Page 24 of Tooth and Nail

“No. Hurry up.” She clicked off without waiting for a response. Eoghan frowned as he looked over at Ari.

“Is everything okay?” he asked.

“I’m not sure. The chief wants us upstairs with vampire ammunition and a couple of dart guns.” He looked at Wordy who was watching him closely.

“Coming right up.” Wordsmith walked back to the set of drawers and began pulling out less lethal rounds.

Eoghan stopped him. “She says she wants me to bring full lethal rounds.”

“What?” Wordy asked.

Eoghan nodded. “That’s what she said.”

“Did something go wrong with the conversation with the Agency?” Ari asked.

Eoghan turned to look at him and shrugged, a bad feeling washing over him. “She didn’t say. I can’t imagine the Agency wouldn’t side with John Townsend over Tillis Bradshaw, but stranger things have been known to happen.” He accepted the backpack Wordy handed him, holding it open for the weapon’s master to drop everything they’d require into it. He thought for a second. “He’ll need a handgun also,” he said, hooking a thumb at Ari since he wasn’t carrying. He waited for Wordy to hand the fire power to his glowering partner and could feel the concern pouring off Ari.

“Thanks, Wordy,” he said, zipping up the backpack, grabbing a few protein bars, and turning to leave when his partner stopped him with a tug on his forearm.

“We can’t kill an innocent man…er…vampire,” Ari said.

“We don’t actually know what’s going on yet,” Eoghan reminded him but he felt sick to his stomach. “And, technically,wewouldn’t be doing it.”

“Semantics,” Ari said, falling into step beside him. “Isn’t turning over an innocent creature to a dictator’s soldiers just as bad as killing him ourselves. How do you justify that?”

Eoghan frowned, pulling his arm out of Ari’s grasp so he could start walking again. “I don’t have to justify that. I just follow orders. I’m sure the Agency has a perfectly legitimate reason for doing whatever they’re doing.” He handed a couple of cookie dough flavored bars to him.

“So, let me see if I understand this,” Ari continued, putting the bars in his backpack as they headed for the elevator. “You guys don’t really care if your cause is just and turn over innocents to be killed because you’refollowing orders?”

Eoghan stopped and rounded on Ari, anger filling him as he pointed a finger at his face. “You act as if everything is black and white. It’s not. I just know from experience that noteverything is what I want it to be or done the way I’d do it. We don’t even know if John was telling us the truth today or what’s going on yet, so yeah, I’m going to follow my orders. If you don’t like it, then maybe this agency is the wrong fit for you!” He was fuming as he turned and stomped off, losing his appetite and shoving the bars into his backpack alongside the lethal gear.

“And if it is?” Ari asked. “If it’s the wrong fit, are you going to give me one of your pills to make me forget about everything I learned today? About the I.S.R. and what you do here?”

Eoghan stopped walking again, squeezing his eyes shut, and swallowing hard as Ari walked up behind him. When he got near, he opened his eyes and turned to look up at him. Ari’s hazel eyes were sad and searching as he gazed down at him with a frown furrowing his brow. The seconds ticked off as they stared at each other. When Ari finally stepped back, Eoghan sucked in a breath, blowing it out slowly.

“Look, all I’m saying is that until just now, I’ve beensoimpressed with this branch of the U.S. Marshals Service,” Ari said. “Everything you guys have shown me so far, including the kindness you showed Derwin and even the way you and the chief talked to King John, has made me proud to call myself one of you. But Eoghan, if the king is right and his people are being systematically enslaved by an evil dictator, and we give him back to them knowing what’s going to happen to him and his clan, then we’re no better than Bradshaw.”

“The Agency—”

“Is wrong,” Ari said, interrupting. “And what’s more, you know it.”

Eoghan was silent for a few beats before he sighed. “You’re right. I do know it. I just don’t know what I can do about it.” He turned and started to walk away when Ari caught him by the shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. The heat fromthe man’s gentle grip felt like fire in his shoulder. He slowly pivoted to look up at him.

“Do the right thing, Eoghan. Please.” The pleading expression in his eyes was impossible to take.

Eoghan’s phone rang again, and he cursed as he pulled it back out of his tac pants. He continued to stare at Ari as he swiped the call, lifting it to his ear. “Sapphire…where are you?” The chief’s voice sounded angry.

“On our way to your office.”

“Meet me at the jail instead,” she barked before clicking off.

“Yes, ma’am,” he growled into thin air as he shoved the phone back into his pocket so hard he was surprised it didn’t rip. “Come on. She’s waiting.” Without another word, Eoghan turned and stomped over to the elevator. He said nothing as the car took them to the basement, but the cool temperature coming from the man beside him made him feel awful.

And, he’d been having the perfect day.

The chief was waiting for them as soon as they stepped out of the elevator in the garage. It seemed to be devoid of anyone. Either she’d cleared the place or the mechanics had all gone home. When he got a good look at the chief’s expression, his heart sank. She looked almost more miserable than Eoghan felt. “It’s about time,” she said, spinning on her heels and heading for the jail.

“What happened?” he asked. “Why the rush, Chief?”

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