problem with you and Paige is that you’re still thinkin’ in terms of us and them. The only ‘us’ here is humanity, and ‘them’ is them furry sons of bitches running wild through our cities. Now, I’m not sayin’ everyone under that roof back there shares my views on the matter, but that’s where I stand. When I was pissed with you guys in New Mexico, I told you so. Trust me, I’ve been telling Jessup the same things. All it boils down to is that these guys speak my language and Lancroft knew how to whip monster ass. Right now, though, I need to show you something and I need that rock to do it.”
The window of the house swung open to reveal an old man wrapped in a thick burgundy robe. His eyes may have been covered by thick lenses housed in cheap plastic frames, but he didn’t have any trouble finding a target for the pump-action shotgun in his hands. “Move it along, you two!”
“We ain’t messin’ up yer lawn, old man!” Rico barked.
The shotgun was raised to his shoulder and the home owner stared the Skinners down as if they were two Half Breeds pissing on his rosebushes. “I said move it along.”
Rico spun around and threw an angry wave at the old man. “We killed a pack of Half Breeds before they could climb through his windows and this is the thanks we get.”
“Times are hard,” Cole said.
“I got sick of hearin’ that shit a long time ago.”
“Yeah. Me too.”
“What about your Army buddies?” Rico asked. “Can’t they check around to see who’s left besides us and the Vigilant?”
“They barely know which end is up,” Cole said. “The IRD is doing their best to stomp out the fires, but they can’t wrap their brains around what’s starting them. Soon as we realized they don’t have much more than big guns in their pockets, Paige and I got away to find some answers on our own.”
“What about that little toy you brought in the basement? Pretty high-tech stuff. Or is that something you whipped up?”
“It’s some good tech. We might’ve been able to put something like it together, though. Still, it’s . . .” Cole felt his stomach clench. The tendrils hurt like hell, but that was nothing new. He’d reached an understanding with them. Somehow, he just knew they weren’t about to kill him. Even if they weren’t connected to a spore, they still had a purpose, and choking out their only food source didn’t serve it. No, this clench came from realizing he might just be even dumber than he’d thought. “Shit, I can’t believe this.”
“Believe what?”
“Paige and I ditched the car the IRD gave us, checked everything we were carrying, just about tore apart the clothes we were issued, and even picked through our boots to make sure we weren’t being tracked or bugged by those guys. They gave us that device to field test and we kept it because it could be useful, even as a bargaining chip.” Cole shook his head, suddenly feeling every bit of the weight that the last few months had dumped onto his shoulders. “I bet that device has got something else in it. Maybe that was the whole reason Adderson gave it to us.”
Clapping him on the shoulder, Rico said, “Could be. I was the one watching the screens when you carried that thing past the sci-fi setup in the front of that house. Our expensive computer shit picked up on a signal right away. Since it was you, I squelched it without raising the alarms.”
“Funny. I guess from being out there stabbing werewolves, getting bitten by vampires, and dodging gargoyles, the more modern ways of being hunted don’t register as much. Should’ve seen that one coming.”
“Maybe, maybe not. I would’ve thought to look for some electronic shit inside the little electronic box, but that’s me. I’ve spent a few more years hanging around with criminals or other sorts who think about wiretaps and that kind of crap.”
“Jessup put you in charge of watching the computers?” Cole asked. “You really have them snowed.”
“Nah. Just told ’em I learned a few things from hanging out with you.”
Those words, coupled with the approving nod from Rico, told him that the big guy actually thought of him as something other than cannon fodder.
“Don’t be so surprised,” Rico said. “Word spreads. That’s how it’s always been with us. With you and Paige stepping up the way you have, the rest of us are bound to know who you are.”
“You were there for a lot of it too.”
“And don’t think I don’t remind them of that whenever they try to pressure me into signing on all the way with these Vigilant creeps.”
“So you don’t trust them?” Cole asked.
Rico glanced down the street toward the Vigilant’s building and then turned away as if he was certain they were looking straight back at him. “Since you told me about that bug, I know I can trust you. Speaking of trust, where’s that rock?”
Cole looked across the street, couldn’t find the figures that had been stalking him previously, then shifted his eyes toward another lot. Soon, the figures stepped out from around another house and stayed there to make sure they were seen. Cole waved at them, which was enough for the two figures to part ways. One came straight at Cole and Rico, while the other doubled back down the street. As soon as the second figure stepped out of the shadows, Paige waved at Cole and continued down the street toward the car.
Rico kept his hand on the butt of his holstered Sig Sauer while watching the first figure approach him. “That’s one of the new guys. Waggoner. He one of yours?”
“One of Paige’s, is more like it. She met him in Atoka.”
Waggoner was a tall man sporting a full beard. He hobbled across the street wearing several layers of jackets, thermal undershirts, and flannel to fight a winter chill that struck Cole as mildly bracing at the worst. Judging by the weight of his clothes, Waggoner seemed to be more concerned, anyway, about having the maximum amount of pockets rather than being warm.
“He’s been with us for a few months,” Rico said as his eyes narrowed suspiciously. “He’s been a spy that whole time?”
“Nope. He just got a little freaked out by some of the stuff he heard in that big clubhouse of yours. When he called Paige a few weeks ago, I was just as surprised as you are.”
By now Waggoner had made it across the street. After throwing a quick nod at Rico, he hobbled over to stand out of the big man’s reach. “Hey, Cole. Good to see you. I would’ve said hello earlier, but . . . you know.”
“Yeah,” Rico said while eyeing the little box in the other man’s hands. “I know. You’ve been busy stealing from us.”
“You don’t even know me, mister. I’ve seen you around plenty of times, but you ain’t even seen fit to shake my hand.”
“You’re still wet behind the ears, boy,” the big man replied. “Just carved your own weapon, right?”
The man nodded meekly at first, but quickly straightened up and lifted his chin.
