These are my last fucking seconds. Brownstone. Shay felt a surge of anger. Not going out, just when things got to be good. She pivoted shooting first in one direction and then the other, jiggling the second door. Nothing.
She heard the sound of a loud crow overhead as she reached for the third door. Faces appeared over the edge of the buildings, pelting the gunman behind the dumpster with rocks and small, glowing fireballs. At the front of the crowd Shay saw the long gray hair. “Lily,” she whispered.
The gunman stood, trying to get off a shot at the teenagers on the rooftops, giving Shay the opportunity she needed. A clean kill right through the head.
She turned, her finger already squeezing the trigger, certain it was going to be a close race. She had only a moment to aim, even as she was pressing her back against the wall, determined to keep her eyes open and see what was coming.
A well-aimed rock hit her old rival’s arm in just the right place and his bullet nicked the top of her shoulder. Shay did him one better and her bullet passed cleanly through his neck. He instinctively reached up and pressed a hand against the gurgle, even as he dropped to his knees and fell back.
The teenagers came pouring off the top of the building, surrounding Shay as Lily pushed her way to the front.
“That was your rock, wasn’t it?” asked Shay, her heart still pounding. “You got a premonition.” Thank God for her twitch muscles.
“I saw it all, but I didn’t know if I’d be able to change the outcome.” Lily’s words came out in a rush. “I’m sorry I ran away. I needed to see my friends and I didn’t know how to choose. There wasn’t a way to be in both worlds. I want to be a tomb raider and help Peyton but…” It was the most she had ever said to Shay at one time. Just as quickly, she stopped talking and wrapped her arms around Shay’s neck, squeezing tight.
Shay realized she was still holding up her gun and lowered it, hugging the girl back. “We need to get out of here,” she whispered. “Dead bodies tend to attract law enforcement.”
“I know a way,” said a young man.
“Shay, this is Harry. He’s kind of the leader of the band.”
Shay finally took in a deep breath and put away her gun. “Fireballs and rocks? I thought you were all magical?”
Harry let out a snort as a ripple of laughter went through the crowd. “We all have weird magic. Kind of works, most of the time. Sometimes, all you need is a well-aimed rock.”
“Old school. I like it.”
“Come on,” said Lily, “we have a way out of here. You good?”
“Yeah, I’m good. I’ll have to get Peyton to erase the video cameras in the area but shouldn’t be too big a task. He misses you, you know.”
“I miss him too. Tell him, I’ll be back soon.” Lily led the way to another entrance to the tunnels, leading Shay through the maze, splashing through standing water in her good heels. She was still too relieved to still be breathing and to see Lily again to care. Shoes can be replaced.
She came out a mile down and pulled out her phone to text Purity Cleaners. They could make a quick run through the alley if they hurried and clean up the mess. Her car would be waiting for her at a previously agreed location.
She put away her phone and hugged Lily. “You don’t need to choose. You can do both. We’ll work it out. Just come back.”
Shay found her car waiting for her two blocks away from where she got out of the Uber. When she rolled into Warehouse Two, she was disappointed to not see Peyton. She wanted to tell him she saw Lily.
She’d thought he was finally through with his issues regarding showing up at a decent time.
They didn’t exactly work in a normal office environment, but she needed him to be available and ready to work, especially now that they were racing against Project Nephilim and Project Ragnarok. A reliable assistant would assure both survived the next few years.
Why isn’t your shit together, Peyton? I’m trying hard not to let the Empress of All Bitches out, so please don’t force me to release her.
Shay frowned and poked her head in the office. Osiris sat in Peyton’s chair, staring at the tomb raider. If it were possible for a cat’s face to be described as surly, the orange tabby’s fit.
The cat hissed.
Shay flipped the cat off. “Stop looking at me like I’m an intruder, cat. This is my building. I own it. Your master works for me, which means you technically work for me.” She threw her hands up. “And now I’m arguing with a cat. Love it. Such a great use of my time. Really.”
Osiris meowed and hopped off the chair. The cat strutted past her like he was the owner of the building, and hissed once more before running under a table.
“You’d better run, you stupid animal,” Shay muttered. She shook her head. “And this is why I hate pets.”
The pleasant smell of pepperoni drifted from the pizza oven.
Shay blinked. “If he’s cooking he must be around here somewhere, but does he really need to make pizzas in the morning?”
Peyton was, if anything, becoming more of a pizza freak than even her. She liked eating pizza, but cooking pizza? Not so much.
It took time and devotion to master the fine art of pizza-making, and she’d never found the time.
No. I didn’t want to find the time. He’s made the choice, and he’s gotten better. My time’s better spent learning parkour and history than pizza-making. Don’t need the redundant skill set.
Peyton turned the corner
