“Ten points,” Nightingale said, resuming his place in the car.
Nick looked from him to Melina, wanting to ask yet finding the right question difficult. “I got the dosh for bringin’ you in. You ain’t in anymore. Wouldn’t be the honest thing to do.”
“You care about honesty?”
“I’m the most honest cunt you’ll meet, Fido. Don’t we have to get a move on, Lover boy?”
Nick agreed. He didn’t understand, but he agreed. Nick put the car into gear and took off for the airport with the strangest passenger he would ever have.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
A Second Shot
Nick reached the same area he had been before in his attempt to board the plane. The only difference was the company he kept. Nightingale sauntered where Nick crept. The wreckage had ensured the runway was both packed and yet deserted. Every single person surrounding the area was located there, but none were paying attention to anything except the flaming wreck.
“Have you actually thought of how you’re going to get a plane? I mean you’ve got heaps to choose from, aye…”
Nick looked around and agreed silently. But he wasn’t looking for a commercial aircraft. He was looking for a unique one. “Yes…if I can just find it.”
Both travelled silently, yet Nick trailed behind the deft speed of the vampire as every gesture brought a groan worthy pain. He could’ve really used those healing abilities right about now. They moved along the walls, noticing the lights in the rooftops had dimmed as the black sky had lowered down to touch them.
“Don’t suppose I should ask if you’ve thought about this?”
“Probably best not to,” Nick replied.
“A ballsed up plan with no chance in hell of succeeding. Fantastic. I like it,” Nightingale said, rubbing his hands together.
“Don’t suppose you can tell me why you’re helping me?”
“Good freakin’ lord, what’s that over there?”
Nick looked to where Nightingale pointed but realised after a few seconds he was being directed at nothing. Nightingale had walked briskly towards the edge of the airport perimeter fence and leapt over it, landed casually and placed a hand on a shipping container. They were on the complete opposite side of the airport and far away from the chaos of the crash, but the blaze was still bright against the black surrounds.
“You’re not going to tell me why you’re helping me, I take it.”
“Why don’t you tell me how we’re gonna get outta here and into Pommyland? All the planes are grounded.”
“All commercial planes. Ones I can’t fly. But there is one I can. It belonged to my father. It was used to transport a small group of wolves when they attempted an invasion.”
“I heard about that. It was months ago. You think it’s still here?”
“I know it is. I saw it tonight when I got on the crashed plane.”
“So...your pilot here too?”
“Sadly not. You’ll have to rely on me.”
“You can fly?”
“Take off sure. Land...not so much.”
“So wait you mean to tell me I’m doing all this for a dude that can’t fly a plane. Odds are we won’t even make it out of the runway. If we do, we gotta navigate this fuckery...?”
“Oh...and where we are going I’m hated. So they’ll probably shoot me on site. You too just for being with me.”
Nightingale nodded. “Good. Let’s go.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Aggressive Negotiations
“Gentleman, welcome!” Tynan said, opening his arms over the table. Nicole held the baby in her arms, not sure of where to look. She sat at a round table alongside the heads of house. Though she had not been introduced, Tynan had explained who each was before she entered the room.
Nicole looked from one to the other. Matheus, Desmond and Rykard. All looked hard, frustrated. As if this was the last place they wanted to be.
“Let me start by saying I am indebted to all of you for coming. It truly is an honour to host this summit. And I truly hope all of your problems can be smoothed out.”
“Get to the point,” one said.
“The point is this, Matheus. I have no wish for violence and senseless mayhem. I have executed those who follow me for engaging in such barbarism. The time has passed for the wars that have, well, dogged our race for centuries. The time has come to unite under one banner.”
“Funny how that banner has to be yours…” Matheus replied.
“And for someone that doesn’t want violence, you sure made a mess of the Slade Estate hours after they had surrendered to you. As impressive as the Kent takeover was, this was even more so. If that’s how you treat your friends, how on earth can we trust you to keep your end of the bargain. I hear none were left alive,” Desmond continued.
“A few stragglers,” Tynan replied. “But finally, that house is no more. I secured it through traditional means: negotiation. There was always the threat of rebellion. Nothing will stand in our way for peace.”
“Our way Tynan? No. Your way. You can dress this up however you like. Your silver tongue has been a seductive weakness for so many others. Grand schemes and bold promises but there is nothing you have done that impresses or terrifies me. Your view of what we should be is just that. Yours. I want no part in your vision as I see no benefit in it for me or my family. Especially with the way you treat your newfound allies.” Desmond replied.
“Here, here,” Matheus echoed. Rykard, who hadn’t spoken a word, merely stared gravely at Tynan yet flicked his eyes over to Nicole.
“Strange that you would question my treatment of the Slades, Matheus, when it was you that defied your own Alpha several years ago, forming a
